Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Non-vascular Seedless Plants02:26

Non-vascular Seedless Plants

75.9K
The diverse plant life on Earth—consisting of nearly 400,000 species—can be divided into three broad categories based on biological characteristics: nonvascular, seedless vascular, and seed plants.
75.9K
Seedless Vascular Plants03:24

Seedless Vascular Plants

71.2K
Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth
71.2K
The Angiosperm Life Cycle02:39

The Angiosperm Life Cycle

76.9K
Plants have a life cycle split between two multicellular stages: a haploid stage—with cells containing one set of chromosomes—and a diploid stage—with cells containing two sets of chromosomes. The haploid stage is the gamete-producing gametophyte, and the diploid stage is the spore-producing sporophyte.
76.9K
Introduction to Plant Diversity02:22

Introduction to Plant Diversity

50.5K
From Water to Land
50.5K
Introduction to Seed Plants03:40

Introduction to Seed Plants

72.2K
Most plants are seed plants—characterized by seeds, pollen, and reduced gametophytes. Seed plants include gymnosperms and angiosperms.
72.2K
Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte02:33

Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte

31.9K
Seed structures are composed of a protective seed coat surrounding a plant embryo, and a food store for the developing embryo. The embryo contains the precursor tissues for leaves, stem, and roots. The endosperm and cotyledons—seed leaves—act as the food reserves for the growing embryo.
31.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A new remarkable Early Cretaceous nelumbonaceous fossil bridges the gap between herbaceous aquatic and woody protealeans.

Scientific reports·2023
Same author

Vegetation and climate change at the southern margin of the Neo-Tethys during the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous): Evidence from Egypt.

PloS one·2023
Same author

Sulfurized diterpenoids in amber as diagenetic indicators of sulfate-reducing processes in past depositional environments.

Organic & biomolecular chemistry·2023
Same author

Data, metrics, and methods for arthropod and fungal herbivory at the dawn of angiosperm diversification: The Rose Creek plant assemblage of Nebraska, U.S.A.

Data in brief·2022
Same author

First evidence of ranunculids in Early Cretaceous tropics.

Scientific reports·2022
Same author

Dinosaur bonebed amber from an original swamp forest soil.

eLife·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Asymbiotic Germination and Leaf Explant-Based Regeneration of the Endangered Medicinal Orchid Hemipilia cucullata from Mature Seeds
07:19

Asymbiotic Germination and Leaf Explant-Based Regeneration of the Endangered Medicinal Orchid Hemipilia cucullata from Mature Seeds

Published on: September 19, 2025

805

Montsechia, an ancient aquatic angiosperm.

Bernard Gomez1, Véronique Daviero-Gomez2, Clément Coiffard3

  • 1CNRS-UMR 5276 Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon-Terre, Planètes, Environnement, Université Lyon 1 (Claude Bernard), 69622 Villeurbanne, France; bernard.gomez@univ-lyon1.fr dilcher@indiana.edu.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 19, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Fossil plant Montsechia vidalii, an early aquatic angiosperm, lived underwater. This finding suggests aquatic habitats were crucial for early angiosperm diversification, challenging previous theories.

Keywords:
ArchaefructusCeratophyllumLower CretaceousMontsechiaaquatic angiosperm

More Related Videos

Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples
10:57

Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples

Published on: February 3, 2017

30.7K
Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum
09:26

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Published on: March 28, 2025

721

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Asymbiotic Germination and Leaf Explant-Based Regeneration of the Endangered Medicinal Orchid Hemipilia cucullata from Mature Seeds
07:19

Asymbiotic Germination and Leaf Explant-Based Regeneration of the Endangered Medicinal Orchid Hemipilia cucullata from Mature Seeds

Published on: September 19, 2025

805
Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples
10:57

Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples

Published on: February 3, 2017

30.7K
Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum
09:26

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Published on: March 28, 2025

721

Area of Science:

  • Paleobotany
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Aquatic Botany

Background:

  • Early angiosperm diversification and ecological niches remain poorly understood.
  • Hypotheses for angiosperm origins include darkened forests or aquatic habitats.
  • Montsechia vidalii, a fossil angiosperm, has been historically misinterpreted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a detailed analysis of Montsechia vidalii based on extensive fossil evidence.
  • To clarify the ecological role and evolutionary position of Montsechia vidalii.
  • To investigate the implications of early aquatic angiosperms for plant evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of over 1,000 carefully prepared specimens of Montsechia vidalii.
  • Detailed morphological and anatomical study, including reproductive aspects.
  • Phylogenetic analysis to determine the evolutionary relationships of Montsechia vidalii.

Main Results:

  • Montsechia vidalii was an obligate aquatic angiosperm, living and reproducing submerged in water.
  • Morphological and anatomical data suggest Montsechia is the sister taxon to Ceratophyllum.
  • The Barremian age of Montsechia challenges its placement relative to other early angiosperm clades.

Conclusions:

  • Aquatic angiosperms like Montsechia were likely common early in angiosperm evolution.
  • Early aquatic habitats may have been significant drivers for angiosperm diversification.
  • The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of early angiosperm evolutionary pathways and diversification models.