Psaronius

Psaronius
Temporal range: Late Carboniferous–Permian
A transverse section through a Psaronius stem. ~12cm across.
An equivalent section through a modern tree fern. ~6cm across.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Marattiales
Family: †Psaroniaceae
Genus: †Psaronius
Cotta

Psaronius is an extinct genus marattialean tree fern which grew to 10m in height, and is associated with leaves of the organ genus Pecopteris and other extinct tree ferns. Originally, Psaronius was a name for the petrified stems, but today the genus is used for the entire tree fern. Psaronius tree fern fossils are found from the Carboniferous through the Permian.[1]

Reconstruction of Psaronius, Illustrated by Auguste Faguet (1877)
  1. ^ Taylor, Thomas N; Taylor, Edith L; Krings, Michael (2009). Paleobotany: The biology and evolution of fossil plants. ISBN 978-0-12-373972-8.