Ayenia zhangpuensis is a fossil species in the family Malvaceae from the Middle Miocene of southeast China.
Description The pentamerous, actinomorphic, pedicellate, bisexual, 4.3 mm long, and 4.8 mm wide flower has a slim, densely pubescent, 1.4 mm long pedicel bearing stellate trichomes. The 5 pubescent, elongate, incurved, 3.1 mm long, and 1.3 mm wide sepals are basally fused. The 5 clawed petals are free. The pentamerous androecium is composed of 5 fertile stamens and 5 staminodes with partially fused filaments forming a 0.7 mm long, and 1 mm wide campanulate staminal tube. The syncarpous gynoecium is composed of 5 fused carpels that form a superior, sessile, globose, verrucose, 0.8 mm long, and 0.6 mm wide ovary bearing a slim, 0.3 mm long, and 0.1 mm wide, five-ribbed style with a five-lobed stigma.
Taxonomy It was described in 2026. The type specimen, a flower preserved in amber, was collected from sedimentary rocks from the middle Miocene in Zhangpu County, Fujian, southeast China.Wu, X., Beurel, S., Bachelier, J. B., von Balthazar, M., Hammel, J. U., Sadowski, E. M., & Shi, G. (2026). Fossil flowers of Ayenia (Malvaceae) preserved in amber: evidence for lianas in Miocene rainforest of southeast China. Annals of Botany, mcag220. It is placed in the section Ayenia sect. Vahihara.Hinsley, S. R. (n.d.). Notes on Fossil Flowers. Malvaceae Info. Retrieved September 18, 2026, from https://www.malvaceae.info/Fossil/Flower.php Etymology The specific epithet zhangpuensis refers to Zhangpu County, Fujian Province, southeast China, where the species was discovered.
Distribution and habitat It occurred 15 million years ago in a tropical rainforest habitat in Southeast China.Fossil Flowers of Ancient Lianas Preserved in Amber Reveal the Evolution of Tropical Rainforests: Amber-preserved flowers from Southeast China show that lianas were already an established component of tropical rainforests 15 million years ago, during the Miocene. (2026, September 10). Museum Für Naturkunde. Retrieved September 18, 2026, from https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en/museum/services/press/press-release/default-99e68ab6d2d03b76d6b726e12af0cde5/
References