of dicotyledonous leaves as well as a leaf of A gathis, 
ants, beetles, etc., was found in a formation of black 
clays. Detailed chemical analysis shows that this amber is 
comparable with resin of Callitris, Araucaria, or A gathis. 
Hills stated that all the fossils suggest moist climatic 
conditions. A gathis is perhaps the best climatic indicator 
among the fossils and today is restricted to tropical and 
subtropical regions. Its presence indicates a climate very 
different from that existing in the area now. Although 
there is some evidence that this material might be Pleis- 
tocene, Hills regards it as Pliocene. 
Fossil ‘‘copals’’ occur abundantly in Africa, where 
natural resins have been extensively exploited commer- 
cially. The age of these materials is not presented defi- 
nitely (T'schirch and Stock, 1986; Paclt, 1958a), but 
they are considered to be post-Tertiary. Paclt referred to 
these fossil copals as ‘‘legumocopalite.’’ He considered 
most of the West African (Angola and Congo) legomo- 
copalites to be derived from either Guibourtia( Copaifera) 
spp. or Daniella spp. The occurrence of some of these 
fossil resins, however, coincide with the geographical 
distribution of Adansonia digitata L., a member of the 
Bombacaceae. The East African (Tanganyika, Zanzibar 
and Madagascar) legumocopalites appear to be derived 
primarily from T’rachylobium verrucosum (Gaertn.) Oliv. 
Paclt (1953b) described jaffaite, probably Pleistocene 
in age, from Israel. It is characterized chemically as a 
gum-resin of the resene series, and contains some tri- 
chomes which resemble those from Pistacia lentiscus L. 
He concluded, however, that the resin was derived proba- 
bly from P. palaestina Boiss., which is now known to 
occur on the Plain of Sharon where jaffaite was found. 
Another amber of unknown plant source is reported from 
southern Lebanon by T’schirch and Stock (19386). 
Reports of amber from Central and South America 
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