Unusual Carboniferous (?) Plants

[flyguy784]

Thanks Chris, I'd appreciate that. For me, the lack of a central vein on the pinnules is a key identifier. Also the fact that more than one vein per pinnule, joins the rachis. As I said, this is shown to be Mississippian material. It would be "late" in that period however. You're right, there is a great deal of variability in this genus. I'm very anxious to get the experts feedback. I appreciate your help.

I did get some more pictues of a couple other pieces but it's difficult to show the detail you have with the piece in hand with a loupe. I've also found out that my "marginal" connectivity out here is the problem with uploading high density (pixel) images. I've downloaded another program that will allow me to change the density before uploading. It would be nice if this location wasn't so far away, I'd like to collect more material perhaps with better preservation and additional identifiers.

Thanks again Chris.

John

[flyguy784]

Couple more pics.

Cordaites leaf pieces

Possible seed fern branch segment, any other opinions?

Just a picture in the forest I mentioned

[Fossildude19]

John,

Great pics, and the Forest shot is lovely!

Thanks for posting these, despite your ISP challenges!

Regards,

[Plantguy]

Couple more pics.

Cordaites leaf pieces

Possible seed fern branch segment, any other opinions?

Just a picture in the forest I mentioned

Hi John, what a stunning forest picture! WoW!

Still working on the Odontopteris ID confirmation...got a few leads/replies but I dont have

anything confirmed in them...some emails also included info about some other plant posts that I need to sort thru...

I liberally circled some raised areas in your seed fern branch photo and went gray scale----and I see a subtle diamond pattern!

More as I get it. Regards, Chris

[flyguy784]

Thanks Chris, I'm anxious to know. I thought you forgot about this post. I have a couple more pieces that have the same type rachis and pinnules, they clearly show all the veins of the pinnule joining the shaft. Unfortunetly, so far my atemps at photographing them just don'y show this very well. In hand they're there. With a loupe of course. Thanks a million for your help Chris.

[fossilcrazy]

I'm having very aggravating internet connectivity problems today. Let me try to get these up. These are only part of what I found but they are of the explanation for the "mystery branches" that petrified posted. In my effort to quickly grab some pics between rain storms I forgot to put a scale in the pics. For that reference, the stem lying across the bottom is abut 1/4 inch thick. I believe these branches are the rachises of Odontopteris. I'll include a site that describes these plants. It's a nice site to have. There are several duplicate photos. I've included them because they seem to me to have subtle differences contrast etc, that may help in the ID. I'd like others to jump in here on the ID, please. What ya think? Again, Mississippian in age. At this spot I also found Cordiates, both leaf and stem impressions. I'll get those up when I can. At another location, about 20 miles away, Pennsylvanian period, I found several Pseudorthoceras and a couple Strobeus. Here's that site. Please do give me your opinion on this specimen ID, thanks.

http://www.georgesbasement.com/LesquereuxAtlasP/ODONTOPTERIS-to-DICHTYOPTERIS-Lesquereux.htm#I

Looking at your foliage photos, I'm seeing Archaeopteris. There are about 6 species of Archaeopteris

some large inch leaflets to under a 1/4 inch, some smooth ends some zagged and rough. The veining

looks good for any one of Archaeopters spp. This would move the time frame back to Late Devonian.

To help the photographing, try a bright light source from behind the camera, aimed with you between

the light source and the specimen. Photograph the specimen at a sharp oblique angle. This works good

for Archaeopteris specimens and other faint plants on silstone. It kind of like brings out the contast

of the carbonized impression and lighter matrix.

[RomanK]

Couple more pics.

Cordaites leaf pieces

Possible seed fern branch segment, any other opinions?

Just a picture in the forest I mentioned

The second picture loks for me as Stigmaria surface.

[RomanK]

I'm having very aggravating internet connectivity problems today. Let me try to get these up. These are only part of what I found but they are of the explanation for the "mystery branches" that petrified posted. In my effort to quickly grab some pics between rain storms I forgot to put a scale in the pics. For that reference, the stem lying across the bottom is abut 1/4 inch thick. I believe these branches are the rachises of Odontopteris. I'll include a site that describes these plants. It's a nice site to have. There are several duplicate photos. I've included them because they seem to me to have subtle differences contrast etc, that may help in the ID. I'd like others to jump in here on the ID, please. What ya think? Again, Mississippian in age. At this spot I also found Cordiates, both leaf and stem impressions. I'll get those up when I can. At another location, about 20 miles away, Pennsylvanian period, I found several Pseudorthoceras and a couple Strobeus. Here's that site. Please do give me your opinion on this specimen ID, thanks.

http://www.georgesba...esquereux.htm#I

Hi John, I missed your that post but try to add somthing. Archaeopteris is great find. I posted some infromation about Devonian plant fossil before. I'd to add a picture with petrified wood which has a bark I think is a Callixylon (=Archaeopteris ) found in Devonian sediment near Razdolne.

Edited October 5, 2011 by RomanK

[flyguy784]

Hi Roman. I started another post entitled Unusual Carboniferous (?) Plants. So many quotes in this thread my internret connection craps out on me just connecting. Please go to that thread. I've a question about the Stigmaria ID. Thanks Roman.

[Petrified]

Bumping this topic to see if my confirmation is right. Ok the ID of the fossils are Devonian. The brances shown in the pic in the beginning is a ANEUROPHYTON. The tree it came off of is a ARCHAEOPTERIS. Ive gone through 15 different fossil books and the Book called Prehistoric life had a pic Identical to the branches I have originally shown in the forum. If anyone else has this book its on page 121.

[Petrified]

Oops I didnt know flyguy had the mystery solved already. My bad.... Atleast I know alot more about fossils from all the books Ive read this winter LOL.

[Stocksdale]

I was reading through this old thread. It sounds like there were conflicting thoughts whether these were Devonian or Mississipian fossils. What was the final thoughts on this?