Angiosperm diversification in the Early Cretaceous of Primorye, Far East of Russia

The Partizansk and Razdolnaya coal basins of Primorye, Far East of Russia, contain diverse early angiosperm fossils (pollen, leaves, and fruits). In this paper, we revise the previous data on early angiosperms of this region and summarize the results of our latest research. Age of the plant-bearing deposits was clarified using isotopic U-Th-Pb LA-ICP-MS and U-Pb ID-TIMS methods. Age of the upper part of the Lipovtsy Formation is 118 ± 1.4 Ma, which corresponds to the late Aptian. The early Albian age (109 ± 1 Ma) is assigned to the upper part of the Frentsevka Formation. The diversification of angiosperms in the Early Cretaceous of Primorye region and their systematic affinity are analyzed. Early representatives of Laurales, Ranunculales, Platanaceae, and probable Cercidiphyllaceae are revealed. New combination Pandanites ahnertii (Krysht.) Golovn., comb. nov. is created, and new species Araliaephyllum vittenburgii Golovn. et Volynets, sp. nov. is described. Reconstructions of herbaceous angiosperms from autochthonous locality Bolshoy Kuvshin are proposed.