The sub-arborescent lycopsid genus Polysporia Newberry and its spores from the Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian-Stephanian B) continental basins of the Czech Republic

About fifty compression specimens belonging to four species of Polysporia from the Kladno-Rakovník Basin of the central and western Bohemian Carboniferous continental basins and Intra-Sudetic Basin of the Czech Republic were studied macromorphologically and for in situ spores. Their stratigraphic range is from the Bolsovian to the Stephanian B. Polysporia rothwellii sp. nov., P. drabekii sp. nov. and P. radvanicensis sp. nov. are proposed as new species. Polysporia is reconstructed as a sub-arborescent plant with a principal axis with sterile and fertile apical portions. P. rothwellii and P. drabekii are preserved only as clusters of micro- and megasporophylls on specimens not in connection to an axis, and their identification and classification is based mainly on in situ spores. Micro- and megasporangia of some specimens of Polysporia occur together on axes, however, usually they are not arranged in a distinct pattern and only occasionally the distinct transition among micro- and megasporangia is to be seen. In situ megaspores are correlated with the dispersed species Valvisisporites auritus (Polysporia radvanicensis and P. drabekii), Expansisporites westphalensis (Polysporia rothwellii) and Triletisporites bohemicus (Polysporia robusta). In situ microspores are correlated with the dispersed species Endosporites zonalis (Polysporia robusta), E. globiformis (Polysporia rothwellii) and E. cf. formosus (Polysporia drabekii). Some of Kidston's type material of Polysporia from UK was re-examined and yields megaspores of the Expansisporites valvatus-type and microspores of the Endosporites globiformis-type. A review of in situ and dispersed occurrences Valvisisporites, Pseudovalvisisporites, Triletisporites, Expansisporites megaspores and Endosporites miospores is given.