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A new species of Keteleeria (Pinaceae) in the Shanwang Miocene flora of China and its phytogeographic connection with North America
Author(s) -
Wang Yu-Fei,
Xiang Qiao-Ping,
Ferguson David K.,
Zastawniak Ewa,
Yang Jian,
Li Cheng-Sen
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/25065538
Subject(s) - pinaceae , land bridge , flora (microbiology) , paleontology , botany , china , neogene , geography , late miocene , taxon , leafy , paleobotany , ecology , geology , biology , archaeology , biological dispersal , population , biochemistry , demography , plant development , structural basin , sociology , bacteria , gene , pinus <genus>
The presence of Keteleeria in the Miocene of eastern China is confirmed by the discovery of a cone, winged seeds, and leafy shoots. These are described and compared with other fossil and recent representatives. The best match was with K. rujadana, a K. fortunei‐like fossil from the Oligocene of Oregon, U.S.A. The presence of similar, if not identical taxa, on both sides of the Pacific indicates that in the Mid‐Tertiary exchange between East Asia and North America via the Beringian land‐bridge was still possible. With global cooling in the Tertiary, this thermophilic conifer became scarce. Its present restricted distribution dates from the Quaternary.