The Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Creationism (2018)

Legend for Figure 4 was retrieved April 13, 2016, from http:// chertnews.de/pictures/floating_trees_web.jpg; it reads, Fig.4: Hypothetical design of floating Psaronius : Equilibrium of the growing tree is maintained by successively sinking in, as indicated by the arrow supposed to be fixed to the trunk. Stability against upsetting is brought about by the large raft of air-filled roots. 10. Spores are all microspores Unlike tree lycopsids with their large, enclosed, boatlike spores, the spores of Psaronius were all microspores as in living Marratiales. These spores would have been wind-dispersed and need to germinate and be fertilized while resting on something more or less solid. Millay (1997) summarized the information about the spores (see his Plate VII fig. 3-8 and Plate VIII fig 1-6, pp. 204,206), saying, The oldest fertile marattialean [sporangium-bearing leaf form-species] is Scolecopteris alta (Westphalian A-C). The spores in this species are small (average 13.6 μm long), ovoid, monolete, and have a papillate (small warts) exinous ornamentation….Most fossil marattialean ferns have oval to spherical spores (11-130 μm in diameter) with a smooth exine, and a coating of sculptine that constitutes the ornamentation. (p. 207). 11. Sporelings free living, similar to extant Marratiales Steur (2016) cites work of Weiss (2001) that documents a fossil of a likely Psaronius sporeling having only three small leaves, saying, Latest news! Tiny club-shaped objectswithwell preserved tissue have been found together with Scolecopteris / Psaronius . They resemble the mm-size first leaves of some extant fern and thus have been assumed to be very young plants of Psaronius emerging from a gametophyte. The accompaning small image of the sporeling was retrieved April 14, 2016, from http://steurh.home.xs 4all. nl/engpsar/epsaron.html The small image also provides a link to a secondary page, https://steurh.home.xs 4all. nl/engpsar/ekiem.html -- with two enlarged images, and legend, which says, Photo and drawing of tiny objects assumed to be the first leaves of a young Psaronius- plant. Click the photo to see one of them enlarged. Coll. and photo H.-J. Weiss. Width of the photo 6 mm. Weiss, H.-J., 2001. Keimpflanze des Baumfarns Scolecopteris / Psaronius aus dem Rotliegend (Unter- Perm) Photo of fossil of sporeling on the secondary page was retrieved April 14, 2016, from https://steurh.home.xs4all.nl/ Psaronius / psakiem1.jpg. Drawing of sporeling was retrieved April 14, 2016, from https://steurh.home.xs4all.nl/ P saronius /recokiem.jpg. On this secondary web page, the photo of the sporeling fossil is further linked to a tertiary page (retrieved April 14, 2016 from https:// steurh.home.xs4all.nl/engpsar/ekiemdt.html ) with an enlargement image and legend. The legend of the fossil’s photo on the tertiary page reads,“Alleged leaf of a young Psaronius -plant with clearly seen tissue structure.” Enlargement image retreivedApril 14, 2016, from https://steurh.home.xs4all.nl/ Psaronius /psakiem2.jpg. 12. Rapid preservation of Psaronius Rössler (2000) notes that in connection with the rapid preservation of symbiotic relationships of plants and animals living in or on Psaronius trunks and roots: All examples of interactions mentioned above are interpreted as having happened on living tree ferns. The orientation of the climbers/epiphytes and their dense interaction with the host plant allows us to conclude there was rapid preservation, and to exclude the possibility that the interactions could have resulted during taphonomic processes. (p. 71). Sanders and Austin ◀ Paleobotany supports the floating mat model ▶ 2018 ICC 552