| P number: | P521060 |
|---|---|
| Caption: | A fossil specimen of Lepidodendron obovatum Sternberg. A fossil plant. (Plantae.) Burn at Wester Pirleyhill, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. |
| Description: | Lepidodendron was a member of the Lycopsids, some of the largest plants of the Upper Carboniferous tropical forests. British Geological Survey Biostratigraphy Collection number GSE 5541. The arborescent Lepidodendron, growing up to 50 m. high and supported by extensive secondary cortex rather than wood, was the commonest form-genus of stems. These large lycopsids should probably not be called trees. The rooting structure produced a vertical leafy trunk with no branches. The trunk grew until just before maturity when a crown of branches was produced the whole life span being about 10 years. This specimen is from the Carboniferous Coal Measures. The Lycopsids formed extensive forests in the lowland swamps; their stems and reproductive organs are common fossils in the roof-shales and sandstones and their rooting organs are found in seat earths. They are related to the recent club-mosses and quilworts, but in contrast to the modern herbaceous form, many Carboniferous Lycopsids were tree-like in size. |
| Date taken: | Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 GMT 2003 |
| Photographer: | Unknown |
| Copyright statement: | NERC |
| Orientation: | Landscape |
| Size: | 434.71 KB; 1000 x 728 pixels; 85 x 62 mm (print at 300 DPI); 265 x 193 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Average Rating: | Not yet rated |
| Categories: | Unsorted Images |
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