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Carnivorous leaves from Baltic amber.

Eva-Maria Sadowski1, Leyla J Seyfullah1, Friederike Sadowski2

  • 1Department of Geobiology, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|December 3, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fossil carnivorous plant traps were discovered in Eocene Baltic amber, resembling modern Roridulaceae. This finding supports molecular age estimates and suggests a wider ancient distribution for this unique carnivorous plant family.

Keywords:
EoceneEricalesRoridulaceaeplant carnivory

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Area of Science:

  • Paleobotany
  • Plant Evolution
  • Carnivorous Plant Biology

Background:

  • The fossil record of carnivorous plants, particularly macrofossils of traps, is exceptionally rare.
  • Previous evidence was limited to seeds of the aquatic genus Aldrovanda.
  • No fossil carnivorous plant traps had been previously reported.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and analyze two angiosperm leaves preserved in Eocene Baltic amber.
  • To compare the morphological features of these fossil leaves with extant carnivorous plant families.
  • To infer the evolutionary history and distribution of the Roridulaceae family.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological analysis of fossil angiosperm leaves from Baltic amber.
  • Comparison of fossil leaf morphology with extant Roridulaceae species.
  • Examination of trichome types, gland distribution, and leaf apex morphology.

Main Results:

  • Two fossil angiosperm leaves exhibiting morphological similarities to extant Roridulaceae were identified in Eocene Baltic amber.
  • Fossil leaves possess unicellular hairs and multicellular stalked glands (tentacles) with apical pores, mirroring modern Roridula species.
  • Specific features like tapered leaf apices ending in a single tentacle and glandular hair distribution align with extant Roridula gorgonias.

Conclusions:

  • The discovery represents the first fossil evidence of carnivorous plant traps.
  • The findings support molecular age estimates for the Roridulaceae family.
  • The presence of these fossils suggests a broader geographical distribution for roridulid plants during the Eocene epoch.