PERMIAN WOOD FROM WESTERN HENAN, CHINA - IMPLICATIONS FOR PALEOCLIMATOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIONS

Two new species of Araucarioxylon and one new species of Protophyllocl adoxylon are described from the Permian of western Henan, China. The s tratigraphic position of the fossil woods is discussed in detail, main ly based on the recent findings of animal and plant fossils, and palyn omorphs. Interesting is the fact that in North China only the Late Per mian wood has growth rings; the specimens from older deposits do not. The presence of growth rings in secondary wood at the close of the Per mian shows climatic change, suggesting that aridization most probably took place during that period in the vast area of North China.