Plants and Flowers

Pollen of the most ancient known to modern science orchid was found by group of paleontologists led by doctor Santiago R. Ramirez from Harvard University, USA.

Pollen of the dyed out species of orchids Meliorchis caribea has been found out in a piece of amber on a back of bee Proplebeia dominicana (these primitive bees without stings, also have not lived up to now). Scientists date this valuable find to 15-20 million years ago (Miocene epoch). The found pollen throws some light on early evolution of orchids. It is supposed that rapid speciation of orchids began at the end of the cretaceous period, 76-84 million years ago, after the mass extinction of many species, including dinosaurs, and the scale changes in ecosystems. The most interesting is question about ways of flower formation as quite often they are restricted to the only kind of an insect - pollinator.