Aquatic Angiosperms from the Dakota Formation (Albian, Lower Cretaceous), Hoisington III Locality, Kansas, USA

Two species of aquatic angiosperms, Aquatifolia fluitans gen. et sp. nov. and Brasenites kansense gen. et. sp. nov., are reported from the Hoisington III locality, Barton County, Kansas. On the basis of their morphological characters and comparisons with the morphological characters of extant aquatic angiosperms, A. fluitans may be related to extant Nymphaeaceae, and B. kansense may be related to extant Cabombaceae. The presence of a number of aquatic angiosperms and ferns in the Dakota Formation sediments indicates the diversity of wetland plants during the Early Cretaceous. This new evidence provides a perspective to help us understand that these aquatic angiosperms played an important role in the wetland vegetation along the eastern margin of the Western Interior Seaway during the Early Cretaceous.