Palaeocupressinoxylon uniseriale n. gen. n. sp., a gymnospermous wood from the upper Permian of Central Taodonggou,southern Bogda Mountains,northwestern China

A silicified wood, Palaeocupressinoxylon uniseriale n. gen. n. sp., is described from the upper Permian of the Central Taodonggou section, Turpan–Hami Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. Multidisciplinary data including U–Pb ID–TIMS zircon dating, vertebrate and invertebrate biostratigraphic, and cyclostratigraphic correlation from current and previous studies indicate that the fossil bearing interval is Wuchiapingian (late Permian) in age. The pycnoxylic wood consists of thick-walled tracheids and parenchymatous rays. It is characterized by separated uniseriate radial tracheidal pits, uniseriate ray cells, and cupressoid cross-field pitting. The absence of growth rings in the wood, together with the occurrence of Argillisols, Gleysols, and Histosols above and below the fossil interval, suggests that a stable landscape and a perennially humid climate prevailed in the Taodonggou area during the Wuchiapingian.     

A new species of Discinites (Noeggerathiales) from the Upper Permian of Weibei Coalfield, North China

A new species of Discinites is described from the Late Permian Upper Shihhotse Formation of the Weibei Coalfield, Shaanxi Province, China. D. hanchengensis sp. nov. has decurrent and disk-like sporophylls with deep-toothed apices, elliptical sporangia and rectangular epidermal cells. The spores are generally of the Calamospora type. The megaspores and microspores are 300–380 and 45–90 μm in diameter, respectively. The microspores are similar in size to those of all other species of Discinites that contain Calamospora, but the megaspores are remarkably smaller. The new species represents the first record of Discinites with Calamospora from China and from the Cathaysian flora. Finally, we summarize the associated foliages of Discinites in the Cathaysian flora and find that they are all markedly different from those found in the Euramerican flora.     

Comparative analysis of complete plastid genome reveals powerful barcode regions for identifying wood of Dalbergia odorifera and D. tonkinensis (Leguminosae)

Dalbergia odorifera T. C. Chen (Leguminosae), a rare and endangered tree species endemic to Hainan Island of China, produces the most expensive and rarest wood in China. The wood characteristics of D. odorifera are remarkably similar to those of D. tonkinensis (a much less sought-after species from Vietnam), and the DNA from wood is often highly degraded, making it very difficult to identify the two species using anatomical features or DNA barcoding based on regular DNA markers. To solve the confusion of identifying wood reliably from the two species, we built and analyzed the plastome library of 26 samples from 18 Dalbergia species, of which 12 samples from eight closely related species of D. odorifera are newly sequenced in this study. Phylogenomic analysis suggested that the relationships among the 26 samples are mostly well resolved, and conspecific individuals from different populations of D. odorifera and D. tonkinensis clustered together. Between the plastid genomes of the two species, we identified 129 indels and 114 single nucleotide polymorphisms. By assessing a subset of 20 nucleotide polymorphisms and 10 indels using 37 population-level samples (20 samples of D. odorifera and 17 samples of D. tonkinensis), we recovered eight species-specific barcode regions that could be suitable for identifying the wood D. odorifera and D. tonkinensis. To examine their utility in wood identification, we amplified the eight DNA barcodes using six wood samples and recovered an amplification success rate of 83.3%, demonstrating a reliable method for precise wood identification of the two species.     

A review of fossil cycad megasporophylls, with new evidence of Crossozamia pomel and its associated leaves from the lower permian of Taiyuan, China

Four species of cycad megasporophyll from the Lower Permian of Taiyuan, China, are described as Crossozamia chinensis (Zhu and Du) comb. nov., C. minor sp. nov., C. spadicia sp. nov. and C. cucullata comb. nov. together with the associated leaves Tianbaolinia circinalis gen. et sp. nov., Yuania chinensis Zhu and Du and Taeniopteris taiyuanensis Halle. An axis bearing megasporophylls in organic connection is described for the first time. Two possible evolutionary pathways from this structure to those of the female reproductive organs of extant cycads are proposed, involving either the reduction of the megasporophylls and their compaction on the axis, or the reduction of the “strobilus” axis. It is suggested that migration of cycads from North China to Europe might have occurred through transportation of their buoyant seeds by the palaeoceanic currents of the Tethys sea.     

Activity of dehydroabietic acid derivatives against wood contaminant fungi

The antifungal activity of 10 dehydroabietic acid derivatives with different configuration in A and B rings (cis/trans A/B junction) and different substituents and/or functionalities was evaluated in bioassays in vitro and in situ (pine wood blocks).

