First fossil specimens of asterid found
Q. Scientists have discovered the first fossil specimens of which family of flowering plants?- Published on 18 Feb 16a. Asterid
b. Asparagusceae
c. Adoxaceae
d. Akaniaceae
ANSWER: Asterid
Scientists have discovered the first fossil specimens of the asterid, a family of flowering plants ranging from petunias to potatoes and tomatoes. The 20 to 30 million year old fossil flowers were found in piece of amber came from the darker side of the asterid family belonging to the genus Strychnos which is the base for famous poisons such as curare and strychnine. Asterids are among the most important and diverse plants with 10 orders, 98 families and 80,000 species representing one third of the earth’s diversity of angiosperms or flowing plants. There are now about 200 species of Strychnos plants around the world, in forms ranging from shrubs to trees and woody climbing vines, mostly in the tropics studied for medicinal properties.
