Carboniferous Plant Fossils

[Noah Jackson]

Recently visited Whitehaven in Cumbria, UK, and split some ironstone/shale rocks on the foreshore towards Parton Bay. I could mostly identify the many Calamites however I did spot some pinnate leaves which I am unsure about.

The fossils are of the Carboniferous Period, Bolsovian Substage (315.2-309.5mya) a few million years prior to the CRC.

 

The specimens here look somewhat like modern pine leaves though it is my understanding that conifers were not fully established at this point. Could they be the leaves of Calamites themselves, as all of the specimens are found in rocks also containing roots of the Calamites? They don't seem to look like any other of the fern-like leaves common in Whitehaven, and even Calamites leaves are apparently digitate.

 

Sorry if the answer is obvious, I am for the most part a beginner - particularly with carboniferous fossils.

Thanks!

[Fossildude19]

The ferns look like Alethopteris sp.

[Mark Kmiecik]

I agree. My first thought was Alethopteris as well. Also the upper right corner, from NW to SE in direction appears to be a poorly preserved Cyperites sp. leaf.