Austrosequoia wintonensis, a new taxodiaceous cone from Queensland, Australia

Anew taxodiaceous ovulate cone, Austrosequoia wintonensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the area of Winton, Queensland. Australia. The material is believed to come from the Upper Cretaceous but may be younger. The cones have 29–49 cone scales arranged helically around the axis. Each scale has four to seven ovules arranged in a single row. Reproductive shoot leaves are rhomboidal with an incurved apex and a distinct keel. Comparison with extant taxodiaceous genera indicate a strong similarity to Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don) Endl. and Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) Buchholz. Only limited similarities are observed with species of the Australian endemic Athrotaxis. The deposit also contains conifer pollen cones, ferns, and angiosperm remains which are yet to be described.