Some sort of scale tree

[EricChristian]

I'm trying to identify this fossil.  It was collected in Pennsylvania (exact location unknown), about 50 years ago.  The length is over 2 feet and the trunk is a little more than 3 inches wide.  It is clearly some sort of scale tree, but the leaf scars are not diamond shaped as in Lepidodendron, or vertical aligned (and no ribs) as in Sigillaria.  They may be in a spiral patern.  The trunk markings look similar to roots, but there are clearly attached grass-like leaves along both sides (which means that the leaf scars are not worn, as they would be lower down a trunk).  Any ideas?

[Spinosaurus]

yes, i think it's plant material. nut i'm not an expert on these things so let's see what the rest has to say 

[westcoast]

Probably stigmaria; fossil root system with lateral rootlets.

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

I'd feel fairly confident that this is from St. Clair, PA. - Llewellyn Formation, Middle to Late Pennsylvanian in age. 

I agree that this looks like Stigmaria with rootlets.

Regards,

[Miocene_Mason]

I agree with llewellyn fm stigmaria, probably from st.clair but I wouldn’t rule out other places in PA like Carbondale.

[EricChristian]

Doing some web searching, I do see that the rootlets on Stigmaria can look grasslike, not like rootlets I envisioned.  But this looks to be specimen with better preserved rootlets than most.

[Fossildude19]

1 hour ago, WhodamanHD said:

I agree with llewellyn fm stigmaria, probably from st.clair but I wouldn’t rule out other places in PA like Carbondale.

I don't believe the Carbondale locality has the white fossils (Pyrophyllite.) on black shale.

I believe those are only found in St. Clair, in PA. 

[Miocene_Mason]

On 12/28/2017 at 3:40 PM, Fossildude19 said:

I don't believe the Carbondale locality has the white fossils (Pyrophyllite.) on black shale.

I believe those are only found in St. Clair, in PA. 

Here’s some white lycopod seeds on dark shale I found at Carbondale.

 

[Fossildude19]

4 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Here’s some white lycopod seeds on dark shale I found at Carbondale.

That doesn't look like the black shale from St. Clair, however.   

The OP's shale looks like St. Clair material. 

The Carbondale looks more gray in the picture, than black. 

[Miocene_Mason]

11 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

That doesn't look like the black shale from St. Clair, however.   

The OP's shale looks like St. Clair material. 

The Carbondale looks more gray in the picture, than black. 

I guess your right, just wanted to make sure that possibilities weren’t prematurely ruled out.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Really nice find! 

[Plantguy]

What a wonderful specimen! I'm as fascinated by the roots of those plants and their structure as I am with the patterns in the bark further up the tree. Congrats! 

 

Regards, Chris 

[Plantguy]

On 12/28/2017 at 4:56 PM, WhodamanHD said:

Here’s some white lycopod seeds on dark shale I found at Carbondale.

 

Those are neat. Is that in a concretion? Thinking the linear shaped pieces might actually be parts of some of the leaves rather than seeds/parts of cones.

Nice finds! 

Regards, Chris 

[abyssunder]

I'm searching for two days to find out where is that post in TFF, when you said (I don't remember correctly...) that " it's not in that Z shape...". I think, I'm too old for Rock' N' Roll.

[Miocene_Mason]

18 minutes ago, Plantguy said:

Those are neat. Is that in a concretion? Thinking the linear shaped pieces might actually be parts of some of the leaves rather than seeds/parts of cones.

Nice finds! 

Regards, Chris 

Sorry meant leaves, you told me that last time. Not in a concretion, small shale piece from mine trainings.

[abyssunder]

That's it! Seven, Zorro, Lepidodendron...