Pleoapele

Pleoapele is a fossil genus of seed plants known from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous deposits in Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus is established on frond-like leaves and small cone-like reproductive structures, which together suggest it occupied mesic forest habitats in warm temperate climates.

Discovery and naming: The type material was described by paleobotanist A. Rivera in 1998 from fossil beds in the Lusitanian Basin. The generic name Pleoapele combines Greek roots intended to evoke dense foliage; the type species is Pleoapele pleonensis.

Description: Pleoapele specimens show leaves that are oval to oblong, up to 6 cm long, with shallow lobes or teeth along the margin. Venation is pinnate with a central midrib. Reproductive structures are small cone-like inflorescences with scale-like bracts; seeds appear winged, implying wind dispersal.

Taxonomy and species: The genus includes several species, including P. pleonensis (type), P. borealis, and P. orientalis. Systematic placement remains debated; some analyses place Pleoapele within early gymnosperm-grade lineages, while others view it as close to leaf-rich corystosperms.

Fossil distribution and palaeoecology: Fossils are most common in fluvial-lacustrine sediments; associated flora include ferns and conifers. The genus contributes to understanding plant diversification during the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition and the evolution of leaf-rich gymnosperm groups.