La biodiversité végétale des gisements dʹâge Jurassique supérieur–Crétacé inférieur de Merbah El Asfer (Sud-Tunisien)

Five localities with fossil plants have been studied in the Tataouine region (southern Tunisia) at Jebel Merbah el Asfer. Dated from Tithonian to Aptian they belong to the Asfer Group and correspond with continental fluvio-deltaic and/or aeolian deposits. The biodiversity inventory has permitted the description of 16 taxa belonging to bryophytes, pteridophytes and gymnosperms. One new genus of Salviniaceae has been proposed, namely Daharia gen. nov., and five new species: the brophytes Hepaticites elegans, the pteridophytes Piazopteris robusta, Aspidistes delicatula andDaharia tunisiensis , and the coniferophyte Cupressinocladus asferensis. A taphonomic study has indicated, in two localities, a repetition of practically monospecific plant successions. This North Gondwana flora differs in composition from those known hitherto.