Posongchong Formation

Posongchong Formation

• Age: Pragian Age, Early Devonian Epoch, Devonian Period, Paleozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

• Location: southeastern Yunnan Province, China, mainly in the Wenshan Zhuang-Miao Autonomous Prefecture

• Localities: 23°18.04′N, 104°15.25′E to 23°17.72′N, 104°15.61′E

  • Zhichang section (Zhichang Slope) near Zhichang Village, approximately 12 km south of Wenshan City, Yunnan. This is the best-known and most intensively studied locality, yielding many classic Posongchong taxa, including Eophyllophyton, Discalis, Adoketophyton, Zhenglia, Polythecophyton, and others.

  • Changputang section (Tiechan Slope) near Changputang Village, about 16 km west of Zhichang. This locality has produced Celatheca, Zosterophyllum australianum, Psilophyton primitivum, Ramoferis, and other important plants.

  • Additional Posongchong Formation outcrops occur in Guangnan, Mengzi, Xichou, and Yanshan districts of southeastern Yunnan

• Paleoclimate: tropical, equatorial region

• Paleoenvironment: Broad floodplain with river channels, including backswamps, marshes, dune systems

• Plant taxa represented: 28 genera and 37 species recognized

Important publications from this location

Foundational and Synthetic Works

• Hao, S., & Xue, J. (2013). The Early Devonian Posongchong flora of Yunnan: A contribution to an understanding of the evolution and early diversification of vascular plants. Beijing, China: Science Press.

• Hao, S., & Gensel, P. G. (2001). The Posongchong flora and the diversification of Early Devonian vascular plants.

Early Discovery Papers

• Li, X. X., & Cai, C. Y. (1977). Early Devonian Zosterophyllum remains from Yunnan, China.

• Geng, B. Y. (1983). Stachyophyton gen. nov. discovered from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan and its significance. Acta Botanica Sinica, 25, 574-579.

• Geng, B. Y. (1985). Huia recurvata: A new plant from the Lower Devonian of southeastern Yunnan, China. Acta Botanica Sinica, 27, 419-426. 

Major Euphyllophyte Discoveries

• Hao, S. (1988). Eophyllophyton bellum, a new Lower Devonian plant from Yunnan, China.

• Hao, S., & Beck, C. B. (1993). Further observations on Eophyllophyton bellum and its significance for early euphyllophyte evolution.

• Hao, S., & Beck, C. B. (1991a). Catenalis digitata, a new Early Devonian plant with possible algal affinities.

• Hao, S., & Beck, C. B. (1991b). Yunia dichotoma, a new Early Devonian vascular plant from Yunnan, China.

• Hao, S., & Gensel, P. G. (1995). Celatheca beckii, a new synangiate plant from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan, China.

• Hao, S., Gensel, P. G., & Wang, D. M. (2001). Polythecophyton demissum, an unusual Early Devonian euphyllophyte from Yunnan, China.

Lycophyte Evolution

• Li, C. S., & Edwards, D. (1997). Halleophyton zhichangense, a new lycopsid from the Lower Devonian Posongchong flora of Yunnan, China.

• Hao, S., Wang, D. M., Wang, Q., & Xue, J. (2006). A new lycopsid, Zhenglia radiata, from the Lower Devonian Posongchong flora of Yunnan, China. Acta Geologica Sinica, 80, 1-12. 

• Yang, N., Li, C. S., & Edwards, D. (2009). Hueberia zhichangensis, a new plant from the Lower Devonian Posongchong flora, Yunnan, China.

• Hao, S., Wang, D. M., & Wang, Q. (2004). Estinnophyton yunnanense and evidence for early sphenopsid evolution.

• Li, C. S., & Hueber, F. M. (2000). Cervicornus wenshanensis, a new Devonian plant from Yunnan, China.

Important Recent Additions to the Flora

• Zhu, X., Hao, S., & Xue, J. (2011). A new species of Adoketophyton from the Pragian Posongchong Formation of Yunnan, China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.

• Hao, S., Xue, J., Zhu, X., & Wang, D. M. (2012). A new genus of Early Devonian plants with novel strobilar structures and vegetative appendages from the Posongchong Formation of Yunnan, China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 180, 1-12. (Dibracophyton acrovatum)

• Xue, J., Hao, S., Zhu, X., & Wang, D. M. (2012). Pauthecophyton gracile, a new basal euphyllophyte from the Posongchong flora of Yunnan, China. Palaeontology.