Archaeamphora longicervia Fossil range: Early Cretaceous
Conservation status
Extinct (fossil)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ericales Family:  ?Sarraceniaceae Genus: Archaeamphora Species: A. longicervia
Binomial name
Archaeamphora longicervia Li (2005)

Archaeamphora longicervia is an extinct species of pitcher plant bearing close affinities to extant members of the family Sarraceniaceae. It was discovered in the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation in northeastern China.^[1] The Early Cretaceous (timestratigraphic name) or the Lower Cretaceous (logstratigraphic name), is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous period. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... An ammonite fossil Eocene fossil fish of the genus Knightia Petrified wood fossil formed through permineralization. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Pteridophyta - ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Orders See text. ... Families See text. ... Genera Darlingtonia Heliamphora Sarracenia Families of Flowering Plants as of 2002-10-20 Sarraceniaceae is the Pitcher plant family, belonging to order Ericales, previously Nepenthales. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... The Dodo, shown here in illustration, is an often-cited[1] example of extinction. ... Pitcher of Nepenthes distillatoria. ... In biology, extant taxon is commonly used in discussions of living and fossil species. ... In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is 1) a rank or 2) a taxon in that rank. ... Genera Darlingtonia Heliamphora Sarracenia Families of Flowering Plants as of 2002-10-20 Sarraceniaceae is the Pitcher plant family, belonging to order Ericales, previously Nepenthales. ... The Early Cretaceous (timestratigraphic name) or the Lower Cretaceous (logstratigraphic name), is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous period. ... The Yixian Formation is a geological formation in Liaoning, Peoples Republic of China, that stems from the early Cretaceous period. ...

A. longicervia is the earliest known carnivorous plant and represents the only fossil record of pitcher plants. Furthermore, the monotypic Archaeamphora is one of the three oldest known genera of flowering plants (angiosperms). Li (2005) notes that "the existence of a so highly derived Angiosperm in the Early Cretaceous suggests that Angiosperms should have originated much earlier, maybe back to 280 mya as the molecular clock studies suggested".^[1] Nepenthes mirabilis in flower, growing on a road cut in Palau A carnivorous plant (sometimes called an insectivorous plant) is a plant that derives some or most of its nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, especially insects and other arthropods. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ...

Etymology

The generic name Archaeamphora is derived from the New Latin archaeo- meaning 'ancient' and the Greek amphoreus meaning 'pitcher'. The specific epithet longicervia is derived from the Latin longus meaning 'long' and cervicarius meaning 'with a neck'. The latter refers to the characteristic constriction present in the pitchers of this species.^[1] In biological nomenclature, a generic name or the name of a genus (sometimes genus name) is the name of a genus. ... New Latin (or Neo-Latin) is a post-medieval version of Latin, now used primarily in International Scientific Vocabulary cladistics and systematics. ... A specific epithet is a biological epithet of a species. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...

Fossil material

All known fossil material of A. longicervia originates from the Jianshangou Formation^[2][3] in Beipiao, western Liaoning, China. These Early Cretaceous beds constitute the lower part of the Yixian Formation, which is dated at 124.6 million years old.^[4] Nine specimens of A. longicervia have been found, including holotype CBO0220 and paratype CBO0754.^[1]   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Liáoníng) is a northeastern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Early Cretaceous (timestratigraphic name) or the Lower Cretaceous (logstratigraphic name), is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous period. ... The Yixian Formation is a geological formation in Liaoning, Peoples Republic of China, that stems from the early Cretaceous period. ... A holotype is one of several possible types. ... In zoological nomenclature, a paratype is (Glossary of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature). ...

Description

A. longicervia was a herbaceous plant growing to around 5 cm in height. The stem, at least 21 mm long and 1.2 mm wide, bore distinctive vertical ridges and grooves. Pitchers were ascidiate in form and 30 to 40 mm long. Mature pitchers and underdeveloped pitchers or phyllodia-like leaves were arranged spirally around the stem. Pitchers consisted of a tubular base, expanded middle section, constriction around the mouth, and a vertical, spoon-shaped lid. A single wing ran down the adaxial side of each pitcher. Three to five parallel major veins were present on the pitchers, along with a few intercostal veins and numerous small veinlets.^[1] This article is about the plants used in cooking and medicine. ... Sarracenia range (all species) Species See text. ...

