Cryptokerpia sarlaccophora gen. et sp. nov., an enigmatic plant fossil from the Late Permian Umm Irna Formation of Jordan

Cryptokerpia sarlaccophora gen. et sp. nov., an enigmatic type of gymnosperm leaf, is described based on dispersed cuticles retrieved from bulk-macerated samples of the Umm Irna Formation (Upper Permian) of the Dead Sea Region, Jordan. The most prominent diagnostic feature of the new genus is that stomatal pores are sunken deep into the epidermis at the bottom of multi-cellular stomatal crypts that are lined with multiple tiers of papillae. Vaguely similar ‘stomatal tubes’ are known from several plant groups (e.g., conifers, Bennettitales, Proteaceae, noeggerathiopsids), but are readily distinguished by their epidermal features and gross morphology. The Umm Irna Formation provides a unique window into rarely preserved dry-standing elements and demonstrates that, when these groups are preserved, they still hold great potential for future research.