Revision of Ginkgoites obrutschewii (Seward) Seward (Ginkgoales) and the new material from the Jurassic of Northwestern China

The morphology and epidermal structure of the type material of Ginkgoites obrutschewii (Seward) Seward (1911, 1919), a species established for isolated leaves from the Jurassic of Northwestern China, have been revised based on the type material and recent findings from a geographically close, coeval locality. A diagnosis, missing in the original publication, is provided and a lectotype is designated. Numerous specimens of Ginkgoites/Ginkgo leaves without epidermal structure, that were ascribed to this species over the last century solely on the basis of the leaf morphology, have to be classified as Ginkgoites sp. This change restricts the known distribution of G. obrutschewii to the Middle Jurassic of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China.

► The structure of the leaves of Ginkgoites obrutschewii (Seward) Seward is revised.
► The diagnosis is provided and a lectotype is selected in the type material.
► Leaves ascribed to G. obrutschewii without epidermal structure are excluded.
► The known distribution of G. obrutschewii gets considerably narrowed.