The test compounds dissolved in acetone were assayed at several concentrations w/w (test compound/culture medium) against the fungi. The Relative Inhibition (RI) was determined by measuring the radial growth of colonies of the fungi treated with the test compounds by comparison with those of control cultures; the results are expressed as EC₅₀.

The results of bioassays in vitro have shown that hydroxyl and aldehyde functions are required for antifungal activity in this group of compounds and deisopropylation can increase the activity. Our assay of antifungal activity in situ (in pine wood blocks) provides a means to investigate the preservative activities of these antifungal compounds under actual conditions of use.

The dehydroabietic acid derivative cis-deisopropyldehydroabietanol (10) inhibited the growth of several of the fungi tested, in vitro and in situ.

The results obtained in situ with the test compound (10) at 6% and 8% were not significantly different from the reference products and a good level of protection of the wood against the organisms tested was achieved.

The results in wood bioassays present new possibilities in the search for natural new compounds in the wood protection, as an alternative to conventional fungicides.     

A Late Permian flora with Dicroidium from the Dead Sea region, Jordan

Three new species of Dicroidium, D. irnensis, D. jordanensis and D. robustum, are described from the Um Irna Formation (Upper Permian) of the Dead Sea region, Jordan. The plant remains are preserved as compressions with excellent cuticles. These are the earliest unequivocal records of Dicroidium, a genus that is typical for the Triassic of Gondwana. It is also the northernmost occurrence of this genus that apparently originated in the Permian in the palaeotropics. Middle and Late Permian floras from the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent regions show a remarkable mixture of elements from different floral provinces, i.e. Euramerica, Cathaysia and Gondwana. The climatic amelioration in the Early Triassic apparently enabled Dicroidium to migrate southward and eventually colonise the entire Gondwana region. Dicroidium is one of the very few megaplant genera not affected by the end-Permian biotic crisis, the largest Phanerozoic extinction event.     

中国跳鼠总科物种的系统分类学研究进展

近年来,随着分子系统学的发展以及荒漠地区物种多样性和分类学研究的深入,新的隐存种不断被发现,一些类群的分类地位也发生了变动。中国是世界上跳鼠总科(Dipodoidea)物种多样性最高的国家,通过对中国跳鼠总科物种的分类系统进行重新梳理和研究,确认跳鼠总科在中国有3科6亚科12属22种。证实中国分布有第五种蹶鼠——灰蹶鼠(Sicista pseudonapaea)。五趾跳鼠亚科原属Allactaga是一个并系群,应拆分为Allactaga、Orientallactaga、Scarturus三个属;原五趾跳鼠、巨泡五趾跳鼠、巴里坤跳鼠归于Orientallactaga属,小五趾跳鼠移入Scarturus属,且是一个包含隐存种的种团。大五趾跳鼠在我国仅有文献记载,其分布存疑。跳鼠亚科原三趾跳鼠努日亚种提升为种——塔里木跳鼠(Dipus deasyi);而准噶尔羽尾跳鼠(Stylodipus sungorus)在我国有分布。奇美跳鼠(Chimaerodipus auritus)是近年来在我国发现并命名的新属新种。     

粤北山区多孔菌科的三个新种

本文发表了广东省北部山区的多孔菌科的三个新种,它们是:薄淀粉孔菌Amylonotus tenuis Zheng et Bi;近烟色赖特卧孔菌Wrighto-poria subadusta Bi et Zheng;和迷路状粉孢菌Amylosporus daedali-formis Zheng et Bi。     

