Paleorrota - Flora

Flora

In paleobotany there are two areas that stand out in the geopark. North the Caturrita Formation dating from the Triassic, with a forest of petrified trunks of conifers which is located mainly in the cities of Mata, São Pedro do Sul and Santa Maria. South the Rio Bonito Formation, which dates from the Sakmarian, with a varied flora of the Permian Glossopteris and is located mainly in the cities of Mariana Pimentel, Encruzilhada do Sul, Arroio dos Ratos, Pantano Grande, Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Pardo and São Jerônimo.

With the Permian Extinction was a change of Glossopteris flora, which prevailed in the Carboniferous and Permian to Dicroidium flora of Triassic. We can see these two floras with the following genera existing in geopark:

• Lycophytas: Plants vascularized with reproduction by spores. Genera Brasilodendron and Cyclodendron.
• Pteridospermatophytas: Plants vascularized known as seed ferns with fronds. Were abundant in the Triassic. Genus Dicroidium.
• Pteridophytas: Vascularized seedless plants (ferns) and reproduction by spores. They leaf type fronds. They lived in locals humid and swampy. Were abundant in the Permian. Genera Asterotheca, Botrychiopsis, Neomariopteris, Osmundites Pecopteris and Stephanophyllites.
• Sphenophytas: Vascularized seedless plants (horsetails). Genera Phyllotheca and Sphenopteris.
• Glossopteris: Plants gymnosperms vascularized that reproduce with seeds. Gave the name to Glossopteris flora. It was trees or shrubs with 4–6 metres tall and with tongue-shaped leaves (Greek glosso). Genera Glossopteris and Gangamopteris.
• Cordaites: Plants gymnosperms vascularized that reproduce with seeds. Were similar to conifers with large leaves and ribbed. Generally possessed with heart-shaped seeds. Could have 45 metres tall. Genera Cordaites and Kawizophyllum.
• Ginkgophytas: Plants gymnosperms vascularized that reproduce with seeds. Leaves were similar to current Ginkgos. Genera Chiropteris and Cheirophyllum.
• Conifers: Plants gymnosperms vascularized with reproduction by seeds. Consisting of Pine and Araucaria, which could reach 30 meters tall and two meters in diameter. Genera Buriadia, Cordaicarpus, Coricladus, Kaokoxylon, Samaropsis and Sommerxylon.

In Paleobotany usually the leaves, seeds, trunks, pollen and spores are found separately. So theseeds, pollens and spores receive a separate nomenclature, so that in the future are established links and synonyms between plant parts. Palynology is the division of Paleobotany that contributes to the study of fossils as tiny pollens, spores, fungi and algae. Below is a list of spores, pollens, fungi and algae ever found in Paleorrota:

Genus of spore: Brevitriletes, Calamospora, Cirratriradites, Convolutispora, Cristatisporites, Cyclogranisporites, Granulatisporites, Horriditriletes, Kraeuselisporites, Lundbladispora, Punctatisporites, Reticulatisporites and Vallatisporites.

Genus of pollen grains: Cannanoropolis, Cycadopites, Divarisaccus, Illinites, Limitisporites, Peppersites, Protohaploxypinus, Striomonosaccites, Vesicaspora and Vittatina.

Fungi: Portalites gondwanensis.

Algae: Brazilea helby, Brazilea scissa, Leiosphaeridia sp., Tetraporina sp. and Quadrisporites horridus.