Glossopteridales is an extinct order of plants belonging to Pteridospermatophyta, or seed ferns, also known as Arberiales and Ottokariales. They arose at the beginning of the Permian (298.9 million years ago) on the southern continent of Gondwana, but became extinct at the end of the Permian period (251.902 million years ago), during the Permian-Triassic extinction event. 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.[1]
Midrib-less forms were common in the Early Permian whereas midrib forms were more common in the Late Permian.[2]