Glossopteridales
Glossopteridales is an extinct order of plants belonging to Pteridospermatophyta, or seed ferns, also known as Arberiales and Ottokariales. They arose at the beginning of the Permian on the southern continent of Gondwana, but became extinct before the end of the Permian period. The best known genus is Glossopteris. Other examples are Glossotheca and Vertebraria.
Permian permineralised glossopterid reproduction organs found in the central Transantarctic Mountains suggest seeds had an attachment to the leaf-like mega-sporophyll. This indicate Glossopteridales can be classified as seed ferns and is important in determining the status of the group as either close relatives or ancestors of the angiosperms.
Midrib-less forms were common in the Early Permian whereas midrib forms were more common in the Late Permian.
