Plant Trivia TimeLine A Chronology of Plants and People The TimeLine presents world history from a botanical viewpoint. It includes brief stories of plant discovery and use that describe the roles of plants and plant science in human civilization. The Time- Line also provides you as an individual the opportunity to reflect on how the history of human interaction with the plant world has shaped and impacted your own life and heritage. Information included comes from secondary sources and compila- tions, which are cited. The author continues to chart events for the TimeLine and appreciates your critique of the many entries as well as suggestions for additions and improvements to the topics cov- ered. Send comments to planted[at]huntington.org 345 Million. This time marks the beginning of the Mississippian period. Together with the Pennsylvanian which followed (through to 225 million years BP), the two periods consti- BP tute the age of coal - often called the Carboniferous. 136 Million. With deposits from the Cretaceous period we see the first evidence of flower- 5-15 Billion+ 6 December. Carbon (the basis of organic life), oxygen, and other elements ing plants. (Bold, Alexopoulos, & Delevoryas, 1980) were created from hydrogen and helium in the fury of burning supernovae. Having arisen when the stars were formed, the elements of which life is built, and thus we ourselves, 49 Million. The Azolla Event (AE). Hypothetically, Earth experienced a melting of Arctic might be thought of as stardust. (Dauber & Muller, 1996) ice and consequent formation of a layered freshwater ocean which supported massive prolif- eration of the fern Azolla. That vegetation sequestered significant atmospheric carbon diox- 3.75 Billion. Mixed deposits of ferrous and ferric oxide suggest the presence of free atmos- ide, as successive generations of the fern sank and created oil and gas reserves in the Arc- pheric oxygen. This could be construed as evidence for photosynthetic activity. (de Duve, tic, while depletion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere impacted global climate. (see 1995) Wikipedia) 3.5 Billion. Formation of the oldest dated stromatolites. These layered geological forma- tions are built by successive generations of blue green algae (cyanobacteria.) (de Duve, 1995) Lower Precambrian rocks in South Africa contain what is possibly the earliest BC known evidence of cellular organisms, resembling blue green algae. (Bold, Alexopoulos, & Delevoryas, 1980) 50,000 Wild date seed were left in the Shanidar Cave of Northern Iraq. Also discovered at that site was evidence that cave dwellers consumed chestnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, and 2 Billion. Data suggest that by this time in the history of the Earth molecular oxygen began acorns. (Root, 1980) to make a significant difference in the nature of the atmosphere. (de Duve, 1995) 30,000 In 2009, Archaeologist Eliso Kvavadze and colleagues discovered linen fiber, even 1.6 Billion. Strong evidence indicates that filamentous and unicellular blue green algae ex- twisted linen threads, left in the Dzudzuana Cave, in Georgia - constituting the earliest isted by this period in the history of the Earth. (Bold, Alexopoulos, & Delevoryas, 1980) documented evidence of human use of fiber.. 900 Million. Late Precambrian deposits at Bitter Springs, Australia, hold numerous kinds https://www.thoughtco.com/dzudzuana-cave-early-upper-paleolithic-cave-170735 of blue-green and green algae. (Bold, Alexopoulos, & Delevoryas, 1980) 17,000+ Excavations at Wadi Kubbaniya, Nile Valley (Egypt) reveal charred remains of 25 570 Million. Dawning of the Paleozoic era different plants, including wild nutsedge tubers, acacia seed, cattail rhizomes, and palm fruit. (Levetin & McMahon, 1996) 395 Million. The lower Devonian Period. The Scottish Rhynie chert deposit from this pe- riod is famous for its excellent representation of Rhynia, one of the earliest vascular plants 8000+ The cultivation of grains had an essential role in the development of civilization. By in the fossil record. By 350 million years BP land plants at last became significant. By the this time period, wheat and barley were Near Eastern food crops. In ancient cultures, barley upper Devonian, Calamites (the giant horsetail) achieved abundance (as represented in was the everyday food of the poor. Archeologists have learned that by this time people used strata of that age.) We know now that seed bearing plants (Archaeosperma and Spermo- flint sickles and grinding stones. lithus) are represented in upper Devonian deposits. (Bold, Alexopoulos, & Delevoryas, 7000 Flax was known in Syria and Turkey, and is apparently the earliest plant source for 1980) fiber (used to make linen) as well as an important source of oil (pressed from the seed). By 5000 B.C. we know that various species of flax (Linum) were cultivated/harvested. Evi- 671 dence shows that flax seed size increased over time, suggesting that humans were selecting 2850 Two un-inscribed rolls of papyrus paper were entombed with Hemaka, who was the for larger seed. chancellor and royal seal-bearer to