Re: World's Oldest Flower

[Jim Kirkland <dis@gj.net>]

Jeff Hecht wrote:
> 
> Jerry Harris wrote:

> This isn't the same one! Ge Sun, Dilcher, and two Chinese co-authors of the
> Science paper identify the plant as Archaefructus liaoningensis, and say
> it's from the Upper Jurassic "Jianshangou Bed" in the lower portion of the
> Yixian Formation. THey date it at 142 million years, although western
> radiometric dates are in the 125 Million years (Josh Smith, where are you?)

I have heard that the Chinese are getting ready to publish a paper in
Science or Nature giving new radiometric Ar/Ar dates from ashes within
the Yixian Formation lucustrine beds giving dates of around 142-140 mya
(pretty basal Cretaceous). Certainly as the Psittacosaurs have
pemaxillary teeth they are more primitive than any so far described. I
think we had all better wait and see.

Anyone heard this stuff?

We plan on having a dinamation trip head there to assist with these
excavations this coming August.

Jim Kirkland