媒体英语 Scientists discover rare ancient fossil fruit 科学家发现罕见果实植物化石

Play audio file 文字稿 一个有  5200 万年历史的果实化石在南美被发现。这枚远古时期的浆果所属的植物种类包括现在人们喜欢吃的土豆、西红柿和辣椒。科学家们说，这个化石的发现说明茄科植物的起源比人类先前想象的要早了好几千万年。请听 Helen Briggs 的报道。

Scientists at Pennsylvania State University say the small fruit resembles the modern day ground cherry or Physalis and tomatillo.

Little is known about how these plants evolved, as until now, only a few fossilised seeds have been found. The plant is part of the nightshade family, a group of more than 2000 different species. They include crops such as potatoes, peppers and tomatoes, the tobacco plant, plants used for medicines and flowers grown in gardens such as petunia. The discovery pushes back the origins of this plant family by tens of millions of years.

Scientists believe many more fossil plants are waiting to be discovered in South America, adding to our knowledge of how some of the world’s most valuable crops evolved and flourished. 

词汇表 resembles 像…，类似于

modern day 现代的

Physalis 酸浆属（植物物种名称）

fossilised 变成化石

nightshade 茄科植物 

crops 农作物

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