Carboniferous fern

[JohnB]

Hi all

Here's a fern that's got me stumped. I've looked through 'Plant Fossils of the British Coal Measures' and 'British Fossils Palaeozoic' and can't find anything. I did wonder if these were whole leaves where some of the nervation has rotted away leaving primarily the skeletal veins. However if this was the case why aren't there other leaves adjacent? They were found 5km from my home at Offerton, Cheshire, UK http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2X ... oise-brook
While I have quite a lot of ferns mostly pecopteris types and calamites I've only found these two matrices with this example.

Sorry for the low quality images, iPhone with loupe sell taped to it! My dslr is in my studio (I'm a photographer!)

Thanks again for your help!

John

[Carboon]

Hi John,

Very interesting material. Never seen anything like it. It reminds of some species of Rhacopteris, but smaller. Perhaps Dr. C.J. Cleal of the National Museum Wales could help you further. His info can be found here: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/176/

Kind regards,

Tim

[JohnB]

Thanks Tim! When I get the chance too I will email him. I see you're a plant man. Would you like the small piece as a gift to add to your collection?

Best

John

[pa3djc]

Nice find John!
Greetings Aad.