An Undercover Angiosperm from the Jurassic of China  

作　　者：ZHENG Shaolin WANG Xin 

机构地区：[1]Palaeontological Institute, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China [2]Shenyang Center of Geological Survey and Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources. Ministry of National Land and Resources, Shenyang 110034, China [3]Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontolog）. Nanjing 210008, China [4]Fairylake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen 518004, China

出　　处：《Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)》2010年第4期895-902,共8页地质学报（英文版）

基　　金：supported by NSFC Programs (No.40772006,40372008,40632010 and J0630967);the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,State Education Ministry

摘　　要：Searching for early angiosperms is a riveting activity in botany because it helps to resolve the phyiogenetic relationships among seed plants and among angiosperms themselves. One of the challenges for this job is what the target fossils look like. Most possibly early angiosperms may elude our scrutiny with gymnospermous appearances. This possibility becomes a reality in a Jurassic plant, Solaranthus gen. nov, which bears a peltaspermalean appearance and enclosed ovules. According to knowledge available hitherto, the latter feature makes it an angiosperm. However, such a feature is more likely to be eclipsed by its gymnospermous appearance. The early age and unexpected character assemblage of Solaranthus urge for a fresh look on the assumed-simple relationship between angiosperms and gymnosperms. Its resemblance to the order Peltaspermales favors the Mostly Male Theory.Searching for early angiosperms is a riveting activity in botany because it helps to resolve the phyiogenetic relationships among seed plants and among angiosperms themselves. One of the challenges for this job is what the target fossils look like. Most possibly early angiosperms may elude our scrutiny with gymnospermous appearances. This possibility becomes a reality in a Jurassic plant, Solaranthus gen. nov, which bears a peltaspermalean appearance and enclosed ovules. According to knowledge available hitherto, the latter feature makes it an angiosperm. However, such a feature is more likely to be eclipsed by its gymnospermous appearance. The early age and unexpected character assemblage of Solaranthus urge for a fresh look on the assumed-simple relationship between angiosperms and gymnosperms. Its resemblance to the order Peltaspermales favors the Mostly Male Theory.

关 键 词：bisexual FLOWER JURASSIC ANGIOSPERMS Peltaspermales Mostly Male Theory 

分 类 号：Q914.88[天文地球—古生物学与地层学] P534.52[生物学—古生物学]