| Abstract Detail
Paleobotanical Section Wang, Xin [1], Zheng, Shaolin [2]. The earliest flower with perianth. The early evolution of angiosperms has been a focus of botanical research for more than hundred years. Despite angiosperm fossils uncovered in the early Cretaceous, there is no flower with perianth older than 125 Ma worldwide. Here we report Caloanthus dilaensis gen. et sp. nov as the earliest flower with perianth known to date. The flower includes tepals, androecium and gynoecium. The tepals are spatulate and with 2 parallel veins. The stamens have slender filaments, globular anthers, with bristles atop and in situ round-triangular pollen grains. The gynoecium is composed of two separate stylate carpels enclosed in a fleshy envelope, and later develops into an indehiscent fruit. Caloanthus, together with Archaefructus and Sinocarpus, increases the diversity of early angiosperms, and may imply a history of eudicots longer than commonly thought. This information sheds a new light on the early evolution of angiosperms. Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, 39 Beijing Dong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, P R China 2 - Shenyang Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, 25 Beiling Avenue, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, P.R. China
Keywords: flower evolution early Cretaceous early angiosperms Caloanthus.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections Session: 41 Location: 102/Law Date: Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 Time: 10:45 AM Number: 41003 Abstract ID:151 |