Pecopteris

Taxobox
fossil_range = Devonian to early Permian

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image_caption = Partial frond of "Pecopteris villosa" from Mazon Creek (Carboniferous)
regnum = Plantae
divisio =
classis =
subclassis =
ordo =
familia =
genus = "Pecopteris"
genus_authority = Brongn.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = Approximately 250 to 300, see text.

"Pecopteris" was a form genus of leaves from several unrelated plant groups [Taylor, Thomas N. & Edith L. Taylor. "The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants", page 598. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993). ISBN 0-13-651589-4.] that flourished the early Carboniferous period and on to c. 250 Ma. Pecopteris first appeared in the Devonian period, but flourished in the Carboniferous, especially the Pennsylvanian. Plants bearing these leaves went extinct around the beginning of the Permian period.

Etymology

"Pecopteris" is derived from the Greek "pekin", (to comb), and "pteris", (a fern) [Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Simon & Schuster Publishing, 1972. ISBN 0-671-41819-X.] . This is because the leaflets of "Pecopteris" fronds are arranged like the teeth on a comb. [Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Volume II, 1976, pg. 1662.]

pecies

As of 1997, there have been 250-300 species assigned to "Pecopteris" [ [http://www.nmnh.si.edu/rtp/students/1997/robertso.htm Research Training Progam ] ] .

References

External links