Plants have evolved different life-history strategies to overcome limited amounts of available resources; however, when and how divergent sexual reproduction in early land plants are not well understood. As one the notable vital components terrestrial vegetation, Zosterophyllopsida its type genus Zosterophyllum reached maximum species diversity during Pragian (Early Devonian; ca 410.8–407.6 million years ago). Here we describe a new species, baoyangense sp. nov., based on well-preserved...

The colonization of terrestrial environments by rooted vascular plants had far-reaching impacts on the Earth system. However, belowground structures early are rarely documented, and thus plant-soil interactions in ecosystems poorly understood. Here we report earliest paleosols (fossil soils) Asia from Early Devonian deposits Yunnan, China. Plant traces extensive within soil occur as complex network-like structures, which interpreted representing long-lived, rhizomes basal lycopsid...

During the mid-Palaeozoic, vascular land plants (i.e., tracheophytes) underwent a great radiation that triggered development of biosphere – so-called Silurian–Devonian terrestrial revolution. However, little is known about how different plant groups impacted this process. A newly constructed dataset macrofossil genera used to characterize tempo and mode vegetation it spread out over subaerial habitats. Important fluctuations diversity evolutionary rates are linked dynamics particular...

• The enhanced chemical weathering by rooted vascular plants during the Silurian–Devonian period played a crucial role in altering global biogeochemical cycles and atmospheric environments; however, documentation of early root morphology physiology is scarce because existing fossils are mostly incomplete. Here, we report an entire, uprooted specimen new Zosterophyllum Penhallow, named as Z. shengfengense, from Early Devonian Xitun Formation (Lochkovian, c. 413 Myr old) Yunnan, south China....

Pterosaurs were a unique clade of flying reptiles that contemporaries dinosaurs in Mesozoic ecosystems. The Pterodactyloidea as the most species-diverse group pterosaurs dominated sky during Cretaceous time, but earlier phases their evolution remain poorly known. Here, we describe 160 Ma filter-feeding pterosaur from western Liaoning, China, representing geologically oldest record Ctenochasmatidae, exclusive filter feeders characterized by an elongated snout and numerous fine teeth. new took...

The earliest seed plants occurred in the Late Devonian (Famennian). However, why and how they rapidly diversified remain long-standing mysteries. We investigated early evolution of based on a new ovule evaluated wind pollination performance cupulate ovules by using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Zaijunia biloba gen. et sp. nov. is described from Upper (Famennian) South China shows canonical hydrasperman-type with lobed integuments complex nucellar apex. bears pairs, each within...

Two new species of Zosterophyllum Penhallow (Zosterophyllum qujingense sp. nov. and xishanense nov.), respectively from the Yulongsi Formation (Late Silurian, Přídolí) Xiaxishancun (Early Devonian, Lochkovian) Qujing, Yunnan, China, are described. Both small naked plants with spikes radially arranged sporangia. is earliest recorded plant in South China. It has basal K‐ or H‐shaped branching erect dichotomous axes. Terminal consist lateral stalked sporangia wedge somewhat elliptical shape....

New megafossil and microfossil data indicate four episodes in the diversification of Silurian–Early Carboniferous land plants South China, a relatively continuous regional record. Plant diversity increased throughout, but rising curve was punctuated by three major falls. There were peaks origination Ludlow–Pragian, Givetian, late Famennian Visean extinction Pragian–Emsian, Givetian early Tournaisian. Speciation rates highest Lochkovian–Pragian became progressively lower subsequent stages....

Abstract: Two zosterophyll plants are described from the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) Xitun Formation of Qujing, Yunnan, China. Xitunia spinitheca gen. et sp. nov. has stalked sporangia laterally attached on axis in a helical arrangement. Sporangia dorsoventrally flattened and composed two unequal valves; adaxial valve is round face view, while abaxial larger than former, triangular or wedge‐shaped, radially bears long spiny appendages along distal margin. shows new variation sporangial...

A new heterosporous and ligulate lycopsid, Yuguangia ordinata gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Haikou Formation (late Givetian) of Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Its slender stems branch isotomously. Vegetative leaves are arranged in pseudowhorls. Compact bisporangiate strobili terminate distal branches have megasporangia located proximally microsporangia distally. Sporophylls differentiated into horizontal pedicel, upturned lamina, downward "heel," they pseudowhorlly arranged,...

A previous study of the Late Devonian (Famennian) sphenopsid Rotafolia songziensis Wang, Hao, and Wang provided detailed descriptions morphology a sketchy illustration three‐ribbed primary xylem. The present anatomical data show that protostele this plant also has four‐ribbed xylem exarch maturation. Located at tip each rib, tracheids protoxylem strand bear helical wall thickenings. Tracheids metaxylem secondary possess scalariform pits and/or bordered pits. Ray cells seldom occur in In...

A previous study of the Late Devonian cladoxylopsid Denglongia hubeiensis Xue et Hao provided a detailed morphological description, while new material from type locality Huangjiadeng Formation, Hubei Province, China, reported here reveals details anatomy. Main axes are actinostelic in transverse sections, showing primary xylem column with five or six ribs separated by deep embayments. First‐order have deeply ribbed four ribs. Each stelar rib has two permanent, mesarch protoxylem strands near...

Abstract A megafossil plant assemblage containing three zosterophyll plants (Gen. nov. A, aff. Huia sp. and a unnamed spike) is described from the Lower Devonian Xitun Formation (Lochkovian) of Qujing, Yunnan Province, China, providing new data on diversity types during Lochkovian, time poorly represented by fossil vascular plants. Gen. has character combination naked axes, diagnostic branching pattern (i.e. K-type as well small lateral branches scattered along axes) stalked sporangia. Aff....

Abstract: To investigate the phylogeny of early lycopsids, cladistic analyses using both parsimony and Bayesian approaches are presented, with a data matrix 33 morphological characters across 25 taxa. The resulting trees showed overall similarities in tree topologies. In tree, Protolepidodendrales heterosporous lycopsids recognized as two monophyletic groups, within latter group, Isoetales sensu lato forms subclade. This topology implies that acquisition ligulate character evolved twice once...