Abstract
We describe a new elm from Miocene sediments of Southwest China and perform phytogeographical analyses and species distribution modeling. Samaras of U. palaeoparvifolia sp. nov. were collected from late Miocene sediments of the Xiaolongtan Formation in Huaning, Yunnan, Southwest China are obovate-elliptic with surrounding wings. Perianth is persistent and the tepals are lanceolate, and the seed is positioned in the center or upper part of the fruit. The pedicel is shorter than the perianth. The fruits are very similar to those of U. parvifolia (Chinese elm) with respect to size, morphological characters, and seed position. As ancestors of Chinese elm, the appearance of U. palaeoparvifolia in the late Miocene in Huaning indicates that Huaning had a subtropical climate with warmer and more humid summers and its distribution extended more to the west in the late Miocene than at present. However, compared with the current distribution, a bioclimatic model predicts that the optimal distribution of U. parvifolia will shift westward and will be limited to the Qinling area with high altitude in 2100, where the temperature and precipitation will be higher than current values, and will require conservation in the future.
Published Version
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