Rockaholic Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 I recently had a split of material collected from Pennsylvanian age spoil piles in Indiana that appears to be a fragmented fertile Fern and it sparked my interest on older finds that I have yet to identify.I found a post from Roby that reminded me of a fossil that I found 7 years ago.Is this an example of Crenulopteris Mazoniana? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockaholic Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 Here's another piece found 6 months later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockaholic Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 And since we're on the topic of fertile ferns is this Diplazites Unita?The spori seem more centrally located then other Diplazites Unita examples I've seen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 @RCFossils @Nimravis @Mark Kmiecik Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger9a Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 Very nice specimens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 Cool fossils! Does the bumpiness and/or crenulations indicate spore bearing structures, or are they just part of the normal leaf structure? -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 @fiddlehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 I am not familiar enough with fertile specimens to be of any help in their identification. Strangely enough, I have never found one in the years I was actively collecting, so I have been lax in researching the various forms. Jack Wittry @fiddlehead will most probably be the best bet to ID these. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlehead Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 The bumps are the fertile structures called sori. These are made up from separate sporangia which number generally between 4-6 per sorus. Each sporangium can easily contain a thousand spores. The sori are radially symmetrical, stalked and hang from the bottom side of the pinnule. If it were possible to see the sori from the side, the sporangia when fully mature hang like ripe bananas. There are several different forms of sori that are based on studies using un-uncompressed fossils found in coal balls. These features are rarely visible in authigenic cementation (concretions) fossils like those found at Mazon Creek. Figured are three separate species of fertile fern pinnae. Based on the relatively large sori the first example it is probably an Oligocarpia. But this is only a best guess and needs to be confirmed by seeing if the sori are placed on the lateral veins. The second is a Crenulopteris mazoniana based on the sori attached at the pinnule margins. Also note the sori appear poorly formed and fuzzy. This is because the sporangia have burst and only the outer walls are left hanging. From the overall pinna and pinnule shape, the third is a Acitheca polymorpha. Hope this is of some help, Jack 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 1 hour ago, fiddlehead said: Hope this is of some help, Jack You da man! Thank you. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockaholic Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 Agreed! Thanks Jack.You always provide a wealth of knowledge.And thanks to everyone else who responded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 @Plantguy ? "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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