Mexican Amber Flowers

Abstract

AbstractFound not only in mine shafts, Mexican amber also occurs in rubble after landslides from the numerous earthquakes in the mountains around Simojovel in the state of Chiapas. The amber was and still is highly regarded, not only for its insect and plant inclusions, but for creating various art objects, especially charms for children to protect then against the evil eye (Ojo). The Lacondons, a branch of the Maya, also made amber earplugs and nose plugs from Mexican amber. Based on direct evidence, at least 14 species of angiosperms representing 16 different plant families thrived in the Mexican amber forest. Genera of Mexican amber flowers are useful in characterizing the original climate and habitat of the amber forest, which appears to be a boreotropical forest with large, fast growing trees. The original mid-Tertiary Mexican amber forest would have included the resin producing Hymenaea, as well as Swietenia mahogany trees in the canopy layer and a variety of palms and others in the subcanopy and understory. The forest floor as well as tree branches probably supported bromeliads and orchids, like the one pollinated by a small beetle.