An Early Carboniferous leaf-colonizing fungus

Hübers M, Bomfleur B, Krings M, Kerp H

Zusammenfassung

Documented evidence of fungi inhabiting the leaves of Palaeozoic land plants is rare. Thispaper describes impressions of rosette-like fungal thalli on a dispersed plant cuticle from the LowerCarboniferous of Chemnitz-Glösa (Germany). Circular structures in the centre of one thallus areinterpreted as infection pores. Host reactions occur in the form of extensive cutinizations around thethallus margins. The thalli are interpreted as hyphopodia or some other epiphyllous structure of aparasitic fungus that facilitated host attachment and penetration. This discovery represents the oldestdirect fossil evidence of fungal growth on leaf surfaces.

Projekte, aus denen die Publikation entstanden ist