Description

Astronium truncatum

Early Eocene

Green River Formation – Parachute Creek Member

Rio Blanco County, CO USA.

16mm flower on 90mm slab.

Astronium is a plant genus in the Family Anacardiaceae which includes a variety of modern trees such as mango, cashew, pistachio, and pepper as well as poison ivy and poison oak.  Fossil flowers referred to Astronium date back to at least the Early Eocene.

This specimen represents one of the earliest occurrences of the genus.