ild14 fossil flower

I am a palaeobotanist trying to decide what the correct classification is for a flower 100 milion ya. It comes from a flora which has only 24 different kinds of Eudicoteledon leaves. The flora also has leaves belonging to 9 different classes, including deciduous and evergreen species of Agathis[see Stockler,Daniel, and Lockhart, Systematic Biology, V 51(5):827-832] Some features of the flower suggest it was pollinated by insects. It had to endure 3-4 months darkness, becase New Zealand was then a part of Gondwana.
Ian Daniel
School of Biological Sciences
Christcurch

 

ild14 sent this image of the fossil flower:

 

Try comparing it with Illicium (star-anise; in the very primitive family Illiciaceae). But the chances are overwhelmingly that it is something that is extinct now.

http://www.easternplant.com/images/anise.jpg Flower

http://www.anthemis.nl/aroma/fotosetholie/anijsster.htm Flowers and fruit

 

Thank you MichaelF. i am sure that it is extinct. I will try to attach my account of finding the flower, but my lack of Knowledge of computers is matched by my lack of up-to-date knowledge of flowers. I got onto the UBC site by accident, and am taking up your valouble time. Ian Daniel. No success with attachment, so will send it straighjt to Eric.

 

ild14 has sent the following abstract and images to add to this discussion.

 

Below is a link that may help. There are several
other links from here that lead to other important
web sites for paleobotany.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/collections/plant.html

Jim

 

Reply to Michael F. I have done some research and decided the Winteraceae is the best place for it. Here is the addition to Flower from Gondrana.

 

Email to Eric de Fontaine. Please add this to the message I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to attach to Michael F. 's suggestion. Ian Daniel