针叶树病原菌异担子菌属的物种多样性及相关检疫建议

异担子菌属Heterobasidion种类是北半球针叶树最严重的森林病原菌,在世界范围内能侵染27种针叶树,对欧洲和北美洲的经营林已造成重大损失。基于传统形态学研究,认为异担子菌属有2个种,即多年异担子菌H. annosum和岛生异担子菌H. insulare,然而单孢交配实验研究证明2个种为复合种。分子系统发育分析研究表明：异担子菌属包括15个种,其中5个种为森林病原菌[冷杉异担子菌H. abietinum、多年异担子菌（狭义）H. annosum s. str.、变孔异担子菌H. irregulare、西方异担子菌H. occidentale和小孔异担子菌H. parviporum];10个种为腐生菌（淀粉孢异担子菌H. amyloideum、南洋杉异担子菌H. araucariae、阿曼德异担子菌H. armandii、南方异担子菌H. australe、岛生异担子菌H. insulare、林芝异担子菌H. linzhiense、东方异担子菌H. orientale、拟岛生异担子菌H. subinsulare、拟小孔异担子菌H. subparviporum和西藏异担子菌H. tibeticum）。多年异担子菌（狭义）H. annosum s. str.、小孔异担子菌H. parviporum和冷杉异担子菌H. abietinum分布于欧洲,分别是松属、云杉属和冷杉属林木的病原菌。变孔异担子菌H. irregulare和西方异担子菌H. occidentale分布于北美洲,前者侵染松属和柏属树木,后者侵染冷杉属、铁杉属、黄杉属和巨杉属树木。虽然广义的多年异担子菌H. annosum sensu lato曾在我国报道,但基于目前研究结果表明该种为拟小孔异担子菌H. subparviporum。目前世界上最具侵染力的5种病原菌即狭义的多年异担子菌H. annosum s. str.、小孔异担子菌H. parviporum、冷杉异担子菌H. abietinum、变孔异担子菌H. irregulare和西方异担子菌H. occidentale还未在我国发现,也未列为对外检疫对象,因此建议将其列为进境植物检疫性有害生物。RNA聚合酶II大亚基序列（RPB1）在异担子菌属种类鉴定中敏感性和特异性最高,研究证明该分子方法可应用于鉴别不同异担子菌种类的有效基因标记,在海关部门进行原木和木质产品的检疫中可运用该分子标记进行林木病原异担子菌的检测。     

Assessing potential biological control of the invasive plant, tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima

Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, is a deciduous tree indigenous to China and introduced into North America and Europe. It is a serious threat to ecosystems in introduced areas, as the plant is very competitive, and also contains allelopathic chemicals that may inhibit growth of surrounding native plants. In addition, the plant contains secondary chemicals that make it unpalatable to some insects. In this paper we assess potential biological control of this plant by reviewing literature associated with natural enemies of the plant from both its native and introduced regions in the world. Our literature surveys revealed that 46 phytophagous arthropods, 16 fungi, and one potyvirus were reported attacking tree-of-heaven, some apparently causing significant damage in China. Two weevils, Eucryptorrhynchus brandti and E. chinensis, are major pests of the plant in China and are reportedly restricted to tree-of-heaven, showing promise as potential biological control agents. Nymphs and adults of a homopteran insect, Lycorma delicatula and larvae of two lepidopteran species, Samia cynthia and Eligma narcissus, may also cause severe damage, but they are not host specific. Two rust fungi, Aecidium ailanthi J. Y. Zhuan sp. nov. and Coleosporium sp. have been reported on tree-of-heaven in China and are also promising potential candidates for biological control of the plant. Nine insect herbivores and 68 fungi are associated with tree-of-heaven in its introduced range in North America, Europe, and Asia. An oligophagous insect native to North America, the ailanthus webworm, Atteva punctella, may be a potential biocontrol agent for the plant. Among the fungal species, Fusarium osysporum f. sp. perniciosum, caused wilt of tree-of-heaven in North America and may have the potential to control the plant, but its non-target effect should be carefully evaluated. Our review indicates that there is potential for using insects or pathogens to control tree-of-heaven.     

Evolution of Permian conodont provincialism and its significance in global correlation and paleoclimate implication

The main components of Asselian through Artinskian conodont faunas found around the world are basically the same, and the provincialism is indicated only by less common endemic elements such as Gondolelloides and New Genus A Henderson in North Pangea, Sweetognathus bucaramangus around the equator and Vjalovognathus in eastern Gondwana. Provincialism is marked by differences at the species level of Mesogondolella, Neostreptognathodus and Sweetognathus during the Kungurian, and becomes very distinct with differences at the genus level during the Guadalupian and Lopingian. Three provinces of Permian conodonts, referred to as the North Cool Water Province (NCWP), the Equatorial Warm Water Province (EWWP) and the peri-Gondwana Cool Water Province (GCWP), are recognized. The NCWP is marked by Gondolelloides in the early Cisuralian, dominance of Neostreptognathodus and no or rare Sweetognathus in the late Cisuralian, dominance of Merrillina and Mesogondolella and absence of Sweetognathus in the Guadalupian, and dominance of Merrillina and Mesogondolella and absence of Iranognathus in the Lopingian. The EWWP is characterized by the absence of Gondolelloides and Vjalovognathus in the Cisuralian, abundance of Sweetognathus and Pseudosweetognathus in the Kungurian (late Cisuralian), Jinogondolella and Sweetognathus in the Guadalupian, and Clarkina and Iranognathus in the Lopingian. The GCWP is marked by Vjalovognathus, Merrillina in the Cisuralian, Vjalovognathus, Merrillina and Mesogondolella in the Guadalupian, and Vjalovognathus and Merrillina in the Lopingian. Mixed faunas are recognized in regions bordering between the EWWP and GCWP including Western Timor during the Artinskian, Pamirs during the Kungurian and the Salt Range during the Guadalupian and Lopingian.

