Comia and Rhachiphyllum from the early Permian of Sumatra, Indonesia

Recent expeditions to the Early Permian formations of Jambi, Sumatra, have produced material of a new species of peltasperm affinity, Comia variformis nov. sp., with a remarkably broad morphological range that touches on several other Permian taxonomic groups. It is found in association with material attributable to the callipterid genus Rhachiphyllum, in addition to Supaia-like material and an Autunia fructification, corroborating a peltasperm affinity. Palaeogeographic relationships of the morphologies found in C. variformis and the other material show strong relationships with North China and even the Angaran region, suggesting a migration zone running from the North China Block to the West Sumatra-West Myamar terrane. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.