Archaefructus

left|thumb|Fossil cast of A. liaoningensis Archaefructus is an extinct genus of herbaceous aquatic seed plants with three known species. Fossil material assigned to this genus originates from the Yixian Formation in northeastern China, originally dated as late Jurassic but now understood to be approximately 125 million years old, or early Cretaceous in age. Even with its revised age, Archaefructus has been proposed to be one of the earliest known genera of flowering plants. thumb Because of its age, lack of sepals and petals, and the fact that its reproductive organs (carpels and stamens), are