SpringerLink
Log in

Dominican amber Flowers

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Flowers in Amber

Part of the book series: Fascinating Life Sciences ((FLS))

  • 228 Accesses

Abstract

Based on direct and indirect evidence, 38 angiosperm flowers in over 20 plant families enhanced the tropical moist Dominican amber forest with their beauty, grace and mysterious qualities. While 20 flowers in Dominican amber can be placed in current families and genera, 5 belong to unknown families, showing that extinctions have occurred at the species, genus and family levels over the past 20–30 million years. None of the Dominican amber flowers represent present day species. Here we have direct evidence of pollinators, such as stingless bees entrapped in the stamens of mimosoids, as well as herbivores that have nibbled on petals. Stingless bees carrying pollinia also show some of the orchid diversity that was in the forest at that time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
EUR 29.95
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
EUR 64.19
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
EUR 80.24
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
EUR 80.24
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2010) The Dominican amber fossil Lasiambix (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae?) is a Licania (Chrysobalanaceae). J Bot Res Inst Texas 4:219–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2012a) Additional fossils in Dominican amber give evidence of anther abortion in mid-Tertiary Trichilia (Meliaceae). J Bot Res Inst Texas 6:561–565

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2012b) A mid-Tertiary fossil flower of Swietenia (Meliaceae) in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 6:123–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2013) A fossil flower of the genus Protium (Burseraceae) in mid-Tertiary amber from the Dominican Republic. J Bot Res Inst Texas 7:367–373

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2014a) Distigouania irregularis (Rhamnaceae) gen. et sp. nov. in mid-Tertiary amber from the Dominican Republic. J Bot Res Inst Texas 8:555–561

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2014b) Ticodendron palaios sp. nov. (Ticodendraceae), a mid-Tertiary fossil flower in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 8:563–568

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2015) Comopellis presbya (Rhamnaceae) gen. et sp. nov. in mid-Tertiary amber from the Dominican Republic. J Bot Res Inst Texas 9:361–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2016a) Lobocyclas anomala, a new genus and species of Celastraceae subfamily Hippocrateoideae in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 10:137–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2016b) Brevitrimaris arcuatus gen. et sp. nov., a monocotyledonous fossil flower from mid-Tertiary amber deposits in the Dominican Republic. J Bot Res Inst Texas 10:141–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr (2016c) Phyrtandrus pentalepidus gen, et sp. nov., a unique fossil flower of unknown affinity found in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 10:449–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr, Brown AE (2011a) Two fossil flowers of Trichilia (Meliaceae) in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 5:463–468

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr, Brown AE (2011b) A fossil flower of Persea (Lauraceae) in Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 5:457–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers KL, Poinar GO Jr, Chanderbali AS (2012) Treptostemon (Lauraceae), a new genus of fossil flower from mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 6:551–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Draper G, Mann P, Lewis JF (1994) Hispaniola. In: Donovan S, Jackson TA (eds) Caribbean geology: an introduction. The University of the West Indies Publishers’ Association, Kingston, pp 129–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Iturralde-Vinent MA, MacPhee RDE (1996) Age and Paleogeographic origin of Dominican amber. Science 273:1850–1852

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iturralde-Vinent MA, MacPhee RDE (2019) Remarks on the age of Dominican amber. Palaeoentomology 2:236–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (1991) Hymenaea protera sp.n. (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoideae) from Dominican amber has African affinities. Experientia 47:1075–1082

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (1996) A fossil stalk-winged damselfly, Diceratobasis worki spec. nov. from Dominican amber, with possible ovipositional behavior in tank bromeliads (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica 25:381–385

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (1998) Paleoeuglossa melissiflora gen. n., sp. n. (Euglossinae: Apidae), fossil orchid bees in Dominican amber. J Kansas Entomol Soc 71:29–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (1999) A fossil palm bruchid, Caryobruchus dominicanus sp. n. (Pachymerini: Bruchidae) in Dominican amber. Entomol Scand 30:219–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2002) Fossil palm flowers in Dominican and Mexican amber. Bot J Linn Soc 138:57–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2016a) The first fossil flowers of Bignoniaceae (Lamiales): Catalpa hispaniolae sp. nov. in Dominican Republic amber. Novon 25:57–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2016b) Orchid pollinaria (Orchidaceae) attached to stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Dominican amber. N Jb Geol Paläont 279:287–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2016c) Beetles with orchid pollinaria in Dominican and Mexican amber. Am Entomol 62:180–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2017a) Two new genera, Mycophoris gen. nov., (Orchidaceae) and Synaptomitus gen. nov. (Basidiomycota) based on a fossil seed with develo** embryo and associated fungus in Dominican amber. Botany 95:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2017b) Developmental stages of the fungus, Synaptomitus orchiphilus, in the germinating seed, Mycophoris elongatus (Orchidaceae), in Dominican amber. Hist Biol 31:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2017c) Ancient termite pollinators of milkweed flowers in Dominican amber. Am Entomol 63:52–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr (2021) The fossil record of orchids in amber. In: Djordjevic V (ed) Orchidaceae, characteristics, distribution and taxonomy. Nova Science Publishers, New York, pp 1–26. ISBN: 978-1-53614-170-2

