Description
You are purchasing the exact specimen shown – a genuine fossilised Polymorphopteris polymorpha fern from the Carboniferous Coal Measures of Radstock, Somerset, UK. This beautifully preserved plate exhibits the delicate venation and frond structure characteristic of this extinct seed fern species.
The fossil was discovered on 12 May 2025 by our own team members, Alister and Alison, and was professionally cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison using careful, conservation-grade methods.
A 1cm scale cube is shown in the photos for accurate size reference. Please refer to the images for full details and dimensions.
Specimen Details:
- Scientific Name: Polymorphopteris polymorpha
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Pteridophyta (Seed Ferns / Pteridosperms)
- Order: Medullosales (extinct seed ferns)
- Family: Medullosaceae
- Geological Period: Carboniferous
- Epoch: Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous)
- Stage: Westphalian (likely B–C substage)
- Formation: Coal Measures Group
- Depositional Environment: Humid, tropical deltaic and swamp forest, ideal for peat formation and plant preservation
- Biozone Context: Found within typical Pecopteris–Neuropteris–Calamites floral assemblages of the Westphalian coal swamps
- Morphology Features:
- Broad, pinnate fronds with multiple branching pinnae and varied leaflet shapes
- Pinnules often rounded or lobed, with fine parallel or forked venation
- Surface details occasionally show sori or fertile structures in well-preserved specimens
- Notable Locality: Radstock, Somerset – part of the historic Somerset Coalfield
- Formal Identification: First formally described by 19th-century European paleobotanists studying European Coal Measures; the name Polymorphopteris refers to the variable shape of its frond segments
About the Fossil:
Polymorphopteris polymorpha was part of the lush vegetation that dominated Earth’s equatorial swamplands during the Carboniferous period, over 300 million years ago. These forests formed the organic layers that eventually became modern coal beds. Fossils like this offer a rare window into the biodiversity and structure of prehistoric ecosystems.
Why Choose Us?
- 100% Genuine Fossil Specimen
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity
- Discovered, prepared, and curated by our in-house team
- You will receive the exact item shown in the photos
- Sourced legally and ethically in the UK
Perfect for:
- Fossil collectors
- Natural history educators
- Science gifts
- Paleobotany enthusiasts
- Museum or academic display
Note:
Scale cube = 1cm. Please inspect the photos closely for full detail and sizing before purchase. This is a one-of-a-kind piece.
Thank you for supporting ethical fossil collecting and the preservation of natural history.
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