Final answer:
The oldest flowering plants date back to the Early Cretaceous period, roughly 125 to 130 million years ago, and the oldest known fossils were found in China. Angiosperms today number over 300,000 species and became the dominant plants in the Cretaceous, whereas gymnosperms have around 1,000 species. The Rhynie chert in Scotland contains some of the earliest vascular plant fossils, and Gingko trees, gymnosperms from the Permian period, are known as living fossils.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oldest Flowering Plant Fossil
The age of the oldest flowering plant thus far is believed to be from the Early Cretaceous period, roughly 125 to 130 million years ago. The fossil record, although incomplete for many organisms, has provided insights into the stages that life forms, including plants, have gone through during the history of the Earth. Among flowering plants, known as angiosperms, a rich diversity exists today with over 300,000 species. In contrast, there are far fewer gymnosperms with approximately 1,000 species existing in current times.
Angiosperms became the most abundant type of plant on the planet during the Cretaceous period, and they are recognized for their fruit production, which occurs after flowering and subsequent fertilization. The oldest known fossils of angiosperms were found in China, where researchers uncovered specimens that date back to the Early Cretaceous period, indicating an ancient and complex environment where these plants thrived alongside various forms of life.
One of the earliest known vascular plants, which preceded flowering plants, has been found in deposits from the Devonian period in a sedimentary rock deposit known as Rhynie chert, located in Rhynie, Scotland. Additionally, Gingko trees, sometimes referred to as living fossils, can be traced back to the Permian period and are known as gymnosperms. These trees can live for remarkably long times, with some specimens exceeding 2,500 years of age.