Lygodium with in situ spores from the middle Miocene of Southeast China and its paleoclimatic implication

Abstract The middle Miocene Zhangpu biota from the Fotan Group of South China represents a highly diverse seasonal tropical rainforest ecosystem. Fossil evidence suggests that the canopy of the Zhangpu middle Miocene rainforests is dominated by trees of Dipterocarpceae, but the understory plants of the rainforest are poorly known. Here, we describe a new record of Lygodium based on a well-preserved fertile pinnule from the middle Miocene Zhangpu biota. The new fossil assigned to Lygodium cf. scandens is most similar to extant Lygodium scandens. It is the first record of Lygodium fertile frond in China, and is also among the most completely known fossil Lygodium in the world. Together with Smilax described previously, Lygodium cf. scandens contribute to knowledge of the understory the Zhangpu middle Miocene rainforests.