Rare Mariopteris Plant Fossil Carboniferous Coal Measures UK Specimen Houghton Colliery County Durham Genuine COA Included

Description

Rare Carboniferous Fern Fossil – Mariopteris Plant Specimen

Presented here is a genuine and increasingly scarce Mariopteris plant fossil, preserved from the famous Westphalian Coal Measures of the Carboniferous Period. This beautiful fossil plant specimen represents an important part of Britain’s ancient prehistoric rainforest ecosystems and is a wonderful collector’s piece from a classic UK fossil locality.

The fossil comes from Houghton Colliery, Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, England, an area well known for producing exceptional Carboniferous plant material. The photographs show the exact specimen you will receive, carefully chosen for its quality, preservation, and display appeal. Full sizing details can be seen clearly in the provided images.

This fossil is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity with a lifetime guarantee, included as a generic authenticity card to accompany the specimen permanently.

Geological Setting – Westphalian Coal Measures

This fossil originates from the Westphalian Stage of the Carboniferous Period, dating to approximately 310–315 million years ago. During this time, much of the United Kingdom lay near the equator, covered in vast tropical lowland coal forests.

The Coal Measures are sedimentary deposits formed in swampy delta plains, flood basins, and slow-moving river environments. Dense vegetation accumulated in waterlogged conditions, later forming the thick coal seams that powered Britain’s industrial history.

Rapid burial in fine silts and muds, combined with oxygen-poor swamp conditions, created ideal circumstances for the preservation of delicate plant material such as fronds and stems.

Fossil Type and Botanical Importance

Mariopteris is a well-known genus of fossil foliage belonging to the extinct group of seed ferns, or pteridosperms. Although fern-like in appearance, these plants were not true ferns but early seed-bearing plants that played a major role in Carboniferous forests.

Mariopteris fossils are particularly valued because they represent an evolutionary bridge between spore-producing ferns and more advanced seed plants. Their fronds contributed significantly to the rich plant debris that ultimately formed Carboniferous coal deposits.

Morphology and Preservation Features

This specimen preserves the characteristic frond structure associated with Mariopteris, often displaying fine leaflet segmentation and graceful branching patterns. These fossils are admired both scientifically and aesthetically for their intricate natural geometry.

Plant fossils from the Westphalian Coal Measures are increasingly difficult to source today, especially well-preserved examples from historic collieries, making this a rare opportunity to acquire an authentic specimen.

Locality – Houghton Colliery, County Durham

Houghton Colliery is one of the historic coal mining sites of County Durham, renowned among palaeobotanists and collectors for yielding high-quality Carboniferous plant fossils. Specimens from this region are linked directly to the classic British coal swamp flora that once dominated prehistoric landscapes.

Fossils from this locality hold strong scientific and collector interest, and are becoming more limited as access to original coal measure exposures declines.

Authenticity, Display and Collecting

This is a 100% genuine fossil plant specimen, perfect for:

• Fossil and mineral collectors
• Carboniferous plant fossil enthusiasts
• Educational displays and geology teaching collections
• Unique natural history gifts

The specimen is a carefully selected piece, with the listing photos showing the actual fossil you will receive. A remarkable chance to own a rare preserved fragment of Britain’s ancient Carboniferous rainforest world, surviving for over 300 million years.