Late Devonian, Permian and Triassic phytoliths from Antarctica

This paper documents the discovery of phytoliths (siliceous plant fossils) from late Devonian, Permian and Triassic Beacon Supergroup strata at Mts. C rean and Feather in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. The five phyt olith forms documented here are among the oldest phytoliths reported to dat e. The period when these phytoliths were deposited represents the time when Gondwanan land plants were evolving into present day vegetation patterns. The phytoliths identified in this study have the potential to trace Beacon Supergroup sediments and also to provide phytogeographical information docu menting plant taxa that once grew on the Antarctic craton.