Description
You are purchasing the exact specimen pictured – a rare paired positive and negative fossil of the lycopsid tree Sigillaria scutellata, complete with plant leaf impressions, from the Carboniferous Coal Measures of Radstock, Somerset, UK.
This scientifically and visually striking specimen was discovered on 12 May 2025 by our team members Alister and Alison, and has been professionally cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure excellent fossil detail and long-term preservation.
A 1cm scale cube is included in the images for accurate size reference. Please inspect all photos for visual detail and full measurements.
Specimen Details:
- Scientific Name: Sigillaria scutellata
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Lycopodiophyta (Lycopsids – extinct giant clubmosses)
- Order: Lepidodendrales
- Family: Sigillariaceae
- Geological Period: Carboniferous
- Epoch: Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous)
- Stage: Westphalian B–C (likely)
- Formation: Coal Measures Group
- Locality: Radstock, Somerset, UK (Somerset Coalfield)
- Depositional Environment: Equatorial swamp forest; low-energy, waterlogged deltaic floodplains with excellent organic preservation
- Biozone Association: Found alongside classic Westphalian macroflora including Lepidodendron, Calamites, Alethopteris, and Neuropteris
- Morphology Features (Sigillaria):
- Vertical or slightly curved rows of leaf scar impressions (sigillae)
- Each sigillum often framed by a narrow groove, giving a shield-like shape (scutellata)
- May exhibit ribbing or furrows running longitudinally along the trunk surface
- Associated Plant Material:
- Includes impressions of fossil leaves (possibly Lepidophylloides or other lycopsid foliage)
- Adds ecological and visual significance, showing both bark and fallen plant debris
- Scientific Background: Sigillaria was first described in the early 19th century and formally identified by Brongniart and other foundational palaeobotanists. It was a towering tree-like plant related to modern clubmosses but reached heights of over 30 metres.
About Sigillaria scutellata:
Sigillaria was a dominant tree of the Carboniferous swamp forests, contributing to the dense, wetland ecosystems that laid down the organic material for modern coal. Unlike modern trees, it reproduced via spores and had photosynthetic bark. Its iconic leaf scar pattern makes it instantly recognisable and highly collectable.
Why Choose Us?
- 100% Genuine Fossil Specimen
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity
- You receive both positive and negative plates
- Discovered and prepared by our in-house team
- Ethically and legally collected in the UK
Ideal for:
- Fossil collectors
- Natural history educators
- Palaeobotany researchers
- Unique display pieces
- Museum and academic collections
Note:
Scale cube = 1cm. This is a one-of-a-kind paired specimen. Please view all photos for complete size and condition before purchase.
Thank you for supporting ethical fossil collecting and the preservation of Earth’s prehistoric plant history.
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