Lepidophloios acerosus Lindley and Hutton 1831 in the Carboniferous Cucuiova Formation, “Iron Gates” Natural Park (Banat, Romania)

The Carboniferous Cucuiova Formation of the Sirinia Basin, Danubian Units, in Almăj Mountains, South Carpathians, yields a highly diverse yet rare compressive flora representing significant heritage values of the “Iron Gates” Natural Park. This flora includes pteridophytes (lycopsids, sphenopsids, filicopsids) and gymnosperms (pteridosperms and conifers), some of these representatives being important coal generators during the Late Carboniferous times. The facies features, distribution and paleofloral features of the Cucuiova Formation are discussed in the framework of the Sirinia Basin. The lycopsid Lepidophloios acerosus Lindley and Hutton 1831 is reported for the first time in Romania from the Cucuiova Formation in Dragosela Valley, in the central part of the “Iron Gates” Natural Park.