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A unique gymnosperm from the latest Permian of China, and its ecophysiological implications
Feng Zhuo * #,Wang Jun,RÖßLE Ronny
Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, Yunnan University
*Correspondence author
#Submitted by
Subject:
Funding: Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education （No.No. 20095301120003）, National Natural Science Foundation of China （No.Nos. 40902009, 40872027 and 40621062）
Opened online:12 October 2010
Accepted by: none
Citation: Feng Zhuo,Wang Jun,RÖßLE Ronny.A unique gymnosperm from the latest Permian of China, and its ecophysiological implications[OL]. [12 October 2010] http://en.paper.edu.cn/en_releasepaper/content/4387248
 
 
A unique probably coniferalean gymnospermous woody stem Shenoxylon mirabile gen. nov. et sp. nov. is described from the very late Late Permian Changhsingian (Lopingian) Sunjiagou Formation of the Shitanjing coalfield, northern China. It is anatomically preserved and is characterized by a regularly arranged sclerenchymatous intramedullary sheath surrounding the wide homogenous central pith, and dense development of the secondary xylem with helically arranged leaf traces. The broad eustelic vascular system consists of the heterogeneous pith and endarch primary xylem, the tracheid elements from the protoxylem to metaxylem showing annular to scalariform/reticulate thickenings. The secondary xylem is pycnoxylic; uniseriate bordered pits are continuous or individually separated present on the radial walls of tracheids, with partially biseriate, alternate or opposite on the tracheid walls; the cross-fields show one or two cupressoid pits; ray cells are parenchymatous with smooth walls; axial parenchyma is also developed. Growth-rings are present and false rings are frequently developed throughout the secondary xylem; resin canals are absent. The leaf traces are comprised of monarch vascular bundles, of circular to longitudinally elongate shape in cross section; they originate from the periphery of the pith and pass through the whole xylem cylinder nearly horizontally. The special anatomical structure of the pith and the large amount of false rings are interpreted as ecophysiological responses of the plant to the serious environmental disturbulences during the latest Permian terrestrial ecosystem.
Keywords:palaeobotany; intramedullary sheath; end-Permian mass extinction; ecophysiological response; China
 
 
 

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