A new fern, Cladarastega burmanica gen. et sp. nov. (Dennstaedtiaceae: Polypodiales) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new fern, Cladarastega burmanica gen. et sp. nov. (Dennstaedtiaceae: Polypodiales) is described from a fertile pinnule in Burmese amber. The new species has dentate margins with acute apices, furcated 1 and 2 forked free veins angled toward pinnule apex, elongate, multicellular and glandular hairs on the epidermis, epidermal peltate scales, sori roundish, apical and subapical on abaxial surface of fronds near vein endings and paraphyses. There are both inner and outer cup-shaped indusia. The inner indusium is initially solid but then disintegrates while still attached to the sorus. The sporangium is stalked with a vertical or slightly oblique annulus. The spores are tetrahedral trilete. Related topics discussed are phylogenetic studies on ages pertaining to the origin of the Dennstaedtiaceae in comparison to the age of the fossil, associations with competing angiosperms and insect herbivores of ferns.