Mazon Monday #125: Lycopodites meekii

This is Mazon Monday post #125. What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com.

—————————————————–

Lycopodites meekii are foliaged lycophyte twigs. They were described in 1870 by Leo Lesquereux. L. meekii is probably the terminal branches of Bothrodendren minutifolium or a similar plant. These plants were herbaceous resembling the modern day Lycopodium, a club moss, having needle shaped leaves on small branches. They are related to Lepidodendron also known as scale trees. This group of extinct plants make up a significant portion of the plant matter in the Carboniferous coal deposits of Illinois.

Lycopodium clavatum, Schwäbisch-Fränkische Waldberge, Germany

L. meekii appears on page 48 of “A Comprehensive Guide to the Fossil Flora of Mazon Creek” by Jack Wittry.

Lycopodites meekii Lesquereux, 1870

1870. Lycopodites meekii Lesquereux: p. 426, pl. 26, fig. 6
1879-80. Lycopodites meekii Lesquereux: p. 357, pl. 62, fig. 1
1925. Lycopodites meeki Lesquereux; Noé: p. 38, pl. 10, figs. 1, 4
1949. Bothrodendren minutifolium Boulay; Arnold: p. 176 pl. 7, fig. 2
1958. Lycopodites meeki Lesquereux; Langford: p. 75, fig. 129
1964. Bothrodendren minutifolium Boulay; Crookall: p. 332, pl. 80, fig. 3
1969. Lycopodites meeki Lesquereux; Darrah: p. 184, pl. 28, figs. 2, 3; pl. 28, (?)fig. 1
1979. Lycopodites meeki Lesquereux; Janssen: p. 46, non fig. 25 = Lycopodites pendulus

DESCRIPTION: The branches are 3 to 8 mm wide, nearly consistent in width, and fork repeatedly. The leaves are lanceolate, thick, sharply pointed, acute, curve upward at the tip, and tightly overlap. A single median vein can be seen in the leaves of larger branches.

REMARKS: Lycopodites meekii is uncommon. This form was once thought to be a herbaceous plant. This is no longer the case. There are no distinguishing characteristics to separate L. meekii from the terminal branches of Bothrodendren minutifolium. They probably represent related, if not identical, plants (Arnold, 1949). On the right-hand side of Fig. 1, a cone is developing at the distal tip. See cf. Bothrodendrostrobus.