Oldest Peach Pits Found in China [ > 2 million yrs old ]

Discovery News ^ | Tuesday December 1, 2015 | Rossella Lorenzi

[SunkenCiv]

The oldest peach pits have been found near a bus station in China, according to a new study that sheds new light on the little-known evolutionary history of the fruit.

The eight fossilized peach endocarps, or pits, date back more than two and a half million years. They were found by Tao Su, associate professor at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, when road construction near his house in Kunming, capital of Yunnan in southwest China, exposed a rock outcrop from the late Pliocene.

Preserved within the Pliocene layers, the fossils looked "strikingly modern," according to Su. With colleague Peter Wilf, a professor of paleobotany at Pennsylvania State University, and others, Su detailed his findings last week in Scientific Reports.

"The fossils are identical to modern peach endocarps, including size comparable to smaller modern varieties, a single seed, a deep dorsal groove, and presence of deep pits and furrows," the researchers wrote.

The discovery suggests that peaches, juicy and sweet, much like the ones we eat today, were a popular snack long before the humans arrived on the scene.

After analyzing the morphological characters of the pits, the researchers concluded they belonged to the genus Prunus and proposed a new species name, Prunus kunmingensis.

[SunkenCiv]

These are the fossilized peach pits.

[SunkenCiv]

for later:

http://www.eurekalert.org/bysubject/archaeology.php

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I always think it funny that Georgia, “The Peach State” isn’t 1st or even second in peach production . The top two are California and South Carolina.

[TigersEye]

Nothing ever changes. It may have been 2 million years ago but I’ll bet there was a trash can at that bus stop and some neanderthal just tossed his trash on the ground. Harumph!

[Daffynition]

No matter. I'm holding on to my 5,000 y/o chewing gum. So there! :) BAWAHAHA!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6954562.stm

[wbarmy]

The eight fossilized peach endocarps, or pits, date back more than two and a half million years.

Total WAG. They could be Allochthonous, transported from somewhere else. Paleontologists use this excuse every time an older or younger fossil is found in the wrong strata.

genus Prunus and proposed a new species name, Prunus kunmingensis

Why? If they look the same, have the same characteristics then why are they not the same species? Or is this another excuse to come up with proof of evolution by showing ancestor species for modern peaches?

[o_1_2_3__]

They look very much like the pits on Mars you showed as a couple of weeks ago.

Coincidence?

[SunkenCiv]

I wonder how old peach schnappes is?

[Monkey Face]

Obviously Cling pleaches...

Thanks for the ping.

:o])

[AndyJackson]

Well peach wine would date from the first time someone made some peach juice and let it sit in a bucket a couple of days too long.

[Larry Lucido]

A roach was found nearby, proving that even back then they had Peaches and Herb.

[blam]

I'm reminded of the Allman Brothers.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Great album. Reminds me of those Georgia girls.

[Nucluside]

True. Contrast those from California, which are dry and tasteless, and those from South Carolina, which aren’t quite up to par, with those Elberta peaches from Taylor and Peach Counties, GA, which are heavenly. Take those Taylor County peaches and make ice cream out of them, and...

[I Hired Craig Livingstone]

I’m reminded of a certain stupid early-90’s teeny drama. You know you’re a Gen-X’r when...

[blam]

My son lives in LA and argued that California peaches were the best, etc. I gave him a basket of Chilton County Peaches and he immediately gave up the argument.

Albeit, my local peach supplier says that the SC peach is the best, I've never eaten one from SC.