Date:

Oldest completely preserved lily discovered

Dr. Clement Coiffard of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin discovered the oldest, completely preserved lily in the research collection: Cratolirion bognerianum was found in calcareous sediments of a former freshwater lake in Crato in northeastern Brazil.

With an age of about 115 million years, Cratolirion is one of the oldest known monocotyledonous plants. These include orchids, sweet grasses, lilies and lilies of the valley.

- Advertisement -

Cratolirion is extraordinarily well preserved, with all roots, the flower and even the individual cells are fossilised. With a length of almost 40 centimetres, the specimen is not only extremely huge, but also shows almost all the typical characteristics of monocotyledonous plants, including parallel-veined, narrow leaves with a leaf sheath, a fibrous root system and triple flowers.

However, it was not trivial to examine the fossilised object, as it consisted of iron oxides associated with the stone. In order to see details here, Coiffard collaborated with the HZB physicist Dr. Nikolay Kardjilov, who is an expert in 3D analysis with X-rays and neutrons. At the HZB he also built up a 3D computed x-ray tomography and refined the data analysis in such a way that hardly any disturbing artefacts arise during the investigation of large, flat objects. This made it possible to analyse the details of the inflorescence hidden in the stone. A colour coding in the CT scan makes these details visible: the main axis is marked in turquoise, the supporting leaves in dark green, the pistils in light green and the remains of the actual petals can still be seen in orange.

Many early dicotyledonous flowering plants have already been described from the same sediments of the former freshwater lake in Crato. These include water lilies, aron rods, drought-resistant magnolias and relatives of pepper and laurel. In contrast to other flowering plants of the same age from the USA, Portugal, China and Argentina, the flowering plants of the Crato-Flora are unusually diverse. This could be due to the fact that Lake Crato was in the lower latitudes, but all other fossils of early flowering plants come from the middle latitudes.

From this newly described plant Cratolirion bognerianum and the species of Crato flora mentioned above, it can be deduced that the tropical flowering plants were already very diverse. “It is probable that flowering plants originated in the tropics, but only very few fossils have been described to date,” explains Coiffard. This study thus provides new insights into the role of the tropics in the development of early flowering plants and their rise to global supremacy.

- Advertisement -

HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM BERLIN FÜR MATERIALIEN UND ENERGIE

Header Image – A color code of the CT scan shows details of the plant: main axis (turquoise), leaves (dark green), pistils (light green), petals (orange). Credit : MfN Berlin

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Unprecedented Roman discovery in Ireland

Archaeologists have made an unprecedented Roman discovery during excavations at Drumanagh in north Dublin.

Exquisite marble sarcophagus unearthed near Caesarea

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), working on behalf of the Caesarea Development Corporation, have unearthed an exquisitely sculptured marble sarcophagus near the coastal city of Caesarea, Israel.

Viking-Era boat burial uncovered on Senja

Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking-Era boat burial on the island of Senja in northern Norway.

Mystery of the Maka Lahi Rock finally solved

In 2024, researchers from Australia's University of Queensland discovered a giant 1,200-tonne rock more than 200 metres inland on the island of Tongatapu.

Secrets to crafting the Nebra Sky Disc revealed

Using a blend of forensic material analysis with experimental archaeology, researchers have successfully reconstructed the techniques and processes behind crafting the Nebra Sky Disc.

Royal tomb unearthed in Gordion could belong to King Midas’ family

Archaeologists from the Gordion Project have uncovered a Phrygian royal tomb, potentially belonging to a member of King Midas' Family from the 8th century BC.

Bronze Age tombs reveal wealth from ancient trade

The discovery of three Bronze Age tombs at Dromolaxia-Vyzakia has shed light on ancient trade routes connecting Cyprus with the Aegean, Anatolia, Egypt, and the Near East.

Dolphin mosaic discovery is part of an expansive Roman villa complex

Archaeologists from OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH and the University of Salzburg have uncovered an expansive Roman villa complex on Reinberg hill in Thalheim bei Wels, Austria.