Pharaoh Den. These rolls were escavated by Walter Em- ery in 1936, and are said to be the oldest known examples of paper made from papyrus 6800 A "large hoard of carbonized lentils," over 1,000,000 seed, was abandoned in B Yif- culms. Papyrus was the major writing surface for the ancient Western world until more tah’el, north Israel. The size of this hoard indicates the lentils were under cultivation. (Zo- than 2,000 years later when parchments (stretched skin) and then “laid” paper (made of rag hary & Hops, 1994) linen) became common. (Gaudet, 2014) 6500 Faba bean was known in Israel. Lentil, pea, chickpea, and faba bean constituted the c2830 A Bristlecone Pine seedling germinated, giving rise to Methuselah, one of the oldest principal pulses for ancient Old World agriculture. surviving Bristlecone Pines, and one of the most ancient living organisms on Earth. (McKibben, 2008) 6500 Inhabitants of Abu Hureya, Syria relied on 8 domesticated crops for plant-based suste- nance. This appears to represent a steady increase in crop cultivation and abandonment of 2800 The Fah Sh n-Chih Shu details five sacred crops of China: soybeans, rice, wheat, bar- other found sources, in that excavations of older middens (as early as 11,050 BP/9,050 BC) ley, and millet. (Root, 1980) suggest the community regularly consumed as many as 118 species of seed and hard fruit. (Fry, 2016) 2750 A coffin from the Egyptian Saqqara Pyramid was made of six layers of wood veneers, sandwiched and glued together like plywood. Cypress (Cupressus), juniper (Juniperus), 6000 Chili pepper and beans of this date have been discovered in a Peruvian highland val- and cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus) were used. (Connor, 1994) ley. Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) and regular beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are known archaeologically from Peru. (Heiser, 1981) 2737 Tradition credits Chinese Emperor Shen Nung with the first brewing of tea as a bever- age. (Levetin & McMahon, 1996) 5500 Researchers have discovered evidence of gourds, squashes, beans, and chili peppers in midden levels dating from 5500 to 7000 B.C. in Tamaulipas, Mexico. 2732 Shen Nung, the second of China’s mythical emperors is said to have encountered the tea plant and to have discovered the use of tea. (Hohenegger, 2007) 5000 Corn (Zea mays) was cultivated in Meso-America. This important grain would be in- troduced to Europe by Columbus. [See 1550, China] 2000 Pearl millet was cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa. 5000 Domesticated rice (Oryza sativa) is reported from the Ho-mu-tu site in Chekiang 2000 Since the Bronze Age, olive has figured into the wealth of many Mediterranean popu- Prov., China. Cabbage seed from this period were discovered in earthen jars in Shensi Prov- lations. ince (today cabbages make up 1/4 of all expenditures for vegetables among Chinese fami- lies). 2000 Peach (Prunus persica) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca) were mentioned in Chinese literature before 2000 B.C., where they are considered to be native. It is supposed that apri- 4000 Cotton seed dating from this time period have been found in Pakistan. cots were introduced to Greece by Alexander the Great. Certainly the Greeks knew peaches by 332 B.C. Virgil noted the Persian fruit in Rome, circa 50 B.C. By 1571 the Spanish had 4000 Grape (Vitis vinifera) is thought to have been cultivated in the area from Afghanistan introduced three kinds of peaches to Mexico. [See 1663; 1977] to the Black Sea. 1550 A 65ft long medical scroll from Egypt (discovered in 1884 by Georg Ebers and c3050 In this year, the oldest-known living Bristlecone Pine germinated. (Wikipedia, named the Ebers Papyrus) lists about 800 medicinal drugs, including many herbs and 2017) spices, among them anise, caraway, cassia, coriander, fennel, cardamon, onions, garlic, thyme, mustard, sesame, fenugreek, saffron, and poppy seed. (Rosengarten, 1969) 3000 Sorghum was known in sub-Saharan Africa. [See 1100 B.C., China]. 672 1485 Hapshepsut, Queen of Egypt, had 31 myrrh trees imported to Egypt for planting at c500 The oldest known Chinese herbal, the Classical Pharmacopeia of Tzu-I was written. Thebes as homage to the god Amon. (Rosengarten, 1969) Although no version of this book survives, its existence is documented by Shen Nung, the writer of the extant Classical Herbal (which was produced as early as 100 BC.) 1370 Chemical tests of red fabrics from Tell el ‘Amara, Egypt show the presence of aliza- rin, a pigment extracted from madder (Rubia tinctorum.) (Zohary & Hopf, 1994) c500 It is supposed that the radish was introduced to China from Europe. 1325 Many seed and other plant products were deposited in the Tutankhamen tomb, includ- 450 Roman law, memorialized on twelve metal tablets, prescribed ownership and responsi- ing watermelon, safflower, emmer wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, flax, fenugreek, olive bility. Table VII, on Real Property, states “If a tree from a neighbor's farm has been felled (both leaves and oil), almond, date palm, garlic, cumin, and coriander.