Dispersed plant mesofossils from the Middle Mississippian of eastern Germany: Bryophytes, pteridophytes and gymnosperms

Hübers M, Kerp H, Schneider JW, Gaitzsch B

Research article (journal) | Peer reviewed

Abstract

Plant remains with organic-matter preservation are uncommon in the Mississippian due to the general rarenessof Mississippian terrestrial deposits. Moreover, the fossils are often strongly affected by post-sedimentary processes.However, bulk-macerated samples of the upper Visean of Chemnitz-Glösa (Germany) contain severalwell-preserved dispersed organic remains including cuticle fragments. Even though it is difficult to assignthese remains to specific taxa and they probably represent only part of the vegetation, they provide importantinformation onMississippian floras. The cuticles are assigned to sphenopsids and gymnosperms. In addition, severalbryophyte remains were found; nine morphologically different types are recognised, which represent atleast five different taxa. This is remarkable because only a few bryophytes have been recorded from the Carboniferousto date.