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Carboniferous conifer?


hobbitfeet

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I found this in a tailings pile near Carbondale Illinois.  I found lots of ferns and nodules but nothing like this.  I didn't think that conifers were really prevalent in the Carboniferous so I'm confused about what this is.  I showed this to someone who suggested it might be part of fern like when it first sprouts. 

conifer.jpg

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This might be something for @fiddlehead to look at. :) 

Great fossil. 

 

    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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I cant comment on that locale.  Someone familiar with the area will be more authorative.

 

The first conifers start appearing in the upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian).  There is a publication  geared for Illinois to help identify Carboniferous plants  but

I also use it for our region. Its available on line. I find the illustrations useful to get me oriented.

IMG_5554.JPG

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Also, I'm not a plant specialist, but I think that it looks close to Lepidodendron lycopodioides.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Lepidodendron+lycopodioides&sa=X&biw=1360&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0ahUKEwjpgLnGwsnPAhWGKsAKHY1NAawQsAQIHQ
https://steurh.home.xs4all.nl/eng/loof.html

 

leplycr.jpg

 

Something similar was in this interesting older post of TFF :

 

" We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. "

Thomas Mann

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I have commented on this form previously, for those who read it I apologize, but here is a rerun for those who missed it. From fossils found in the Mazon Creek flora (near the base of the Carbondale Formation) Lesquereux erected the name Lycopodites pendulum for this form.  He believed it to be examples of a diminutive lycophyte form. It is now believed by lycopsid researchers that Lycopodites does not represent a diminutive form. They are now thought to be the terminal branches of arboreal lycopsids. They appear very similar to the modern small lycopod called ground pines. Though they differ in the fact that Lycopodites is never found with any fertile structures. Ground pines on the other hand are often found with fertile structures attached. Also Lycopodites has not been found with any roots attached. This may appear to still leave the validity of the name Lycopodites in question to some, since it is in reality a Lepidodendron, albeit just the tip. I prefer to retain the the separate names since they are clearly different in appearance and refer to defined part of a particular plant group. This is not unlike separating Stigmaria for the roots or Lepidrstoobus for the cones from Lepidodendron.

 

Hope this clears things up,

Jack

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Thanks for the info guys.  I'm kinda bummed it wasn't a conifer.  Here's something else I found at the same location that also don't know what it is.

IMG_0591.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dont be bummed. that is a great specimen of a Lepidodendron stem--an early tree like plant...only approx 300 million years old...You might be able to prep it and have that other stem exposed...Super find!

 

Not sure what your latest find is...photo is a bit blurry but looks to be another nice find. ...if I had to take a guess its might be a type of Sphenophyllum but need a better picture. 

 

Thanks for showing us.

 

Regards, Chris 

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