New Rhipidopsis finds from the upper Permian (Wuchiapingian) of Liupanshui in southwestern China and its Palaeobotanical significance

Rhipidopsis is an enigmatic genus, and its systematic relationships within ginkgophytes and geographic dispersal are still unknown. Considering the emerging scenario of Rhipidopsis, its fossils from the Wuchiapingian of Liupanshui in southwestern China are investigated. Five taxa, Rhipidopsis laoyingshanensis sp. nov. R. panii, R. shuichengensis, R. guizhouensis and R. multifurcata, are recognised and described based on their leaf architectures and venation patterns. Rhipidopsis laoyingshanensis sp. nov. is characterised by its foliage dividing into elongate, parallel-margined segments, and a higher vein density of the leaf segments before splitting (i.e., 26–34/cm). Combining information our new data with those of previous studies reveals that the geographic distribution of Rhipidopsis plants distribution was related to climatic zones and that they inhabited warm temperate to tropical regions. The oldest records of Rhipidopsis are from China. Fossil evidence suggests that Rhipidopsis plants had two migration routes: a southward trajectory from the Cathaysia ultimately to the Gondwana, and a northward route towards the Angara.