A new reproductive organ Echinosporangites libertite gen. and sp. nov. and its spores from the Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian) of the Pilsen Basin, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic

A new reproductive organ is described from macerations made from tuff deposits within the Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian) age Radnice Member of the Kladno Formation at the Doubrava locality in the Pilsen Basin of the Czech Republic, and named Echinosporangites libertite gen. and sp. nov. Remains comprise dispersed sori with each sorus consisting of 4-5 annulate sporangia. Sporangia possess four different types of cells and three specialised trichomes. In situ spores are characterized by a prominent labrum, irregular loaf-like sculpture of the distal surface, and may resemble some specimens of the dispersed spore genus Schopfites. As the reproductive organs of E. libertite occur in a dispersed state, its parent plant remains unknown. The specialised trichomes in E. libertite appear to have contributed to sporangial dehiscence, and the opening mechanism may have been facilitated by faunal-interaction.