Recreating the Original Flower

An extensive analysis of genes and looks reveals the make-up of the world’s first flower.

The world’s first flower had its male and female sex organs in one place, scientists have discovered following an extensive analysis of hundreds of modern and fossilized species. The scientists used DNA, etc., from modern plants to draw up a detailed family tree of the flowers. Based on the family tree, they were able to make out, when the different flowers’ characteristics occurred and which characteristics the first flower must have had.

The study eliminates previous theories that the first flowering plants had male and female organs in different flowers. The location of the leaves was also a surprise. They were found in separate circles instead of spirals, as scientists used to think.