This paleobotany list records new fossil plant taxa that were announced or described during the year 2026, as well as notes other significant paleobotany discoveries and events which occurred during the year.
Algae
Chlorophytes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesEriciasphaera laufeldiiComb. novValid(Vidal)TonianVisingsö GroupA unicellular chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae; moved from Trachysphaeridium laufeldi Vidal (1976).GlobulusGen. et sp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA colonial chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae. The type species is G. unitus.Leiosphaeridia fibrosaSp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA unicellular chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae.Leiosphaeridia lacrimaformaSp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA unicellular chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae.Leiosphaeridia spinopylomiferaSp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA unicellular chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae.PalaeocystisGen. et sp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA colonial chlorophyte belonging to the group Chlorophyceae. The type species is P. novum.Pterospermella primariaSp. novValidMoczydłowska & WillmanTonianVisingsö GroupA unicellular chlorophyte belonging to the group Pyramimonadales.Salpingoporella vivariensisSp. novBucur et al.Early Cretaceous (Aptian)A member of Dasycladales.Similiclypeina hadrianiiSp. novBucur et al.Early Cretaceous (Aptian)A member of Dasycladales.
Ochrophytes NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityLocationNotesImagesForticellulaGen et sp. novValidSiverEarly EoceneYpresianEocene Okanagan HighlandsHorsefly shalesA tabellariaceous fragilariophycean diatom.The type species is F. wolfei
Rhodophytes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesVetusceramiumGen. et sp. novDu et al.EdiacaranDoushantuo FormationA member of Ceramiales belonging to the family Ceramiaceae. The type species is V. sinense.
Other algae Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesMengeosphaera exomembranaSp. novYe et al.EdiacaranDoushantuo FormationAn acritarch, possibly an algal cyst.PolyostiosphaeraGen. et sp. novChen et al.Cambrian (Fortunian)Kuanchuanpu FormationA multicellular alga of uncertain affinities. Genus includes new species P. operculata.SculpturimembranaGen. et sp. novYe et al.EdiacaranDoushantuo FormationAn acritarch, possibly an algal cyst. Genus includes new species S. ancangpingensis.Urasphaera triformisSp. novYe et al.EdiacaranDoushantuo FormationAn acritarch, possibly an algal cyst.
Phycological research Review of research on preservation and evolutionary history of early macroalgae from preceding years is published by LoDuca (2026). Mohammed et al. (2026) determine flask-shaped microfossils from the Dzhanytas Group (Kazakhstan) to be mid-Tonian in age, representing the oldest record of such microfossils reported to date, and interpret them as possible fossils of red algae. Mccandless & Droser (2026) study density and abundance of algae from the Nilpena Fossil Site within the Nilpena Ediacara National Park (Australia), and report evidence of larger size and of reduced morphological and taxonomic variation of algae from the studied site compared to algae from other Ediacaran localities. Fossil evidence of persistence of multicellular algae belonging to the genus Wengania into the early Cambrian is reported from the Zhujiaqing Formation (Yunnan, China) by You, Shang & Liu (2026). Fossil algae with morphological similarities to Proterozoic and Cambrian vendotaenids are reported from the Ordovician Landeyran Formation (France) by Vayda, Birolini & Xiao (2026). Jeon et al. (2026) study the growth characteristics of Palaeoaplysina from the Permian (Asselian) strata of the Tyrrellfjellet Member of the Wordiekammen Formation (Svalbard, Norway), and interpret Palaeoaplysina as more likely to be an alga (probably a red alga) than a sponge or cnidarian. Zhao et al. (2026) link the displacement of green eukaryotic algae by phytoplankton groups whose plastids are derived from rhodophytes as the dominant marine phytoplankton in the early Mesozoic to structural characteristics of red lineage phytoplankton that enhanced their resistance to environmental reactive oxygen species. Evidence of changes of cellular structure of coralline algae from Meghalaya (northeast India) in response to environmental changes during the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum, resulting in the studied algae maintaining calcification in spite of high temperatures and acidification of surface waters, is presented by Melbourne, Sarkar & Schmidt (2026). A study on the anatomy and diversity in organization of Pachytheca from the Silurian and Devonian strata from Welsh Borderland (United Kingdom), interpreted as an organism of uncertain phylogenetic placement with most likely affinities with green algae, is published by Edwards et al. (2026). A new charophyte assemblage, including the earliest record of Characeae reported to date, is described from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) Guanling Formation (China) by Zhang et al. (2026). Iturain, Martínez & Olivera (2026) reconstruct the life cycle of Jurassic tasmanitid prasinophytes from the Los Molles Formation (Argentina).
Non-vascular plants
Bryophyta Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesKimmereraGen. et sp. novWalker et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian)Santa Marta FormationAntarcticaA member of Bryopsida of uncertain affinities. The type species is K. cyanifera.Meteoriella parvicellaSp. novValidWolski, Kaczmarek & IgnatovEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)A moss belonging to the family Hylocomiaceae.
