In 1872, the flower containing an amber belonging to a pharmacist named Kowalewski, in present-day Kaliningrad (Russia), was documented for the first time. The specimen was collected in the Baltic forests of northern Europe and scientists at the time classified and named this plant Stewartia kowalewskii, within an ancient group of perennial plants.
The largest flower found so far in amber, with its 2.8 cm, is dated to the end of the Eocene, between 38 and 33.9 million years ago.
The fossil was forgotten among the collections of the Federal Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources in Berlin (Germany), but now two scientists have rediscovered this flower, which, with its 2.8 cm in diameter, is almost three times larger than others found in amber. Furthermore, it is exceptionally well preserved, preserving its stamens, petals, sepals, etc.
Researchers Eva-Maria Sadowski, from the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, and Christa-Charlotte Hofmann, from the University of Vienna (Austria), are the ones who analyzed this exceptionally large fossilized flower. It is dated to the end of the Eocene, between 38 and 33.9 million years ago.
pollen analysis
To carry out his study, the results of which are openly published in the journal Scientific Reports, the authors extracted pollen from the sample. The results indicate that this plant is closely related to the Asian species of the genus Symplocos.
The researchers propose a new name for the flower: Symplocos kowalewskii. Furthermore, they point out that its large relative size is probably due to the large effusion of resin that would have covered the flower. The properties of this substance would have helped to prevent organisms from growing inside and causing damage.
Reference:
Eva-Maria Sadowski and Christa-Charlotte Hofmann. “The Largest Flower Preserved in Amber Revisited”. Scientific Reports2023.