云南腾冲新近纪两种被子植物化石的角质层构造及其古环境意义

重点描述云南腾冲晚第三纪两种被子植物化石Betula mioluminifera Hu et Chaney,Carpinus subcordata Nathorst的角质层构造，并分析它们的现存最近亲缘种B.luminifera Winkler和C.cordata B1.var.mollis Cheng et Chen的表皮特征。实验分析证明：化石叶片的气孔参数可以推测地质历史时期大气CO2的浓度，并进而分析古环境的变化。C．subcordata Nathorst叶片能作为大气CO2浓度的生物指标。

CUTICULAR STRUCTURE OF TWO ANGIOSPERM FOSSILS IN NEOGENE FROM TENGCHONG, YUNNAN PROVINCE AND ITS PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE

This paper emphatically describes the cuticular characteristics of two fossil angiosperm species Betula mioluminifera Hu et Chaney and Carpinus subcordata Nathorst collected from Neogene in Tengchong, Yunnan. The cuticular characteristics of their Nearest Living Relative species (NLR species), Betula luminifera Winkler and Carpinus cordata B1.var. mollis Cheng et Chen, are analysed. In this experiment, we have got the lower epidermis of C.subcordata, whose characteristics are described as follows: Only the middle and lower parts of leave preserved; length about 7.5 cm, width 5 cm. Midrib strong; angle between ventricumbent and midrib 40°-50°; nearer to the base, bigger the angle; venulose, more than 12 pairs. Upper epidermis a little thicker and net-veined, stomata not found; epidermic cells arrayed rotundly, polygonal, length and width 20-30 μm; length of the net about 350 μm, width about 200 μm; width of nervecourses 50 μm with 3-4 rows of parallel cells; cells in nervecourses oblong, length about 2-3 times of width. Lower epidermis thin with stomata; trichome found; arrangement of epidermic cells as the same of upper epidermis. Distribution of stomata ruleless; type of stomatal apparatus Anomocytic; stomata slightly sunken; guard cells kidney-shaped and slightly lower than surrounding cells; inner surface of guard cells thick; guard cell surrounded by several epidermic cells. The cuticle, with its stomatal pores, represents the interface between plants and atmosphere, and its features such as cuticle thickness, stomatal density (SD), stomatal index (SI) and stomatal ratio (SR) are well used as a palaeoenvironmental indicator. Therefore, we can analyse changes in palaeoenvironment by studying the stomatal parameter of fossil plants which are sensitive to the change in atmospheric CO2 concentration. In this experiment, we have got the stomatal parameter of C.subcordata which indicates that atmospheric CO2 concentration in Neogene was higher than that of today. By comparing the cuticular characteristic of C.subcordata with that of its NLR, C.cordata, we concluded that the Neogene climate in western Yunnan was warm and humid, belonging to tropical zone to subtropical zone or warm temperate zone. In addition, the same feature exsists in C.subcordata and B. mioluminifera, whose epidermic cells are all arrayed as rotundity. This maybe is the characteristic of Betulaceae, or the phenomenon due to excess of veinlet in plant leave. It is expected to be proved in the future. From this brief review, the leaf of C.subcordata may be taken as a bio-indicator of palaeoatmospheric CO2 concentration.