Pecopteris

Pecopteris
Temporal range: Late Devonian to Early Permian
Partial frond of Pecopteris villosa from Mazon Creek (Carboniferous)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Pteridophyta
Class:
Filicopsida
Order:
Marattiales
Family:
Marattiaceae
Genus:
Pecopteris

Species

Approximately 250 to 300, see text

Pecopteris is a very common form genus of leaves. Most Pecopteris leaves and fronds are associated with the marattialean tree fern Psaronius. However, Pecopteris-type foliage also is borne on several filicalean ferns, and at least one seed fern.[1] [2] Pecopteris first appeared in the Devonian period, but flourished in the Carboniferous, especially the Pennsylvanian. Plants bearing these leaves became extinct in the Permian period, due to swamps disappearing and temperatures on Earth dropping.[3]

  1. ^ Taylor, Thomas N; Taylor, Edith L; Krings, Michael (2009). Paleobotany: The biology and evolution of fossil plants. ISBN 978-0-12-373972-8.
  2. ^ Taylor, Thomas N. & Edith L. Taylor. The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants, page 598. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993). ISBN 0-13-651589-4.
  3. ^ "Pecopteris fossils". Earth Sciences Museum. 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-14.