Pennsylvanian Plant ID Help

[Kpitch]

These fossils were found in Westville, IL (Vermillion County) a long time ago by my great grandfather (the grey/black fossil; he worked in the coal mine), and my dad (the light brown/reddish one; on a slag heap). After reading this

Publication Title: 

Guide to Pennsylvanian fossil plants of Illinois

Publication Type: 

Geoscience Education Series

Author: 

James R. Jennings

Year: 

1990

and looking at a number of photos for comparison, I am wondering if these are Alethopteris sertii? (other guesses are Neuropteris and Acitheca). At least that is my (un)educated guess after desperately trying to make sense of the Jennings paper. Also, on the first photo within the green box I noticed that the foliage has two different looks to it. Were the individual leaves (?) different or is this a result of the way the plant was fossilized? I appreciate all corrections and additional knowledge/comments on these two fossils. This forum identified a nautiloid I have, and I am so appreciative of the feedback and support you give!

 

 

 

[deutscheben]

Those are some nice ferns! I have actually collected from that area recently and plant fossils can still be found there.

 

The fern in the 4th and 5th pictures is indeed Alethopteris serlii. The other concretion is a fern that has gone by a few different names- your older guidebook would call it Pecopteris, but I believe the current name for this genus is Crenulopteris acadica.

Differences in the appearance of the fern can be caused by weathering of the exposed fossil, decay before it was fossilized, or by variation in the plant itself- in this case I think it’s just the way it was fossilized.

 

Edited July 28, 2020 by deutscheben
serlii not Sergio!!!

[Kpitch]

Thank you for your help!

[Mark Kmiecik]

19 hours ago, deutscheben said:

The fern in the 4th and 5th pictures is indeed Alethopteris Sergio.

Alethopteris Sergio?  I think he meant Alethopteris serlii. Hyperactive autocorrect syndrome strikes again.

[deutscheben]

 

23 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

Alethopteris Sergio?  I think he meant Alethopteris serlii. Hyperactive autocorrect syndrome strikes again.

haha I did not even see that!!! I switched to an iPhone recently and I am still getting used to the differences between it and my old Samsung. I have edited my post, thanks :-)