Description
You are purchasing the exact fossil specimen shown in the photographs — a beautifully preserved Carboniferous plant fossil featuring both Sphenophyllum cuneifolium and Polymorphopteris polymorpha leaf impressions. This rare dual-species plate comes from the Coal Measures of Radstock, Somerset, UK — a classic locality for Paleozoic plant fossils.
Discovered by our own field team (Alister & Alison) on 06 March 2025, this specimen has been expertly cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison using meticulous hand tools and conservation-grade stabilisers.
A 1cm scale cube is included in the photo for accurate sizing. Please refer to all images for full visual detail.
Specimen Details:
- Species 1: Sphenophyllum cuneifolium
- Species 2: Polymorphopteris polymorpha
- Group: Pteridophyta (fern and fern allies)
- Order (Sphenophyllum): Sphenophyllales
- Family (Sphenophyllum): Sphenophyllaceae
- Order (Polymorphopteris): Pecopteridales (tentative; formerly placed under Filicopsida)
- Geological Period: Carboniferous
- Epoch: Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous)
- Geological Stage: Westphalian (likely Westphalian B or C)
- Formation: Coal Measures Group
- Biozone: Associated with Neuropteris and Pecopteris dominated floras typical of humid equatorial swamp ecosystems
- Depositional Environment: Deltaic floodplains and peat-forming swamp forests; low-oxygen, high-moisture environments ideal for fossilisation
- Morphology Features (Sphenophyllum): Characterised by wedge-shaped leaves arranged in whorls, radiating from a central stem, often mistaken for horsetails or lycopsids
- Morphology Features (Polymorphopteris): Compound pinnate fronds with rounded or lobed pinnules; surface venation often visible in well-preserved specimens
- Formal Identification: Sphenophyllum cuneifolium was first formally described by Brongniart in the early 19th century, while Polymorphopteris polymorpha was differentiated through comparative studies of Pecopterid leaf morphologies during the expansion of European Carboniferous palaeobotany
Why This Fossil is Special:
This dual-species slab highlights two important components of the ancient Carboniferous coal forests — a time when plant life flourished across the tropical swamplands that eventually gave rise to our modern coal deposits. These plants lived roughly 310 million years ago, long before the age of dinosaurs, and their fossil record provides a crucial window into early terrestrial ecosystems.
Why Choose Us?
- 100% Genuine Fossil Specimen
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity
- You will receive the exact item photographed
- Field-discovered, cleaned, and curated by our own team
- Ethically sourced from UK heritage fossil sites
Ideal for:
- Natural history collectors
- Educational displays and paleobotany study
- Fossil and fern enthusiasts
- Museum-quality gifts
Note:
Scale cube = 1cm. Please inspect all photos for detailed condition and size. This is a one-of-a-kind specimen.
Thank you for supporting ethical fossil collecting and the preservation of ancient plant history.
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