Seed Plants
14th May 2009

Seed plants (gymnosperms such as seed ferns) date from the Late Devonian, but the second great age of plants, the Mesophytic (Triassic to Early Cretaceous) was their time of dominance. Examples of Palaeozoic seed ferns and early conifer relatives are shown here together with Mesozoic and younger bennettitales, ginkgos, gnetales and conifers.

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Moresnetia, bifurcating stems with fructifications. Late Devonian, Dinant, Belgium. Many thanks to Hans Steur for this specimen.
Moresnetia, bifurcating stems with fructifications. Late Devonian, Dinant, Belgium. Many thanks to Hans Steur for this specimen.
 Moresnetia stem with cupule.
Moresnetia stem with cupule.
 Moresnetia, seed-bearing cupules.
Moresnetia, seed-bearing cupules.
 Moresnetia cupules.
Moresnetia cupules.
Cordaianthus sp. cone of a Cordaite plant (an early conifer relative), 54 mm. Westphalian D, Piesberg, Germany.
Cordaianthus sp. cone of a Cordaite plant (an early conifer relative), 54 mm. Westphalian D, Piesberg, Germany.
 Cornucarpus acutus. 18 mm seed of a Cordaite plant. Late Carboniferous, Manning Canyon, Utah, USA.
Cornucarpus acutus. 18 mm seed of a Cordaite plant. Late Carboniferous, Manning Canyon, Utah, USA.
 Artisia, pith cast of the Cordaites plant, Westphalian D, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Artisia, pith cast of the Cordaites plant, Westphalian D, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
 Neuropteris and Alethopteris with coiled Spiropteris sp and Cyclopteris fimbriatus (at extreme right). Field of view is 130 mm high. Upper Sharp Mt Member, Pottsville Formation, underclay of Buck Mountain #5 Coal. Pennsylvanian-Allegheny Series, Upper Carboniferous. St. Clair, Pennsylvania.
Neuropteris and Alethopteris with coiled Spiropteris sp and Cyclopteris fimbriatus (at extreme right). Field of view is 130 mm high. Upper Sharp Mt Member, Pottsville Formation, underclay of Buck Mountain #5 Coal. Pennsylvanian-Allegheny Series, Upper Carboniferous. St. Clair, Pennsylvania.
Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, a giant, 104 mm, single pinnule of a seed fern, Morris, Illinois.
Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, a giant, 104 mm, single pinnule of a seed fern, Morris, Illinois.
 32 mm Trigonocarpus on 11 cm matrix packed with pteridosperm and fern leaves.
32 mm Trigonocarpus on 11 cm matrix packed with pteridosperm and fern leaves. "Westphalian D", Late Carboniferous.Radstock, Somerset, UK.
 Rhabdocarpus multistriatum, a 40 mm pteridosperm ovule. Tonganoxie Sandstone Member, Stranger Formation, Upper Carboniferous. Franklin County, Kansas. USA.
Rhabdocarpus multistriatum, a 40 mm pteridosperm ovule. Tonganoxie Sandstone Member, Stranger Formation, Upper Carboniferous. Franklin County, Kansas. USA.
 Carpolithus areolatus 12 mm seed, Mazon Creek.
Carpolithus areolatus 12 mm seed, Mazon Creek.
Crossotheca sagittata fertile pinnules of a filicopsid fern, 34 mm concretion. This view shows the lower surfaces of the pinnules with large elongate synangia (spore cases). Westphalian D, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Crossotheca sagittata fertile pinnules of a filicopsid fern, 34 mm concretion. This view shows the lower surfaces of the pinnules with large elongate synangia (spore cases). Westphalian D, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
 Whittleseya sp. , 30 mm sporangial cluster. Upper Sharp Mt Member, Pottsville Formation, underclay of Buck Mountain #5 Coal. Pennsylvanian-Allegheny Series, Upper Carboniferous. St. Clair, Pennsylvania, USA.
Whittleseya sp. , 30 mm sporangial cluster. Upper Sharp Mt Member, Pottsville Formation, underclay of Buck Mountain #5 Coal. Pennsylvanian-Allegheny Series, Upper Carboniferous. St. Clair, Pennsylvania, USA.
 Zamites gigas, 30 cm on large slab. Saltwick Formation. Whitby, Yorkshire.
Zamites gigas, 30 cm on large slab. Saltwick Formation. Whitby, Yorkshire.
 Ginkgo huttonii (Sternberg) Heer. Scalby Ness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. Lower Long Nab Member, Scalby Formation, Bathonian, Middle Jurassic.
Ginkgo huttonii (Sternberg) Heer. Scalby Ness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. Lower Long Nab Member, Scalby Formation, Bathonian, Middle Jurassic.
Williamsonia bella, complete 40 mm bennetitale
Williamsonia bella, complete 40 mm bennetitale "flower". Lowest Cretaceous. Yixian, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
 Elatocladus sp. (or
Elatocladus sp. (or "Pagiophyllum beipiaoensis" of Sun Ge et al.), a beautiful 75 mm conifer seedling, from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China. Small buds, or possibly pollen cones, (I count 15) nestle amongst the terminal cluster of leafy branchlets.
 Gurvanella liangii, complete 8 mm fruiting structure of a gnetale. Lowest Cretaceous. Yixian, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
Gurvanella liangii, complete 8 mm fruiting structure of a gnetale. Lowest Cretaceous. Yixian, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
 Baltic amber with 9 mm Thuja cypress sprig.
Baltic amber with 9 mm Thuja cypress sprig.
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