Wattieza

Taxobox
name = "Wattieza"

---

fossil_range = Middle Devonian
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pteridophyta
classis = Cladoxylopsida
ordo = Pseudosporochnales
genus = "Wattieza"
genus_authority = Stockmans

"Wattieza" was a genus of prehistoric trees that existed in the mid-Devonian that belong to the cladoxylopsids, close relatives of the modern ferns and horsetails. The recent discovery in Schoharie County, New York, of fossils from the Middle Devonian (about 385 million years ago) united the crown of "Wattieza" to a root and trunk known since 1870, the fossilized grove of "Gilboa stumps" discovered at Gilboa, New York, which had been previously described as "Eospermatopteris", though the complete plant remained unknown. These fossils have been described as the earliest known trees, standing 8 m (34 ft) or more tall, resembling the unrelated modern tree fern.Stein, W. E., F. Mannolini, L. V. Hernick, E. Landling, and C. M. Berry. 2007. [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v446/n7138/abs/nature05705.html "Giant cladoxylopsid trees resolve the enigma of the Earth's earliest forest stumps at Gilboa"] , "Nature" (19 April 2007) 446:904-907.]

"Wattieza" lacked leaves,cite journal
author = Meyer-berthaud, B.
coauthors = Decombeix, A.L.
year = 2007
title = Palaeobotany: A tree without leaves
journal = Nature
volume = 446
issue = 7138
pages = 861–862
doi = 10.1038/446861a] and reproduced with spores.

References

* [http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_name=Cladoxylopsida Paleobiology Database accessed 19 April 2007]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070423190752/http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/18/tree.fossil.reut/index.html "Oldest tree had fronds, not leaves". Article on CNN.com]
* [http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1227 ("Cosmos") Michelle Carr, "Wattieza is world's oldest tree"] 19 April 2007