Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Here is a sample of a fern and Cordaites along the bottom (my guess) I've been finding. Pennsylvanian formation in an area with igneous intrusions. I would enjoy being able to identify and label different fern types in the future so any help naming these now and a good source for learning more would be my ideal goal. Lastly; what induces the coloration? Is it some form of pyritization? High iron mineral content of water and ground it grew in at the time? I have additional specimen photos that appear to be of other types but I just realized my file sizes are limiting how many I can post at a time...need to learn how to do better in future posts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Just a warning; even the definition of the term fern is complicated. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 Rockwood....I guess I am learning it won't be easy and I suppose I could use the brain challenge in retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 @Kato: it is difficult, but for you this might be a good book to start (?): A guide to pennsylvanian age plant fossils before deep diving into specialists literature? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 8 minutes ago, Johannes said: A guide to pennsylvanian age plant fossils Barnes and Noble have it much cheaper and the Ebook is only $3.00!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 12 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said: Barnes and Noble have it much cheaper and the Ebook is only $3.00!! The link was only for display (and I want to avoid an amazon link) and because of the review, ofcourse there are several used and cheaper ones available in the www. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Here is an online resource - although a bit dated ( = no longer accurate) . THIS may prove useful as well as THIS. Regards, 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 @Kato. Just had to say, these fossils are incredibly beautiful. Did you find these in New Mexico? The coloration blows my mind! @ynot can likely explain which minerals are causing these colors. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Fossildude19 said: although a bit dated Lesquereux's drawings have always been among my favorites for Carboniferous material. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 geologic Surveys of: Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and W.Virginia all have good info on fossil plants. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Don't know about the plant fossils, but the red to yellow colors are caused by iron content oxidizing. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 3 hours ago, Innocentx said: @Kato. Just had to say, these fossils are incredibly beautiful. Did you find these in New Mexico? The coloration blows my mind! @ynot can likely explain which minerals are causing these colors. Yes, I found these in the Sacramento Mountains in a Pennsylvanian formation very close to an igneous intrusion in a high iron content area. The colors are that vibrant in real life. I hope they do not fade. Have also found some very tiny fern fossils in high iron content red shale but nothing worth posting at this time. That layer almost looks metamorphosed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I will read the online content asap and try to get the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deutscheben Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 What beautiful plants! Those colors are astonishing. This guide to Mazon Creek plant fossils on the Smithsonian website is well-illustrated, but doesn't offer much in the way of descriptions: https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/paleobiology/mazoncreek/mazonGroups.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I very much recommend the book "Paleontology of New Mexico" by Barry Kues. Most of the common fossils from every period represented in New Mexico are illustrated. I'm also a little envious, there is a remarkable diversity of geological ages and fossils exposed in the Sacramento Mountains and elsewhere in the area. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 10 hours ago, Kato said: Yes, I found these in the Sacramento Mountains in a Pennsylvanian formation very close to an igneous intrusion in a high iron content area. The colors are that vibrant in real life. I hope they do not fade. Have also found some very tiny fern fossils in high iron content red shale but nothing worth posting at this time. That layer almost looks metamorphosed. There is a similar situation in one of Europes most famous Carboniferous sites (famous for it's colours): quarry, plants 1, plants 2, bug The piesberg intrusion there is responsible for a smooth metamorphosis, the silver-whitish colours are result of a pressure-shade-pseudomorphosis, mineral is there a hydromuscovite variety called Gümbelite. Iron is mobilized from the sediments and responsible for the colours, sometimes it occurs with gypsum. I think there might be a similar mineralogical situation in your sites... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 4 hours ago, Johannes said: There is a similar situation in one of Europes most famous Carboniferous sites (famous for it's colours): quarry, plants 1, plants 2, bug The piesberg intrusion there is responsible for a smooth metamorphosis, the silver-whitish colours are result of a pressure-shade-pseudomorphosis, mineral is there a hydromuscovite variety called Gümbelite. Iron is mobilized from the sediments and responsible for the colours, sometimes it occurs with gypsum. I think there might be a similar mineralogical situation in your sites... Johannes, I have found gypsum virtually everywhere in the Sacramento Mountains....nearby is the resulting White Sands National Monument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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