In situ reticulate sphenophyllalean spores, Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian) of the Czech Republic

Two specimens of compression strobili from the Bolsovian of the Kladno–Rakovník Basin, Czech Republic, were studied for in situ spores. Sporangia of strobili are disintegrated. Only fragments of sphenophyllalean axes and sphenophyllalean leaves occur in the rock together with the sporangia and sporangiophores. The direct evidence about sphenophyllalean affinity of strobili is that sporangia are connected with axis by a short non-scutelliform sporangiophore that is typical only for the genus Bowmanites Binney. The lack of morphological features of strobili does not enable the erection of a new species and, therefore, it is possible to classify the specimens only as Bowmanites sp. Reticulate spores comparable with the dispersed species Reticulatisporites muricatus Kosanke are reported for the first time as in situ from compression cone specimens and represent new morphological type of sphenophyllalean spores.