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Cannatella DC (1987) An upper Eocene frog from the Dominican Republic and its implication for Caribbean biogeography. Science 237:1215–1216

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL (2015a) Dasylarynx anomalus gen. et sp. nov., a tubular monocotyledon-like flower in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 9:121–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL (2015b) Prioria dominicana sp. nov. (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae), a fossil flower in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 9:129–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL (2015c) Pseudhaplocricus hexandrus gen. et sp. nov. (Commelinaceae) in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 9:353–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL (2016) Mimosoideae (Fabaceae) diversity and associates in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 10:123–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL (2021) Sal**anthium hispaniolanum gen. et sp. nov. (Fabaceae: Detarieae), a mid-Tertiary flowers in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 15:559–567

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Columbus JT (2012) Alarista succina gen. et sp. nov. (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) in Dominican amber. Hist Biol 25:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Judziewicz EJ (2005) Pharus primuncinatus (Poacae: Pharoideae: Phareae) from Dominican amber. Sida 21:2095–2103

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Legalov AA (2013) Bicalcasura maculata n. gen., n. sp. (Curculionoidea: Dryophthoridae) with a list of weevils described from Dominican amber. Hist Biol 26:449–453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Mastalerz M (2000) Taphonomy of fossilized resins: determining the biostratinomy of amber. Acta Geol Hisp 35:171–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Poinar R (1999) The Amber forest. Princeton University Press, Princeton, p 270

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Santiago-Blay JA (1997) Paleodoris lattini gen. n., sp. n., a fossil palm bug (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae, Xylastodorinea) in Dominican amber, with habits discernible by comparative functional morphology. Entomol Scand 28:307–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Steeves R (2013) Virola dominicana sp. nov. (Myristicaceae) from Dominican amber. Botany 91:530–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Struwe L (2016) An asterid flower from neotropical mid-Tertiary amber. Nat Plant. https://doi.org/10.1038/NPLANTS.20165

  • Poinar GO Jr, Wake D (2015) Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae gen. n., sp. n. (Amphibia: Caudata), a fossil salamander from the Caribbean. Palaeodiversity 8:21–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL, Brown AE (2008a) Lasiambix dominicensis gen. and sp. nov., a eudicot flower in Dominican amber showing affinities with Fabaceae subfamily Caesalpinioideae. J Bot Res Inst Texas 2:463–471

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Chambers KL, Brown AE (2008b) Trochanthera lepidota gen and sp. nov., a fossil angiosperm inflorescence in Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 2:1167–1172

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Weigend M, Henning T (2015) Klaprothiopsis dyscrita gen. et sp. nov. (Loasaceae) in mid-Tertiary Dominican amber. J Bot Res Inst Texas 9:369–379

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO Jr, Keven PG, Jackes BR (2016) Fossil species in Boehmerieae (Urticaceae) in Dominican and Mexican amber: a new genus (Ekrixanthera) and two new species with anemophilous pollination by explosive pollen release, and possible lepidopteran herbivory. Botany 94:599–606

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poinar HN, Cano RJ, Poinar GO Jr (1993) DNA from an extinct plant. Nature 363:677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez SR, Gravendeel B, Singer RB, Marshall CR, Pierce NE (2007) Dating the origin of the Orchidaceae from a fossil orchid with its pollinator. Nature 448(7157):1042–1045

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlee D (1990) Das Bernstein-Kabinett. Stuttgart Beitrage für Naturkunde (C) 28:1–100

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

    George Poinar

Authors
  1. George Poinar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Poinar, G. (2022). Dominican amber Flowers. In: Flowers in Amber. Fascinating Life Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09044-8_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation