A set of special stamps featuring ancient plants, dubbed "living
fossils", will be released on Sunday, according to Friday's
China Post.
The set of four stamps depict a gingko, a Chinese cypress, a
dove tree and a Chinese tulip.
"Living fossil" usually refers to the few living cases of
extinct species that used to flourish in many places around the
world in the early geologic age. These plants bear similar
characters to their ancestors.
Most of the trees were destroyed when the Quaternary Period
glaciers appeared some 2 million years ago, but some have survived
in China.
A series of associated stamp products like first-day covers will
also be on sale from the same date, which are jointly designed and
printed by the China National Philatelic Corporation and Beijing
Stamp Company.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)