Three different conodont zonations are proposed, one for each of the three conodont provinces. Four potential horizons for inter-provincial correlation of Permian conodonts are recognized. They are in ascending order: (1) the first appearance of Sweetognathus whitei, which is closely related to the last occurrence of Carboniferous-type conodonts such as Streptognathodus and Adetognathus; (2) the first appearance of Neostreptognathodus pequopensis; (3) the base of the Jinogondolella nankingensis Zone; and (4) the base of the Clarkina postbitteri–Iranognathus erwini Zone.

The spatial and temporal distribution pattern of Permian conodonts suggests that temperature is the primary controlling factor. Evolution of Permian conodont provincialism reveals a glaciation during the Asselian and Sakmarian, a global warming during the Artinskian, a climate cooling in North Pangea during the Kungurian, a continuation of Kungurian climate trends in the Guadalupian, a relatively minor warming during the Wuchiapingian, a returned cooling in the Changhsingian and Lower and Middle Griesbachian, and a global warming in the Late Griesbachian, which ended the Permian conodont lineage.     

粤北乳菇属的种类的研究

1984-1985年作者在广东北部山区采集了乳菇属Lactarius DC ex S.F.Gray的19个种,其中1个新种;多鳞乳菇Lactarius squamu-losus Bi et Li sp.nov.以及8个国内新记录。并附分种检索表。     

A large anatomically preserved calamitean stem from the Upper Permian of southwest China and its implications for calamitean development and functional anatomy

A large permineralized calamitean stem, Arthropitys yunnanensis Tian et Gu from the Upper Permian of southwest China is reinvestigated and interpreted. The stem has a broad pith and well developed and large carinal canals. Secondary xylem is thick and characterized by wide parenchymatous interfascicular zones that remain constant in width throughout the wood. Striking features of the stem include the abundant leaf traces arranged in two whorls in the cortex with this arrangement previously unrecognized within calamitean stems, and the presence of growth rings in secondary xylem that suggest frequent fluctuations in environmental stress presumably due to variations in water availability. Features of A. yunnanensis infer the stem to be in the epidogenetical phase of calamitean development, and suggest it to be the basal part of a large trunk. Comparisons with biomechanical models for calamitean stems suggest this species had a semi-self supporting habit.     

朝鲜北部的苔藓植物

朝鲜是同我国一江之隔的友好邻邦,它有着很多与我国东北地区共同的植物种类。因此,对朝鲜苔藓植物的研究,为进一步研究我国东北地区苔藓植物种属的起源、演化和分布区等具有重要的意义。笔者于1979年7月17日至8月29日,曾以中国科学院植物分类学赴朝考察组的组员身份,到朝鲜进行了苔藓植物学方面的考察并收集了有关资料。根据这些标本资科和有关文献,加以分析和研究后写成了本文。     

木霉属3个中国新记录种

对来自黑龙江的木霉属真菌进行系统分类研究,报道了该属3个中国新记录种：平展橙红木霉Trichoderma auranteffusum,塔梗木霉T. pyramidale 和革菌生木霉T. thelephoricola,对其宏观和微观特征提供了详细描述及图示,系统发育分析为上述种的分类地位提供了佐证。     

Sclerospiroxylon xinjiangensis nov. sp., a gymnospermous wood from the Kungurian (lower Permian) southern Bogda Mountains,northwestern China: Systematics and palaeoecology

A new silicified wood, Sclerospiroxylon xinjiangensis Wan, Yang et Wang nov. sp., is described from the Cisuralian (lower Permian) Hongyanchi Formation in southeast Tarlong section, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. The fossil wood is composed of pith, primary xylem and Prototaxoxylon-type secondary xylem. The pith is solid, circular, heterocellular, with sclerenchyma and parenchyma. The primary xylem is endarch to mesarch, with scalariform thickenings on tracheid walls. The secondary xylem is pycnoxylic, composed of tracheids and parenchymatous rays. Growth rings are distinct. Tracheids have mostly uniseriate, partially biseriate araucarian pitting on their radial walls. Helical thickenings are always present on both the radial and the tangential walls. Rays are 2–14 cells high, with smooth walls. There are 2 to 7, commonly 2 to 4 cupressoid pits in each cross-field. Leaf traces suggest that S. xinjiangensis nov. sp. was evergreen with a leaf retention time of at least 15 years. Based on the sedimentological evidence, growth rings within the S. xinjiangensis nov. sp. could have been caused by seasonal climatic variations, with unfavorable seasons of drought or low temperature. Low percentage of latewood in each growth ring is probably due to the intensity of climatic seasonality and/or long leaf longevity.     

