Agathoxylon

Agathoxylon were large trees that bore long strap-like leaves and trunks with small, narrow rays.[5] Often the original cellular structure is preserved as a result of silica in solution in the ground water becoming deposited within the wood cells. This mode of fossilization is termed permineralization.

As a genus, Dadoxylon was poorly defined, and apart from Araucariaceae, has been associated with fossil wood as diverse as Cordaitales,[9] Glossopteridales and Podocarpaceae. Furthermore, it may be the same form genus as Araucarioxylon, hence the usage Dadoxylon (Araucarioxylon).[10] The genus Agathoxylon, classified under the family Araucariaceae,[11] has nomenclatural priority over the genera Araucarioxylon and Dadoxylon.[12][13][8]

Several Dadoxylon species, such as D. brandlingii and D. saxonicum have been identified as Araucarites.[14] D. arberi and D. sp.1 were synonymised with the glossopterid species Australoxylon teixterae and A. natalense, respectively; while D. sp. 2 was transferred to Protophyllocladoxylon.

Agathoxylon is common in many parts of the world, found in sites of both Gondwana and Laurasia and reported from southern Africa,[27][28] Asia,[29] the Middle East,[30] Europe,[14] South America,[31][3] and North America.[5]

In southern Africa, Agathoxylon is widespread in the Karoo Supergroup.[32] In Zimbabwe, it is especially encountered in the Pebbly Arkose Formation,[27] and also reported frequently from the Angwa Sandstone Formation.[33][34]