DISCOVERY OF FOSSIL CHAROPHYTES FROM THE LATE TRIASSIC XUJIAHE FORMATION AND EARLY JURASSIC LOWER YIMEN FORMATION, SICHUAN PROVINCE, AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

This paper describes the fossil charophytes collected from the Late Triassic Xujiahe Formation in Dazu and Early Jurassic Lower Yimen Formation in Xichang, Sichuan Province, and their significance. Up to now, papers dealing with fossil charophytes of the Late Triassic, especially of the Early Jurassic, have been rarely published. The description of the two new species of Porochara, P. dazuensis and P. xichangensis, and their fossil assemblage not only provides an important basis for classification and correlation of red beds in southwestern China but reveals for the first time the features of the charophyte flora of the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic in the area, thus offering valuable data for the establishment of Triassic and Jurassic charophyte fossil zones in China.