The Sanfordiacaulis densifolia tree, with its unique fluffed, spiraling top and thin trunk, resembles something out of a Dr. Seuss book. However, this is not a fictional truffula tree but a 3-D rendering of a 350 million-year-old fossil. This rare find displays both the trunk and leaves of a tree species from a somewhat mysterious period in plant history. Researchers have discovered five specimens of S. densifolia, all originating from a prehistoric lake in New Brunswick, Canada. These trees date back to the early Mississippian era, shedding light on a previously little-understood time in plant evolution. The short height of this fossil suggests that Mississippian forests may have had more layers than previously known. This remarkable find is one of the most complete tree fossils from this time period and is a rare discovery across all geological eras. Botanist Mihai Tomescu of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, describes it as filling a significant gap in our understanding of Mississippian forest structure. The trees were likely broken off at their bases by an earthquake, rolling to the bottom of a nearby lake where they were preserved. The recently discovered specimen is unique in that it was preserved in almost complete three-dimensionality, with the leaves remarkably intact, making it a highly unusual find.
2024-02-06 07:00:00
Article from www.sciencenews.org