1.3" Pennsylvanian Fossil Fern (Lyginopteris) - Alabama

This is a 1.3" fossil fern (Lyginopteris), from the Pottsville Formation, Alabama. It is one pinnule (branch of leaflets). This specimen is well preserved with individual lobes visible. The very dark black of this fossil is highlighted against the dark grey stone. The reverse has a Sphenopteris stalk with pinnules.

Lyginopteris and Sphenopteris are genera of seed fern, extinct species of fern that reproduced from seed as opposed to sporophyte reproduction of most modern ferns.