Umaltolepis

Umaltolepis consisted of a thick, resinous umbrella-like four-lobed cupule borne on a stalk-like column, which was attached to the tip of a short shoot. The cupule is typically up to in length, and up to in width. The four lobes enclosed the column down to a flange-like flared structure. Near the top of the column near to the attachment of the cupule, the structure became four angled, with each of the four faces bearing a loosely attached winged seed. The Umaltolepis plant was probably wind-pollinated, likely involving a hanging pollination drop. The seeds are thin-walled and were probably wind-dispersed, with the cupule likely serving to protect the fragile seeds during their development. The cupule split open to release the seeds when ripe. == Ecology ==

The Umaltolepis-Pseudotorellia plant is known to have grown in peat swamps, as well as fluvio-lacustrine environments. == Taxonomy ==

Umaltolepis was first proposed by Krassilov in 1970, but was not properly described until 1972. (often misspelled Umaltolepidiaceae) Umaltolepis is probably closely related to the seed-bearing structure Vladimaria from the Middle Jurassic of Russia, though its relationship to other seed plants is uncertain. while leaves and the attachment of the leaves to the stem is strongly similar to that of living Ginkgo. Bureya River Basin, Russia, Late Jurassic (associated with the leaves of Pseudotorellia angustifolia) • Umaltolepis mongoliensis Herrera, Shi, Ichinnorov, Takahashi, Bugdaeva, Herendeen, et Crane Iran, Early Jurassic • Umaltolepis hebeiensis China, Early Cretaceous • Umaltolepis rarinervis Krassilov Uzbekistan, Middle Jurassic • Umaltolepis involuta Nosova South Siberia, Russia, Middle Jurassic (Aalenian-Bajocian) (associated with the leaves of Pseudotorellia irkutensis) • Umaltolepis yimaensis Dong, Zhou, Zhang, Wang et Shi Yima Formation, China, Middle Jurassic (associated with the leaves of Pseudotorellia yimaensis) == References ==