''Pecopteris'' is a very common

form genus Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

. Most ''Pecopteris'' leaves and fronds are associated with the marattialean tree fern ''

Psaronius ''Psaronius'' was a Marattiales, Marattialean tree fern which grew to 10m in height, and is associated with leaves of the Form taxon, organ genus ''Pecopteris'' and other extinct tree ferns. Originally, ''Psaronius'' was a name for the petrified ...

''. However, ''Pecopteris''-type foliage also is borne on several filicalean ferns, and at least one seed fern. Pecopteris first appeared in the

Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, wh ...

period, but flourished in the

Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carboniferou ...

, especially the Pennsylvanian. Plants bearing these leaves became extinct in the

Permian The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleo ...

period, due to swamps disappearing and temperatures on Earth dropping.

Etymology

''Pecopteris'' is derived from the Greek ''pekin'', (to comb), and ''pteris'', (a fern). This is because the leaflets of ''Pecopteris'' fronds are arranged like the teeth on a comb.

Species

As of 1997, there have been 250-300 species assigned to ''Pecopteris''. In

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, fossil of

''Pecopteris'' was located in outcrop ''Morro Papalé'' in the city of Mariana Pimentel. They are in the geopark Paleorrota in Rio Bonito Formation and date from Sakmarian in

.Afloramento Morro do Papaléo, Mariana Pimentel, RS
/ref> Image:Pecopteris unita.JPG, ''Pecopteris unita'' File:Pecopteris PAMuseum.jpg, ''Pecopteris'' on display at the

State Museum of Pennsylvania The State Museum of Pennsylvania is a non-profit museum at 300 North Street in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is run by the state through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and was created to preserve and interpret the region ...

File:Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor - IMG 9198.JPG, ''Pecopteris'' in the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor

References

External links

Prehistoric plant genera Fossils of Georgia (U.S. state) Paleozoic life of New Brunswick Paleozoic life of Nova Scotia Paleozoic life of Prince Edward Island Prehistoric plants of North America {{paleobotany-stub