A fresh look on the morphology of Azaniadendron Rayner: a ligulate lycopsid from the Permian of Gondwana.

The monotypic Azaniadendron fertile Rayner, a lycopsid from the Guadalupian of Gondwana, is investigated providing new data on the morphology of its leaf cushions and their variation in shape. Evidence for a ligule is presented for the first time, elucidating, at least for this genus, a dilemma about the presence of this structure in lycopsids from the Permian Glossopteris flora. New data on its fertile axes question the assumption that the taxon produced true cones. We hypothesise that the genus belong to the Isoetales. Unequivocal evidence of the taxon is so far known only from the South African Vryheid Formation and its equivalent beds. • The monotypic lycopsid genus Azaniadendron Rayner is revisited. • Shape variations of its leaf cushions are described in detail. • Evidence of ligule is described for the first time. • It is hypothesised that the genus has affinities with the Isoëtales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]