Description

Astronium sp.
Early Eocene
Green River Formation – Parachute Creek Member
Douglas Pass, CO USA

8mm perfect flower on 71mm 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.