Abstract:

Some female cones of Elatides were collected from the Lower Cretaceous Bantou Formation, Yongan City, Fujian Province. The present authors have studied the gross morphology and cuticular features of them. These cones are all detached from the vegetative shoots, quite small and compact, with many cone scales. They are helically arranged along the cone axis, and their apices are spiny. The characteristics described above are consistent with the genus Elatides. According to the morphological characters of the cones, and the features of the cone scales and axis, these cones are recognized as three species: one new species Elatides yonganensis Dai et Sun, sp. nov., one published species Elatides cf. curvifolius and one indeterminate species Elatides sp. The morphology of new species E. yonganensis has been especially described and compared in detail with other Chinese and European species. Elatides Yonganensis is different from the previously published species by its characters of flexuous cone axis, much longer and spiky apex of bracts, membranous ligules with serrate distal margin and probably five seeds on every adaxial cone scales. Additionally, the fossil records of Elatides in China have been reviewed and discussed. The occurrence of the Elatides cones in the Bantou Formation of Yongan City, Fujian Province, has extended the distribution range of Elatides to 25°N, and added the fossil records.

Key words:  Elatides, cone, Lower Cretaceous, Yongan, Bantou Formation