A new plant from the Xichong Formation (Middle Devonian), South China

A new plant is described from the Middle Devonian (Givetian) Xichong Format ion of Wuding, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The plant has small axes c overed in deltoid spines and a predominantly dichotomous (anisodichotomous) pattern of branching. Elongate sporangia with small distal spines are carr ied terminally in clusters on short branches which have a number of close d istal dichotomies. These plants, superficially similar to the predominantly Lower Devonian genus Psilophyton, can be distinguished from it by the anis odichotomous nature of the lateral branching systems, by the spiny extensio ns to the sporangia and by the details of the sporangial attachments. The p lant is named Tsaia denticulata Wang et Berry gen. et sp. nov. (C) 2001 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.