1. A new species of Zelkova (Ulmaceae, Ulmoideae) with leaves and fruits from the Oligocene of South China and its biogeographical implications.
- Author
-
Ma, Fu-Jun, Sun, Bai-Nian, Wang, Qiu-Jun, Dong, Jun-Ling, Yang, Yi, and Yan, De-Fei
- Subjects
- *
FOSSIL zelkova , *PLANT species , *OLIGOCENE paleobotany , *BIOGEOGRAPHY , *EPIDERMIS - Abstract
A new fossil species ofZelkovais described from the Oligocene Ningming Formation of Guangxi, South China.Zelkova ningmingensissp. nov.is characterized by leaves with craspedodromous venation pattern and drupaceous fruit type. The new species possesses elliptical to ovate leaves, bearing 7–12 pairs of secondary and simple toothed margin, as well as epidermal cells with straight or rounded anticlinal walls. The species is compared with extant and other fossil species hitherto reported of the genus. It is most similar to the livingZelkova schneiderianain the leaf gross morphology and epidermal characters, which may be suggested to be the ancestral type ofZelkova schneideriana. The discovery ofZelkova ningmingensissp. nov.in Guangxi indicates thatZelkovahas already existed in southern China as early as the Oligocene. In combination withZelkovamaterial from the Oligocene of Europe, it can be inferred that EurasianZelkovahad begun to diversify by at least the Oligocene. Because China is the biodiversity centre of modernZelkova, the fossil herein provides new insights intoZelkovabiogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF