| The Cheirolepideaceae was an important conifer group during the Mesozoic during the Jurassic, where they formed an especially important component of the vegetation. One of the most recognized and studied genera is the European genus Hirmeriella, which is one of the few genera known from abundant seed cones. The current research emphasizes the description of a new species of Hirmeriella found in North America. Features supporting this determination include cone scale size, distal lobe number, bract morphology and other features. Many of the fossils were collected from the Holyoke Dam locality in Massachusetts, and the Feltville Formation in New Jersey. The results are significant because it is the first detailed account of Hirmeriella in North America. The present study also includes a reassessment of seed cones associated with Pseudofrenelopsis parceramosa shoots from the Lower Cretaceous of Arkansas. These cones are somewhat similar to Hirmeriella, but exhibit several more primitive features despite their considerably younger age. |
