Archaeanthus

Archaeanthus is an extinct genus of flowering plants known from the Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the Magnoliaceae family. The fossil evidence includes multifollicular fruits, perianth parts, floral bud scales, and leaves, all suggesting it belonged to a plant with large, insect-pollinated flowers resembling magnolias. The structure of Archaeanthus demonstrates that several floral traits considered "basal" among angiosperms—such as helically arranged floral organs and numerous ovules—were already present by the mid-Cretaceous, supporting the magnoliid hypothesis of early flower evolution. There is some debate regarding its exact placement within the Magnoliaceae family with some suggesting it could be a relative of Tulip trees.