Discovery of the protolepidodendralean lycopsid Leclercqia from the Middle to Upper Devonian of Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.

The protolepidodendralean lycopsid Leclercqia represents one of the best studied Devonian plants, with a worldwide distribution, but is not known from the palaeocontinents that constitute the present northeastern China. Two species of the genus, Leclercqia cf. L. complexa and Leclercqia sp., are described for the first time from the Hanuo Obo Formation of Dong Ujimqin Qi, Inner Mongolia, northeastern China, an area poorly documented by record of early vascular plants. The first species is characterized by three‐dimensional, five‐tipped leaves, which show a long, downwardly recurved, central segment and two pairs of short, lateral segments, while the latter species bears seven‐tipped leaves and more robust axes. Our discovery confirms that the Hanuo Obo Formation is a distinctive lithological unit in Inner Mongolia, and suggests a Middle to Late Devonian (but no later than Frasnian) age for this formation based on the global spatio‐temporal occurrence of Leclercqia. The present finding indicates the spread of protolepidodendraleans to the Xing'an Block, or a part of the Mongolian Block, representing the northernmost distribution of this group during the Devonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]