Description
Rare Sigillariostrobus Plant Fossil – Carboniferous Cone from British Coal Forests
Offered here is a genuine and highly collectible Sigillariostrobus plant fossil, a rare fossil cone preserved from the famous Westphalian Coal Measures of the Carboniferous Period. Plant reproductive fossils from this era are far less common than typical foliage remains, making Sigillariostrobus cones especially prized among collectors and palaeobotany enthusiasts.
This specimen comes from Houghton Colliery, Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, England, one of the classic historic British localities for Carboniferous plant fossils. The fossil is a carefully chosen piece, selected for its rarity, preservation quality, and natural display appeal. The photographs show the exact specimen you will receive, with full sizing details visible in the images provided.
Included with the fossil is a Certificate of Authenticity with lifetime guarantee, supplied as a generic authenticity card to permanently accompany the specimen.
Geological Age and Formation – Westphalian Coal Measures
This fossil dates to the Westphalian Stage of the late Carboniferous, approximately 310–315 million years old. During this extraordinary period, Britain was positioned near the equator and experienced warm, humid tropical climates. Vast swamp forests covered the landscape, forming one of the richest plant ecosystems in Earth history.
The Westphalian Coal Measures were deposited in low-lying delta plains, river flood basins, and waterlogged wetlands. Thick vegetation accumulated rapidly, becoming buried beneath fine silts and mudstones. Oxygen-poor swamp conditions prevented decay, allowing exceptional preservation of plant remains.
It is within these famous coal-bearing layers that rare reproductive structures such as Sigillariostrobus cones are occasionally fossilised, providing a direct glimpse into prehistoric plant life cycles.
Fossil Type and Botanical Significance
Sigillariostrobus is the fossil reproductive cone associated with giant lycopsid trees, most closely linked with Sigillaria, one of the dominant plant groups of Carboniferous coal forests. These massive “scale trees” could reach heights exceeding 30 metres and formed much of the canopy vegetation of the coal swamps.
Unlike modern flowering plants, these trees belonged to the lycophytes, an ancient lineage of spore-producing vascular plants distantly related to today’s clubmosses. Sigillariostrobus cones produced spores that dispersed through the humid swamp air, enabling these forests to thrive across tropical lowlands.
Because reproductive cones are far rarer in the fossil record than stems or leaves, Sigillariostrobus fossils are regarded as scientifically important and highly collectible.
Morphology and Preservation Features
This specimen preserves the compact cone form characteristic of Sigillariostrobus, often showing patterned external texture where spore-bearing scales were once attached. Preserved naturally within its original Coal Measures matrix, it offers both scientific interest and striking visual character.
Such fossils help reveal the reproductive biology of Carboniferous plants and the complexity of ecosystems that produced the world’s major coal deposits.
Locality – Houghton Colliery, County Durham, UK
Houghton Colliery is one of County Durham’s historic coal mining sites, well known among collectors for producing classic Westphalian fossil plants. Specimens from this locality are increasingly difficult to obtain today due to the decline of traditional coal exposures, adding rarity and provenance value to this fossil.
Owning a fossil from this region connects directly to Britain’s world-famous Carboniferous coalfield heritage.
Authenticity, Display and Collecting
This is a 100% genuine Sigillariostrobus fossil cone specimen, ideal for:
- Serious fossil and palaeobotany collectors
- Carboniferous coal forest enthusiasts
- Educational geology and natural history displays
- Unique gifts from deep geological time
A rare opportunity to acquire an authentic fossil cone from Britain’s ancient tropical coal swamps, preserved for over 300 million years and supplied with a lifetime Certificate of Authenticity.
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