Fern Hunting in Northern Pennsylvania

[I_gotta_rock]

A very small group of us ventured into the wilds of northern PA last weekend, equipped with masks and a permit to poke around a state wildlife preserve with Carboniferous Lewellyn Formation exposures. It was a gorgeous day and the colors of the limestone really shone in the sunlight.

 

As we got there, a pair of  permit-less fossil poachers were just leaving. How do I know that they didn't have a permit? Because they absolutely did not follow the rules. Since it is a wildlife preserve, it is important that anyone looking for fossils not leave craterous holes in the ground and replant any plants that were uprooted in the process of digging said holes. They left holes everywhere. Our intrepid permit holder filled in most of the holes so that she could keep getting permits in the future. For this reason, I'm not going to be any more specific about the location.

That said, there were so many wonderful plant fossils to find! The site is remarkable for its red, orange and yellow limestone, which makes for some terrific, high-contrast fossils. Many of them had crisp details. What's more, there was quite a variety.

 

  

[Vacationgirl]

Beautiful fossils. What is picture #6?

[I_gotta_rock]

23 minutes ago, Vacationgirl said:

Beautiful fossils. What is picture #6?

Lepidodendron "bark" impression. Lepidodendrons were giant tree ferns. The round things are the scars from where fronds fell off as it grew.

[deutscheben]

Lovely plants! I had something very similar happen with regards to fossil poachers at a site I used to visit in Indiana, and they ended up banning all collecting. I am glad your friend is conscientious and hope you can keep coming back.

 

5 hours ago, I_gotta_rock said:

Lepidodendron "bark" impression. Lepidodendrons were giant tree ferns. The round things are the scars from where fronds fell off as it grew.

This is actually Stigmaria- not the bark, but a root of the Lepidodendron. The round scars are where rootlets would have extended out into the soil. 

[I_gotta_rock]

7 hours ago, deutscheben said:

Lovely plants! I had something very similar happen with regards to fossil poachers at a site I used to visit in Indiana, and they ended up banning all collecting. I am glad your friend is conscientious and hope you can keep coming back.

 

This is actually Stigmaria- not the bark, but a root of the Lepidodendron. The round scars are where rootlets would have extended out into the soil. 

Roots also have bark. We are both correct.

Sorry to hear about your closed site. Happening all over here.

[Monica]

What a nice variety of beautiful plants - I love all of the different colours!!!  Thanks for showing us!