Figure 1.
Distribution of extant Ephedra (green regions) after [5] (red dot showing the present fossil locality).
Figure 2.
Representative female cones of three sections in Ephedra.
A. A membranous female cone of E. californica Watson in Sect. Alatae Stapf. B. A coriaceous female cone of E. strobilacea Bunge in Sect. Asarca Stapf. C. A fleshy female cone of E. intermedia Schrenk et Mey. in Sect. Ephedra.
Figure 3.
Fossil locality showing Beipiao (red dot) of Liaoning Province, Northeast China after [40].
Table 1.
Key to extant and fossil species in Ephedra and other ephedroids.
Figure 4.
Fossil Ephedra carnosa Yang et Wang.
A–B. A fleshy female cone and an associated axis. Holotype: PE 20120319A, B (part and counterpart). C–D. Enlargment of the female cone, showing morphology of three seeds. E. Close-up of the middle seed, showing a thin outer envelope and a straight micropylar tube. PE 20120319A. F–G. Close-up of the fleshy bract, bearing two veins sub-parallel in the middle-upper part and divergent toward the basal part. H. Another fleshy female cone. Paratype: PE 2012071006. I. Close-up of three seeds in Fig. H.
Figure 5.
A schematic reconstruction of fossil Ephedra carnosa female cone and its seed.
A. The triovulate cone of E. carnosa, bearing three spreading, fleshy bracts (b) and three female reproductive units (fru). B. The seed, showing the outer envelope (oe), inner integument (i) and a micropylar tube (mt).