Albian Stage

What happened during this time?

• Early to Mid-Albian (113–101 Ma): Angiosperms occur in higher middle latitudes and are locally dominant (diversity equals that of ferns and others) 

  • There are large angiosperm trees in the landscape during the Early Albian

  • Between 110-100 Ma, angiosperms were replacing conifers, and causing the extinction of several conifer groups (Condamine et al., 2020)

• Archaeanthus is an early angiosperm described from the mid-Cretaceous (uppermost Albian to mid-Cenomanian) Dakota Formation of central Kansas, USA. 

  • Archaeanthus linnenbergeri (Dilcher & Crane, 1984) is a multifollicular angiosperm fruit.

  • Perianth parts are named Archaepetala beekeri and Archaepetala obscura (Dilcher & Crane, 1984)

  • Bud scales are named Kalymmanthus walkeri (Dilcher & Crane, 1984)

  • Leaves, called Liriophyllum kansense, based on association evidence and structural agreement in the presence of distinctive resin bodies (Dilcher and Crane, 1984).

• Late Albian (101 Ma): Angiosperms spanning the tropics to the poles 

  • Inhabiting stream-margin and overbank (floodplain) 

  • Nearly all major physiognomic foliage types are found 

  • Megaflora from below 60° N consists of broadleaf evergreens, with cold-sensitive life-forms 

  • Arctic megafloras dominated by broadleaved deciduous forests