Genetic data suggests flowering plants originated much earlier than fossil records indicate
In short: Researchers analyzing DNA sequences from a wide range of flowering plants found that these species likely began diversifying much earlier than previously thought. By examining a three-gene dataset covering roughly 75% of all known angiosperm families, the team estimated that the common ancestor of modern flowering plants emerged between 179 and 158 million years ago.
This finding is significant because it suggests the early evolution of flowering plants may predate the periods suggested by the fossil record. The researchers used non-parametric rate smoothing to estimate divergence times from genetic data.
While the study provides a new timeline for plant origins, the results are based on an internal calibration point and an initial hypothesis rather than direct physical evidence.
Why it matters: Genetic evidence points to a much older history for flowering plants than the fossil record currently shows.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Wikstrom et al. (2001). Evolution of the angiosperms: calibrating the family tree. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences.
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