Podocarpaceae and Cupressaceae: A tale of two conifers and ancient adhesives production in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Research on ancient adhesives from the South African Stone Age is expanding, driven by excellent preservation conditions of adhesives and the potential to address diverse archaeological questions. These adhesives are primarily characterized through microscopic and chemical analysis. Despite geographic variability, a consistently identified component is Podocarpus resin or tar. We challenge these identifications, considering another Podocarpaceae genus, Afrocarpus, and the Cupressaceae genus Widdringtonia. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry was employed to analyze molecular signatures of modern wood, tar, resin, and seed cones from these genera. The results form an extensive reference database and reveal challenges in distinguishing these genera based on the diterpenoid signature. While P

SUBMITTER: Chasan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11560044 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature