A 47 million-year-old fossil plant discovered in Utah’s Green River Formation has been named “Othniophyton elongatum,” or the “elongated alien plant.” Unlike any living plant on Earth today, it was initially thought to be part of the ginseng family. However, further research revealed that Othniophyton elongatum is a separate and extinct family.
The discovery challenges scientists’ long-held assumption that plants fossilized before 65 million years ago must still exist in modern forms. Paleobotanists had previously assumed that Othniophyton elongatum was related to living plants due to its age. But Steven Manchester, curator of paleobotany at the Florida Museum of Natural History, notes that some plant fossils cannot be easily classified.
The unique shape of Othniophyton elongatum has led to its nickname “alien” due to its distinct and unfamiliar appearance. The discovery provides new insights into the history of flowering plants, revealing a more complex picture than previously thought.
Source: https://boingboing.net/2024/12/20/fossilized-alien-plant-from-47-million-years-ago-unlike-anything-alive-today.html