NEW MATERIAL OF FOSSIL PLANTS FROM THE EARLY CRETACEOUS MULING FORMATION OF THE JIXI BASIN, EASTERN HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA
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Abstract:
The Early Cretaceous flora from the Muling Formation of the Jixi Basin, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China comprises 38 species, so far as known, belonging to 31 genera of high plants, of which 23 species of 22 genera are described here. The angiospermous leaves Asiatefolium elegans and Dicotylophyllum sp. are found in the Muling Formation for the first time. Cuticles of Tyrmia sp., Nilssoniopteris sp., Ginkgoites cf. sibirica, Sphenobaiera sp., Elatocladus manchurica are studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The flora is mainly composed of leptosporangiate ferns and gymnosperms. Most of them occurred in the Lower Cretaceous. The geological age of the Muling Formation and its flora may be Barremian and probably middle Barremian-early Aptian. No representatives of gymnosperms with needle-like leaves have been found in this flora. The occurrence of abundant tropical- or subtropical-type ferns implies a warm and humid climate dominating over the area. On the other hand, some deciduous gymnosperms including Ginkgoales, and the presence of growth rings in the fossil secondary wood, indicate seasonal changes. Paleophytogeographically, the flora belongs to the Early Cretaceous Siberian or Canada-Siberian province.
