Rockaholic Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 The best description I have for this specimen is Sphenopteris sp.It appears that this genus has been broken into several genera so if anyone has a more specific description for this form it would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teapot19 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 (edited) My first inspection leads me to believe Neuropteris rarinervis due to the slight points at the end of the pinnules and the roundedness of the leaflets near their bases. Almost looks like they're attached at a single point, but I tend to have a bad eye for that. Either way a very nice find. Edited March 2, 2014 by Teapot19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleoflor Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 My first inspection leads me to believe Neuropteris rarinervis due to the slight points at the end of the pinnules and the roundedness of the leaflets near their bases. Almost looks like they're attached at a single point, but I tend to have a bad eye for that. Either way a very nice find. You complement your provisional ID with sound observations. On the basis of those, your ID is certainly plausible. However, if you include the overall pinnule morphology, I think you can be certain the unidentified specimen is not a Neuropteris rarinervis frond. Neuropteris rarinervis, or Laveineopteris rarinervis (Bunbury) Cleal et al. 1990, has (as the name implies) neuropteroid pinnules. The unidentified specimen doesn't. The pinnules may be constricted at the base, yes, but in the lateral margins of the pinnules are clearly lobed. Also, the nervation does not consist of a clear 'mid-vein with lateral veins'. The best description I have for this specimen is Sphenopteris sp.It appears that this genus has been broken into several genera so if anyone has a more specific description for this form it would be greatly appreciated. I agree the specimen displays plenty of sphenopteroid features. However, the rachis is rather stout. Have you considered Dicksonites? The linked image is a specimen from the Stephanian of Europe. No idea whether the species (or genus) occurs on your side of the Atlantic though (also, no information regarding age and locale were given above). Kind regards, Tim 2 Searching for green in the dark grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hi Rockaholic, nice specimen! Tim has outlined the reasoning//thoughts. I surely dont know and 'm gonna defer to Tim, Jack and Rob and other locals who may be familiar with your locale--Assuming this is more Indiana stuff. As Tim mentioned Dicksonites does look similar to yours. I have a specimen of that guy from Germany and its one of my favorite plant fossils. As Tim was also questioning about it showing up on this side of the Atlantic---I dont think I've seen that genus listed in the Mazon Creek/Indiana material but I'll let the experts sort thru that. RC has a Mariopteris in his gallery that looks similar with the lobing as well. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/image/12403-mariopteris-speciosa-rcmc0297-1jpg/ Looking forward to someone settling this one...Nice find. Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 My thoughts are Dicksonites also, maybe pluckeneti . "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...
paleoflor Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 My thoughts are Dicksonites also, maybe pluckeneti . Does this mean you can confirm that the genus (or even species) is known from US localities? Tim Searching for green in the dark grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Yes, they are found in Kentucky and Ohio for sure.. "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...
Rockaholic Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thanks everybody for your replies. I’ve been busy with a change in employment lately but your posts have definitely been food for thought. I hope in the future I’ll have more time to develop my skills in flora IDing.Seeing everybody’s line of reasoning has been helpful. I definitely need to pay more attention to the morphology of the rachis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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