Mummified Seed Cones of Pinus prehwangshanensis sp. nov. (Subgenus Pinus, Pinaceae) From the Upper Pleistocene of Guangdong, South China: Taxonomical Significance and Implication for Phytogeography and Ecology

Anatomical characters of Cenozoic pine seed cones are known mainly from North American fossils, while data on cone anatomy species Asia remain scarce. To date, only one Pinus the Miocene eastern China has been studied using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). A new fossil-species, prehwangshanensis sp. nov., mummified upper Pleistocene South is described a combination scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-CT. The fossil-species combines mosaic morphological anatomical observed in group closely related East Asian extant subgenus , section subsection comprising taiwanensis, hwangshanensis, luchuensis, thunbergii densiflora . obtained indicate that characteristic features this were formed no later than end Pleistocene. Based external morphology, fossils confirm existence floristic exchange between continental Japan archipelago prior to formation Sea later, middle late Pliocene, when connection Japanese islands Eurasian continent became re-established. Pollen grains associated with similar those some P. taxonomic ecological analysis plant taxa Maoming Basin suggests regional climate was humid subtropical monsoon hot wet summers cool dry winters, present-day northeastern Vietnam.