The abundant fossils of early angiosperms found in the Yixian Formation （125 Ma, Early Cretaceous） have demonstrated unexpectedly high diversity and various reproductive strategies, and thus have shed new light on e...The abundant fossils of early angiosperms found in the Yixian Formation （125 Ma, Early Cretaceous） have demonstrated unexpectedly high diversity and various reproductive strategies, and thus have shed new light on early angiosperm evolution. Here, using light microscope and scanning electron microscope, we document several fructifications of Baicarpus gen. nov. from Liaoning province, China. Each fructification of the new taxon includes several apocarpous carpels/fruits attached in an urn-formed gynobase. Each fruit/carpel has a persistent straight style and an ovary enclosing a single seed. These fossil plants demonstrate a new floral organization and thus enhance our understanding of the diversity of angiosperms in the Yixian Formation. Together with previously reported ones, this fossil angiosperm suggests an origin time for angiosperms earlier than widely accepted.展开更多
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program 2012CB821901)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Porgram KZCX2-YW-154)
文摘The abundant fossils of early angiosperms found in the Yixian Formation （125 Ma, Early Cretaceous） have demonstrated unexpectedly high diversity and various reproductive strategies, and thus have shed new light on early angiosperm evolution. Here, using light microscope and scanning electron microscope, we document several fructifications of Baicarpus gen. nov. from Liaoning province, China. Each fructification of the new taxon includes several apocarpous carpels/fruits attached in an urn-formed gynobase. Each fruit/carpel has a persistent straight style and an ovary enclosing a single seed. These fossil plants demonstrate a new floral organization and thus enhance our understanding of the diversity of angiosperms in the Yixian Formation. Together with previously reported ones, this fossil angiosperm suggests an origin time for angiosperms earlier than widely accepted.
