Yu-Ling Na

Nilssoniopteris binggouensis sp. nov. (Bennettitales) from the Lower Cretaceous of Northeast China

Premise of research. A new species, Nilssoniopteris binggouensis (Bennettitales), is recognized from the Lower Cretaceous Binggou Formation from western Liaoning Province, northeast China. This is the first time that fossil plants are reported from the Early Cretaceous Binggou Formation from Liaoning Province. The new species is one of the youngest-known Bennettitales from China. Methodology. Fossil specimens were examined using SEM and LM and were compared with other published taxa. Pivotal results. Based on leaf morphology and epidermal characters, we describe a new species, N. binggouensis. The leaf is petiolate with entire margin and fine, parallel lateral veins. The leaf lamina is hypostomatic. The anticlinal walls of epidermal cells are strongly and tightly folded. The stomatal apparatus is brachyparacytic (=syndetocheilic). Conclusions. The occurrence of the new species in the late Early Cretaceous of western Liaoning Province significantly extends the stratigraphic and geographic distribution of the genus Nilssoniopteris in the Northern Hemisphere. It represents one of the easternmost occurrences of this predominantly Eurasian genus. This report increases our knowledge of this Early Cretaceous fossil site and improves our understanding of the diversity of the Bennettitales.