TY - JOUR A1 - Bek,J. A1 - Storch,P. A1 - Tonarova,P. A1 - Libertin,M. T1 - Early Silurian (mid-Sheinwoodian) palynomorphs from the Lodenice-Spicaty vrch, Prague Basin, Czech Republic JF - Bulletin of Geosciences JA - Bull. Geosci. Y1 - 2022 VL - 97 IS - 3 SP - 385 EP - 396 CY - Prague PB - Czech Geological Survey SN - 1803-1943 (online), 1802-6222 (print) AV - Free KW - palynology KW - earliest plants KW - spores and cryptospores KW - plant events AB - Dispersed spores, cryptospores, scolecodonts, acritarchs, prasinophytes and chitinozoans, dated by graptolites as being middle Sheinwoodian (early Wenlock, ca 432 Ma), are described from the Lodenice-Spicaty vrch locality, Prague Basin, Czech Republic. Palynomorphs were macerated from a specimen (stored in the National Museum, Prague), with fragments of Cooksonia sp. and the zonal index graptolite Monograptus belophorus giving precise stratigraphic position within Monograptus belophorus Biozone. Important is the oldest occurrence of monolete spores. The number of spore taxa indicate that minimally six types of early vascular plants and probably two to three types of cryptosporophytes grew on the Svaty Jan Volcanic Island in the Prague Basin. The ecology of the first cryptospore and trilete spore producers within Sheinwoodian-Pridoli interval is discussed with special focus on first two globally important key events (after Homerian glaciation and during Pridoli) for earliest vascular land plants. The combination of palynological and palaeobotanical records confirms important role of volcanic islands of the Prague Basin for the evolution of early land plants. ER -