A new cheirolepidiaceous conifer from the Early Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, northern Xinjiang and its paleoclimatic implications

Mesozoic sediments are extensively developed in the vast area of Xinjiang and Jurassic strata are well exposed in the Junggar Basin. The Haojiagou geological section near Urumqi in the south of the basin is a typical section for the Lower Jurassic Badaowan and Sangonghe formations. The cheirolepidiaceous conifer Brachyphyllum (Hirmeriella ?) sp., which exhibits strongly xeromorphic characters, was discovered in the Sangonghe Formation and is associated with a high relative abundance (up to 75 %) of dispersed Classopollis pollen. The occurrence of cheirolepidiaceous foliage and Classopollis pollen in the Sangonghe Formation indicates that a warm and dry climate prevailed in the Junggar Basin during the Early Jurassic (Early Toarcian), supporting the hypothesis for a warming event at that time.