Found this when I was young, like to know more about it

[PaulStG]

When I found it the stone had been used as part of the stone wall. Wondering  if someone can Identify the plant and how old it might be.

[Nimravis]

Wow, very pretty. Where did you get this from? It looks like a piece of a Pecopteris frond.

[Tidgy's Dad]

I agree, it looks like a Pecopteris frond in which case it is most likely, though not certainly, Upper Carboniferous  (Pennsylvanian) so 300 to 323 million years old, approximately. 

Hello, Paul, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. 

[PaulStG]

Thanks very much, I am from Massachusetts, it was found in Somerset about 30 miles from the cape.

Don't know if it's easy to tell from picture but it is about a foot long, pretty large despite missing some spots.

Edited February 16, 2018 by PaulStG

[steelhead9]

Wow! I grew up in Assonet. Never found anything like that. Some old walls were built there with imported stone, so no absolute guarantee it originated there. Welcome to the forum. 

[PaulStG]

Thanks I appreciate it, was cleaning up and I lifted this thing from under the bed. I've had it for so long and I never thought to ask, ended up finding this awesome forum.

That's what I figured with the stone, there is so many old walls built around the area.

 

 

[Miocene_Mason]

 Well I know in Rhode Island there are a few sites that yield this, perhaps these formations get all the way up to Massachusetts. Either way that is a awesome fern

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Definitely a Pecopteris sp.  from the Rhode Island formation, Narragansett Basin.

 

      

 

 

There is a plant site in Rhode Island, about 1/2 hour south of  Somerset, in Portsmouth. 

The preservation is better in your specimen, though. Not as distorted.

 

Also, there are some quarries about 45 minutes to the north west, in Plainville, Mass., that have produced plant fossils. 

I wouldn't be surprised if there were outcrops throughout that range, that may have been disturbed or uncovered by construction and farming in the area. 

 

(New England is famous for growing rocks in farmer's fields. )

 

Great example!

 

Thanks for posting it. 

Regards,

[caldigger]

Put into a wall huh? Our ancestors had no respect. I would have kept that even when collecting fossils wasn't cool. 

Good job saving that for posterity. Your kids will thank you some day ( or at least someone will ).

[Rockwood]

1 hour ago, caldigger said:

Put into a wall huh? Our ancestors had no respect.

That was many seasons ago. Likely the only thing exposed at the time was a few tiny bits like you see on the lower right.

[MeargleSchmeargl]

Oh my Glossopteris! That Peco. is a beaut! 

[Herb]

7 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I agree, it looks like a Pecopteris frond in which case it is most likely, though not certainly, Upper Carboniferous  (Pennsylvanian) so 300 to 323 million years old, approximately. 

Hello, Paul, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. 

I agree, and welcome to the FF

[Fossildude19]

7 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I agree, it looks like a Pecopteris frond in which case it is most likely, though not certainly, Upper Carboniferous  (Pennsylvanian) so 300 to 323 million years old, approximately. 

Hello, Paul, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. 

Rhode Island Formation.   

[DoyouthinkhesaurusRex]

Welcome to TFF. That is a beautiful piece! 

[Bobby Rico]

Welcome to TFF and a stunning fossil indeed.

 

Bobby