Early Cretaceous Archaefructus eoflora sp. nov. with Bisexual Flowers from Beipiao, Western Liaoning, China  

作　　者：JIQiang LIHongqi L.MichelleBOWE LIUYusheng DavidWinshipTAYLOR 

机构地区：[1]InstituteofGeology,ChineseAcademyofGeologicalSciences,26BaiwangzhuangRoad,Beijing100037,China／／DepartmentofEarthSciences,NanjingUniversity,29HankouRoad,Nanjing,Jiangsu210008,China [2]DepartmentofBiology,FrostburgStateUniversity,101BraddockRoad,Frostburg,MD21532,USA [3]DepartmentofBiology,SouthwestMissouriStateUniversity,901SouthNationalAvenue,Springfield,MO65804,USA [4]DepartmentofBiology,UniversityofWisconsin-StevensPoint,StevensPoint,WI54481,USA [5]DepartmentofBiology,IndianaUniversitySoutheast,4201GrantLineRoad,NewAlbany,IN47150,USA

出　　处：《Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)》2004年第4期883-896,共14页地质学报（英文版）

摘　　要：Recently, whether Archaefructus has bisexual multi-parted flowers or just inflorescences of unisexual flowers, and whether it is ancestral to all angiosperms or a derived eudicot have been debated. Here, from the same Yixian Formation, NE China, we report a new Archaefructus species, A. eoflora sp. nov., with the generic characteristics of dissected leaves and bisexual reproductive axes. It is entirely preserved with roots, rhizome, shoots and protogynous reproductive organs at different developmental stages. Its lateral and main fertile shoots form a pseudo-indeterminate pattern, while the reproductive branches on the main shoot form a cymose inflorescence. Subtended by 1-2 bract-like leaves, the section of stamen clusters changes into a much shorter section of carpels that have one row of orthotropous ovules. Significantly, one cluster bearing two carpels and one stamen between the two sections demonstrates a true bisexual flower, an important step of the origin of floral bisexuality, and the homology between the stamen and carpel. The complex reproductive axes represent a mix between flowers and inflorescences, and suggest that A. eoflora sp. nov. possesses the potential to evolve into a variety of diverse flower types as found in modern basal and early fossil angiosperms. A comparison with other two species also leads to a revision of the generic diagnosis.Recently, whether Archaefructus has bisexual multi-parted flowers or just inflorescences of unisexual flowers, and whether it is ancestral to all angiosperms or a derived eudicot have been debated. Here, from the same Yixian Formation, NE China, we report a new Archaefructus species, A. eoflora sp. nov., with the generic characteristics of dissected leaves and bisexual reproductive axes. It is entirely preserved with roots, rhizome, shoots and protogynous reproductive organs at different developmental stages. Its lateral and main fertile shoots form a pseudo-indeterminate pattern, while the reproductive branches on the main shoot form a cymose inflorescence. Subtended by 1-2 bract-like leaves, the section of stamen clusters changes into a much shorter section of carpels that have one row of orthotropous ovules. Significantly, one cluster bearing two carpels and one stamen between the two sections demonstrates a true bisexual flower, an important step of the origin of floral bisexuality, and the homology between the stamen and carpel. The complex reproductive axes represent a mix between flowers and inflorescences, and suggest that A. eoflora sp. nov. possesses the potential to evolve into a variety of diverse flower types as found in modern basal and early fossil angiosperms. A comparison with other two species also leads to a revision of the generic diagnosis.

关 键 词：Archaefructus eoflora bisexual flower fossil angiosperm orthotropous ovules plant evolution protogynous development Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation 

分 类 号：Q914.6[天文地球—古生物学与地层学] P534.53[生物学—古生物学]