Marchantiophyta Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesCamptochilaGen. et sp. novValidJud & Nunes in Jud et al.Eocene (Ypresian)Huitrera FormationA liverwort of uncertain affinities. Genus includes new species C. eternautae.Dinckleria opacaSp. novRenner & PaulsenEoceneAnglesea amberA liverwort, a species of Dinckleria.Frullania tseltalSp. novJuárez-Martínez et al.MioceneMexican amberA liverwort, a species of Frullania.Frullania tsotsilSp. novJuárez-Martínez & Estrada-Ruiz in Juárez-Martínez et al.MioceneMexican amberA liverwort, a species of Frullania.Marchesinia pauchiSp. novValidJuárez-Martínez, Gradstein & Estrada-Ruiz in Juárez-Martínez et al.MioceneSimojovel Formation(Mexican amber)Metzgeriites gynothallicusSp. novHorcajada-Tejero, Blanco-Moreno & Martín-AbadEarly Cretaceous (Barremian)La Huérguina FormationA liverwort belonging to the family Metzgeriaceae.
Non-vascular plant research Evidence from the study of moss fossil from north-eastern European Russia, indicative of evolution of leaf developmental pathway in Permian protosphagnacean mosses similar to that of extant Sphagnum, is presented by Ignatov et al. (2026). Tremblay & Mercadal (2026) interpret the dark cells preserved in Paleozoic liverwort fossils as homologous with oil body cells of extant liverwort.
Lycophytes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesNoweniaGen. et sp. novEl-Abdallah & Tomescu in El-Abdallah et al.DevonianBeartooth Butte Formation()A zosterophyll. The type species is N. matsunagae.Selaginellites huatingensisSp. novSong & Ding in Song et al.Middle JurassicYanan FormationA member of Selaginellales.SinostigmariaGen. et sp. novYang et al.Carboniferous (Viséan)Xiangbai FormationA member of Isoetales. Genus includes new species S. yisis.
Lycophyte research A study on the anatomy of Guangdedendron micrum and on the phylogenetic relationships of Devonian and Carboniferous lycopsids, interpreted as indicative of evolution consistent with model of punctuated equilibria, is published by Xu et al. (2026). Pott & Schöllmann (2026) describe new fossil material of Lepidodendron aculeatum from the Carboniferous (Bashkirian) strata from the Hagen-Vorhalle Lagerstätte (Germany), and emend the diagnosis of the species. D'Antonio et al. (2026) report evidence of preservation of internal three-dimensional structure in specimens of Stigmaria from the Carboniferous strata in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa (United States), and evidence of differences between the rooting systems of Stigmaria and other rhizomorphic lycopsids, indicating that the studied structures likely are not homologous. Xu et al. (2026) report evidence from morphology and stable isotope analysis from Permian–Triassic transitional lycophytes from southwest China interpreted as consistent with use of crassulacean acid metabolism photosynthesis similar to the one seen in extant Isoetales, and interpret the physiology of the studied lycophytes as a possible factor enabling their survival during the Permian–Triassic extinction event and subsequent recovery. Peng et al. (2026) interpret Lycostrobus scottii as a member of Pleuromeiaceae on the basis of the study of fossil material from the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) strata from Sweden; the authors also study the phylogenetic relationships of Devonian to Jurassic lycopsids and reconstruct the distribution of pleuromeian lycopsids during the Triassic-Jurassic transition, reporting evidence of their short-lived proliferation in pioneer communities in the aftermath of collapse of forest ecosystems at the end of the Triassic.
Ferns and fern allies
Cyatheales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesLophosoria myanmaricaSp. novLi in Li et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Kachin amberA species of Lophosoria.Loxsomopsis minorSp. novLi in Li, Li & MaLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Kachin amberA species of Loxsomopsis.
Gleicheniales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesThaumatopteris paucipinnataSp. novProcopio Rodríguez et al.Middle TriassicCortaderita FormationA member of the family Dipteridaceae.
Marattiales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesCyathocarpus felicianoiSp. novCorreia, Šimůnek & PereiraCarboniferous (Gzhelian)Douro Carboniferous BasinA member of Marattiales belonging to the family Psaroniaceae.Danaeopsis huatingensisSp. novSun & Dengin Sun et al.Middle TriassicTongchuan FormationA member of the family Marattiaceae.Danaeopsis xunyiensisSp. novSun & Dengin Sun et al.Middle TriassicTongchuan FormationA member of the family Marattiaceae.Polymorphopteris meiSp. novLi et al.PermianA marattialean fern frond
Osmundales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesTodites holmesiiSp. novRetallackEarly TriassicAn osmundalean fern.
Polypodiales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesConiopteris glaesifilixSp. novWang, Tao, Zhang, Wang, & Shi in Wang et al.Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian)Kachin amberA polypodialean fern.Polystichum espinarensisSp. novValidAliaga-Castillo et al.PlioceneA species of Polystichum. Published online in 2025; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2026.
Salviniales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesSalvinia dashtensisSp. novValidSpagnuolo in Spagnuolo et al.EoceneGhazij Formation
Other fern allies Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes ImagesKeraphyton talentiiSp. novChampreux, Meyer-Berthaud & DecombeixDevonian (Famennian)Mandowa Mudstone FormationA member of Iridopteridales.Paradoxopteris huertasiiSp. novValidPalma-Castro et al.Early Cretaceous (Aptian)Paja FormationA paradoxopterid polypodiopsid fern of uncertain affinities.
Pteridological research