Pteridospermatophyta 1815052 225453107 2008-07-13T19:46:37Z NatureA16 2164770 {{Unreferenced|date=April 2008}}{{Taxobox | name = Pteridospermatophyta | fossil_range = [[Devonian]]-[[Eocene]] | image = | image_width = 250px | image_caption = | domain = [[Eukaryote|Eukaryota]] | unranked_regnum = [[Archaeplastida]] | regnum = [[Plantae]] | divisio = †'''Pteridospermatophyta''' | subdivision_ranks = Orders | subdivision = * [[Arberiales]] * [[Calamopityales]] * [[Callistophytales]] * [[Corystospermales]] * [[Gigantopterid|Gigantonomiales]] * [[Glossopteridales]] * [[Leptostrobales]] * [[Peltaspermales]] }} '''Pteridospermatophyta''', also called '''seed ferns''', is an extinct [[spermatophyte]] group of the [[Plantae]] [[kingdom (biology)|kingdom]]. Members of this division were predominant at the late [[Devonian]], declined some {{ma|250}}, and mostly disappeared by the [[Cretaceous]], though [[fossil]] evidence indicates that they survived into the [[Eocene]] in [[Tasmania]].<ref name="McLoughlinetal2008">McLoughlin, S., R.J. Carpenter, G.J. Jordan, & R.S. Hill. (2008). "Seed ferns survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction in Tasmania." ''American Journal of Botany,'' '''95''': 465-471.</ref> The Pteridospermatophyta have not yet acquired a clear position in botanical [[systematics]] and indeed appear to be a [[paraphyletic]] [[form taxon]]. Some appear to be allied or ancestral to the [[gymnosperm]]s, others seem to be closer to [[angiosperm]]s. The seeds of seed ferns develop differently from the other seed plants, as they are believed to grow inside a cupule. [[Order (biology)|Order]]s often united in the seed ferns are: * [[Arberiales]] * [[Calamopityales]] * [[Callistophytales]] * [[Corystospermales]] * [[Gigantopteridales]] (= "Gigantonomiales") * [[Glossopteridales]] * [[Leptostrobales]] * [[Peltaspermales]] ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://taggart.glg.msu.edu/bot335/sfern.htm Seed fern paleontology] * [http://www.uni-muenster.de/GeoPalaeontologie/Palaeo/Palbot/seite9.html Seed ferns] [[Category:Prehistoric plants]] [[Category:Devonian life]] [[Category:Carboniferous life]] [[Category:Permian life]] [[Category:Triassic life]] [[Category:Jurassic life]] [[Category:Cretaceous life]] [[Category:Paleocene life]] [[Category:Eocene life]] [[Category:Eocene extinctions]] {{paleo-stub}} {{plant-stub}} [[de:Samenfarne]] [[es:Pteridospermatophyta]] [[fr:Pteridospermatophyta]] [[nl:Zaadvaren]] [[pl:Paprocie nasienne]] [[pt:Pteridospermatophyta]] [[ru:Семенные папоротники]] [[zh:種子蕨門]]