''Symplocos kowalewskii'' is an extinct species of flowering plant known through a single flower preserved in

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin. Examples of it have been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since antiquity."Amber" (2004). In Maxine N. Lurie and Marc Mappen (eds.) ''Encyclopedia ...

. It belongs to the genus ''

Symplocos ''Symplocos'' is a genus of flowering plants in the order Ericales. It contains about 300 species distributed in Asia and the Americas. Many species grow in humid tropical regions. This is sometimes considered to be the only genus in family Sympl ...

'' within the family

Symplocaceae Symplocaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Ericales The Ericales are a large and diverse order of flowering plants in the asterid group of the eudicots. Well-known and economically important members of this order include tea ...

Description

The pentamerous flower of ''Symplocos kowalewskii'' is 25–28 mm wide. The corolla is fused basally, and the exterior surface bears

trichomes Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

. Most pollen grains are tricolporate.

Taxonomy

Within the genus ''

'' it may be placed in the subgenus ''Symplocos''.

Ecology

''Symplocos kowalewskii'' is thought to have occurred in ancient forested habitats, possibly in addition to '' Quasisequoia'' swamps. The extant, Asian relatives grow in montane, humid forests.

Temporal range

The fossilized specimen dates back to the late

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

Distribution

The fossilized specimen originates from

Baltic amber Baltic amber or succinite is amber from the Baltic region, home of its largest known deposits. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that this forested region provided the re ...

. It likely was found in the Samland Peninsula.

Scientific significance

The preserved specimen is unusually large. It is about three times as big as the usual preserved flowers found in amber, and this makes the preserved ''Symplocos kowalewskii'' specimen unique, as it is the largest known preserved flower in amber. The rarity of such specimens may be explained by the physical properties of the tree sap. Also, it is thought that larger specimens do not stick well to the sap. This fossil can help reconstruct the ancient flora and climate.

References

kowalewski Prehistoric angiosperms {{Ericales-stub