Glossopteridales is an extinct order of seed plants, known from the Permian of Gondwana. They arose at the beginning of the Permian , and the majority or all members of the group became extinct at the end of the Permian (251.9 mya), during the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Possible Triassic records of the group have been recorded.[1] The best known genus is Glossopteris, a leaf form genus. Other examples are Gangamopteris, Glossotheca, and Vertebraria.
Permian permineralised glossopterid reproduction organs found in the central Transantarctic Mountains suggest seeds had an adaxial attachment to the leaf-like mega-sporophyll. This indicate Glossopteridales can be classified as seed ferns and is important in determining the status of the group as either close relatives or ancestors of the angiosperms.[2]
Midrib-less forms were common in the Early Permian whereas midrib forms were more common in the Late Permian.[3]