Two unusual bag-like structures were present on each pitcher, one on either side of the central wing. Similar but semi-circular structures were found on the margin of the lid. These structures exhibited strong yellow-green intrinsic fluorescence when exposed to 500 nm wavelength light.^[1] Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ... A metre (American spelling: meter; symbol: m) is a unit of length and the current base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). ... The wavelength is the distance between repeating units of a wave pattern. ...

Tiny glands, approximately 4 µm in diameter, were found on the inner surface of the pitchers and partially embedded in the grooves along the veins. These also showed very strong golden-yellow fluorescence.^[1] A gland is an organ in an animals body that synthesizes a substance for release such as hormones, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). ... A micrometre (American spelling: micrometer, symbol µm) is an SI unit of length equal to one millionth of a metre, or about a tenth of the size of a droplet of mist or fog. ...

A single seed was found intimately associated with the fossil material of A. longicervia and is presumed to belong to the same species. It is winged and reticulate-tuberculate in morphology, closely resembling the seeds of Sarraceniaceae taxa. It is oval-shaped, covered with black-brown warts, and measures 0.9 mm by 1.25 mm.^[1] A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... Morphology is the following: In linguistics, morphology is the study of the structure of word forms. ... Genera Darlingtonia Heliamphora Sarracenia Families of Flowering Plants as of 2002-10-20 Sarraceniaceae is the Pitcher plant family, belonging to order Ericales, previously Nepenthales. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ...

Taxonomy

The fossil material of A. longicervia was subjected to chemical analysis for oleanane, considered a key marker differentiating angiosperms from gymnosperms.^[5] Oleanane was detected in the pitcher plant specimens, suggesting that they belong to the angiosperms.^[1] Oleanane is the name given to a chemical produced by many flowering plants, which has a suppressing effect on some insect threats. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Coast Douglas-fir cone This article lacks an appropriate Taxobox You can help Wikipedia by adding one. ...

Several morphological features of A. longicervia suggest a close relationship to Sarraceniaceae. Both taxa exhibit one or two pitcher wings, a smooth peristome, and pitchers that extend vertically from the top of a short petiole.^[1] Genera Darlingtonia Heliamphora Sarracenia Families of Flowering Plants as of 2002-10-20 Sarraceniaceae is the Pitcher plant family, belonging to order Ericales, previously Nepenthales. ... In bryophyte mosses, the peristome is a specialed structure in the sporangium that allows for gradual spore discharge, instead of releasing them all at once. ... A petiole (also called a pedicel) is the first abdominal segment of members of the Apocrita. ...

Li (2005) suggests that A. longicervia is morphologically similar to modern Sarracenia purpurea. It shares with this species the spiral arrangement of its pitchers and phyllodia-like tubular leaves with parallel major veins. A. longicervia also shows close affinity to species of the genus Heliamphora in having pitchers with a long neck and upright lid. Of particular note is the similarity between the thick semi-circular structures on the lid of A. longicervia and the large nectar-secreting "spoon" present on the upper posterior portion of Heliamphora exappendiculata pitchers.^[1] Binomial name Sarracenia purpurea L. Sarracenia purpurea range Sarracenia purpurea, the Purple pitcher plant, is a carnivorous plant in the family Sarraceniaceae. ... Sarracenia range (all species) Species See text. ... The genus Heliamphora contains approximately eight species of pitcher plants native to South America. ... In Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. ...

Li (2005) mentions the discovery of another type of pitcher plant from the same formation. This variety differs from the type material of A. longicervia in having pitchers that lack any constriction before the mouth, instead gradually expanding from the petiole into a hollow trumpet-like shape. He suggests that it "should be a different species" from A. longicervia. An intermediate form with a wider neck is also reported, suggesting that pitcher plants were already a diversified group in the Early Cretaceous.^[1] A petiole (also called a pedicel) is the first abdominal segment of members of the Apocrita. ...

Habitat

It is thought that the area in which A. longicervia lived experienced significant climatic fluctuations between arid or semi-arid and more humid conditions.^[6] The substrate in the region was mostly composed of lacustrine sediments and volcanic rocks.^[7] Look up substrate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lacustrine is derived from the Latin word lacus, which means lake. ... Ignimbrite is a deposit of a pyroclastic flow. ...

References