Researchers Identify Oldest Orchid Fossil
Scientists have identified evidence of the oldest orchid fossil on record. Preserved in amber between 45 and 55 million years ago, a tiny gnat is carrying a tinier bundle of orchid pollen. “We probably shouldn’t say this about a plant, but orchids are very smart” laughed George Poinar, Jr., entomologist at Oregon State University, and lead author on the newly published discovery. It’s likely that orchids first evolved in the Cretaceous Period, blooming alongside the dinosaurs, and they’ve been enticing pollinators for tens of millions of years.
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