Lepidodendron tree

Lepidodendron trees were an extinct group of Lycopsids.

Although modern lycopsids are all small, inconspicuous herbaceous plants (club moss, for example), the Lepidodendron tree was a large arborescent (tree-like) plant. Some grew to an estimated height of 54 meters (180 feet).

Lepidodendron trees are an important component of Carboniferous age coal throughout the world. They make up over 90 percent of the coal in the Pennsylvanian age coal beds of North America. These coal beds include all the coal in Illinois.

Lepidodendron sp. is bark of the "Lepidodendron tree".

The diamond shaped pattern represents the scars from leaves that were shed. Each diamond represents the base of a leaf.