Article: An opposite-leaved conifer from the Jurassic of Israel

Cupressinocladus ramonensis sp. nov., a species of Jurassic conifer based on compressions of leafy shoots, is described, and the genus Cupressinocladus Seward emended. The material is from the Makhtesh Ramon (Wadi Raman) in southern Israel. The leaves are small, closely appressed, and are decussate in arrangement, suggesting comparison with the living Cupressaceae. Faunal evidence shows that C. ramanensis sp. nov. is not younger than Middle Jurassic and that it is probably of Lower Jurassic age. No well-founded record of the Cupressaceae has been previously known earlier than the Cretaceous.