Lingyuanfructus: The first gymno-angiosperm

Abstract

Distinct from gymnosperms with naked ovules, angiosperms are defined and characterized by their enclosed ovules. According to Darwinism, angiosperms should be derived from their ancestors that have exposed ovules. Theoretically and precisely, such a plant is expected to have started but not yet completed enclosing its ovules. This expectation is hitherto never met by fossil evidence. Here I report a fossil plant, Lingyuanfructus hibrida gen. et sp. nov, from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of Liaoning, China meeting this expectation. With ovules naked and enclosed in a single specimen, Lingyuanfructus blurs the former distinct boundary between angiosperms and gymnosperms.