''Pecopteris'' is a very common
form genus
Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...
of
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
. 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.
Pecopteris first appeared in the
Devonian
The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, whe ...
period, but flourished in the
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...
, especially the
Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian may refer to:
* A person or thing from Pennsylvania
* Pennsylvanian (geology)
The Pennsylvanian ( , also known as Upper Carboniferous or Late Carboniferous) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, ICS geologic timesca ...
. Plants bearing these leaves became extinct in the
Permian period, due to swamps disappearing and temperatures on Earth dropping.
Etymology
''Pecopteris'' is derived from the Greek ''pekin'', (to comb), and ''pteris'', (a fern). This is because the leaflets of ''Pecopteris'' fronds are arranged like the teeth on a comb.
Species
As of 1997, there have been 250-300 species assigned to ''Pecopteris''.
In
Brazil, fossil of
form genus
Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...
''Pecopteris'' was located in outcrop ''Morro Papalé'' in the city of
Mariana Pimentel. They are in the geopark Paleorrota in
Rio Bonito Formation and date from
Sakmarian in
Permian.
Afloramento Morro do Papaléo, Mariana Pimentel, RS
/ref>
Image:Pecopteris unita.JPG, ''Pecopteris unita''
File:Pecopteris PAMuseum.jpg, ''Pecopteris'' on display at the State Museum of Pennsylvania
The State Museum of Pennsylvania is a non-profit museum at 300 North Street in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is run by the state through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and was created to preserve and interpret the region ...
File:Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor - IMG 9198.JPG, ''Pecopteris'' in the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor
References
External links
Prehistoric plant genera
Fossils of Georgia (U.S. state)
Paleozoic life of New Brunswick
Paleozoic life of Nova Scotia
Paleozoic life of Prince Edward Island
Prehistoric plants of North America
{{paleobotany-stub