Following the greatest known end-Permian mass extinction plants have low diversity. Lycopsids and conifers dominated on land. A new gymnosperm Xinjiangoxylon gen. nov. is proposed based on a woody stem specimen collec...Following the greatest known end-Permian mass extinction plants have low diversity. Lycopsids and conifers dominated on land. A new gymnosperm Xinjiangoxylon gen. nov. is proposed based on a woody stem specimen collected from the Upper Permian (latest, Changhsingian) Upper Guodikeng Formation of the Taoshuyuan section, Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwest China. The decorticated stem is characterized by a complex pith, endarch primary xylem and a thick secondary xylem cylinder. Numerous petrified woods were found in the Changhsingian at this section. However, there are rare wood fossils in the Early Triassic. The abrupt decrease of fossil woods worldwide relates to the crisis at the end of the Permian. Xinjiangoxylon turpanense gen et. sp. nov. appears to represents one gymnosperm that existed in the latest Permian.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40972002,41272024)China Geological Survey (Grant No.1212011120142)State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology(Grant No. GBL11302)
文摘Following the greatest known end-Permian mass extinction plants have low diversity. Lycopsids and conifers dominated on land. A new gymnosperm Xinjiangoxylon gen. nov. is proposed based on a woody stem specimen collected from the Upper Permian (latest, Changhsingian) Upper Guodikeng Formation of the Taoshuyuan section, Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwest China. The decorticated stem is characterized by a complex pith, endarch primary xylem and a thick secondary xylem cylinder. Numerous petrified woods were found in the Changhsingian at this section. However, there are rare wood fossils in the Early Triassic. The abrupt decrease of fossil woods worldwide relates to the crisis at the end of the Permian. Xinjiangoxylon turpanense gen et. sp. nov. appears to represents one gymnosperm that existed in the latest Permian.