Early Permian bioevent in the fusulinacean fauna of South China

Analysis of a large database of the stratigraphic distribution of fusulinacean Foraminifera reveals an Early Permian event of significant decline of species diversity in South China. Data from Late Carboniferous to Early Permian sections without apparent unconformity in southwest China were evaluated to determine if the apparent pattern of species disappearance was caused by bias in fossil preservation associated with Early Permian sea-level changes. Statistical analysis suggests that the Early Permian event started in the Late Sakmarian with a significant drop of species diversity in the Robustoschwagerina ziyunensis Zone and continued through the Pamirina darvasica Zone of the Artinskian and into the Brevaxina dyhrenfurthi Zone of the Early Kungarian, resulted in a total loss of about 40% species diversity in the fusulinacean fauna. The Early Permian event is the most extensive bioevent in the history of fusulinacean Foraminifera at the species level although it is less significant at the generic level. Because a similar faunal change has been found among the fusulinacean assemblages in North America and in various regions of Tethys, this event may represent a major faunal turn-over in response to the Early Permian changes in sea level and could be of a global nature. Previous recognition of this event was hampered by Early Permian unconformities in North America and other regions of Tethys.     

Plenasium xiei sp. nov. from the Cretaceous of Northeast China: Additional evidence for the longevity of osmundaceous ferns

A new species of the Osmundaceae, Plenasium xiei sp. nov., is herein described from the Cretaceous of Northeast China. The specimens examined here represent the earliest unequivocal record of the extant genus Plenasium in Eurasia based on fossil rhizomes. The rhizome consists of a central stem with a mantle of petiole bases and adventitious roots. The stem contains an ectophloic‐dictyoxylic siphonostele and a two‐layered cortex. The C‐shaped leaf trace bears two protoxylem bundles at the point of separation from the stele. The pith is heterogeneous. The parenchymatous inner cortex is thinner than the sclerenchymatous outer cortex. Lobed sclerenchyma bands occur at the adaxial sides of the stem xylem strands, in the concavity of the leaf trace, and along the adaxial side of the vascular bundles of the petiole base. In distal petiole portions, the sclerenchyma band splits into several groups in the transverse view. Sclerenchyma rings are heterogeneous with an abaxial sclerenchymatous arc of thick‐walled fibers. Numerous sclerenchyma strands of thick‐walled fibers appear in the petiolar inner cortex and the stipular wing. These fossils provide unambiguous evidence for the existence of subgenus Plenasium of modern Plenasium by at least the Late Cretaceous, demonstrating the longevity of this extant subgenus. Altogether the leaf and rhizome fossil records of Plenasium indicate that this genus was widely distributed across North America and Eurasia from the Early Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic, followed by a range restriction to Eurasia in the Late Cenozoic. Extant Plenasium species are only known from East and Southeast Asia.     

Giant cordaitalean trees in early Permian riparian canopies in North China: Evidence from anatomically preserved trunks in Yangquan,Shanxi Province

Cordaitaleans, as close relatives of modern conifers, had a long geological history in the Cathaysia from the Visean (Mississippian, lower Carboniferous) to the end of Permian. They became prominent since the late Pennsylvanian, and best developed during the Cisuralian (early Permian) in North China, serving as the volumetrically dominant to subdominant elements of wetland floras. Architecture and ecology of the Cathaysian cordaitaleans from non-peat-forming environments are poorly known. Here, we report giant cordaitalean trunks and describe their morphology and brief anatomical features from the Cisuralian Taiyuan Formation in Yangquan, Shanxi Province, North China. These trunks are characterized by the Artisia-like pith and pycnoxylic xylem. Absence of growth rings in the logs suggests they grew under non-seasonal humid tropical conditions. They are preserved in sandstone bodies interpreted as deposits of distributary river channels on the delta plain. Several trunks with attached rooting systems indicate that these trees may have been growing on channel levees or delta plains, and brought into the channels by lateral bank erosion. Allometric estimates of tree height suggests that the largest trees were up to approximately 43.5 m tall. Mature cordaitaleans with straight trunks were probably the tallest trees and formed the canopy of the riparian forest in North China during the Cisuralian.