Detection of the first chrysanthemum fossil specimen contained many toxicity

US researchers have recently discovered the first two fossilized flower samples of plants belonging to the Asterids branch - a flowering plant that now offers humans a variety of foods - but contains many toxicity.

In the article published in the February 15 issue of Nature Plants, researchers from Oregon State University in the US said fossil specimens dating from 20-30 million years of the species This asterids were found intact in a piece of amber in a forest now belonging to the Dominican Republic.

According to scientists, these are "beautiful and well preserved" Asterids flower fossils and are grown from plants living in a humid tropical forest with large and small trees and string trees. climbing, palm trees and other plants.

Species of fossil flowers belonging to Chrysanthemum branch.(Source: Oregon State University).

However, these fossilized flower samples came from the "dark part" of the Asterids "family" because they belonged to the money genus (Strychnos) which contained many toxicity . These Strychnos species can be exploited to produce famous poisons such as stricnin or poison resin.

There are about 200 species of Strychnos trees around the world that exist in different forms, from shrubs to woody plants. Scientists are also studying these plants to prepare medicines, such as in treating parasitic worms and malaria.

Asterids are one of the most important and diverse crops of Earth , with 10 orders, 98 families and about 80,000 species. They represent about a third of all the diversity of angiosperms or flowering plants on Earth.

The researchers identified the discovery of these specimens to help people have "a deeper understanding of ecosystems in the distant past".