Image: Day 9 - Fossilized Root System (7961122858)

Description: Root System of Lycopsid Tree (Stigmaria ficoides) LL.11627 This massive tree stump from Bradford, Yorkshire, is a part of the Manchester Museum's fossil plants collection. It is from the Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian A) coal swamps that covered the north of England around 300 million years ago, when the climate was quite tropical. Throughout the history of the Earth, the climate has been constantly changing and has driven evolution. Fossils, including this one, from the key environments in Britain's past can be seen on the gallery. The Upper Carboniferous began 325 million years ago and ended 290 million years ago. Much of Britain was covered by water-logged swamps and massive sweeping rivers that cut through the landscape. Most of the swamps were dominated by large tree-like clubmosses called Lepidodendron. This particular example was the largest Lepidodendron in Europe when it was acquired by Professor William Crawford Williamson for the museum in 1898.
Title: Day 9 - Fossilized Root System (7961122858)
Credit: Day 9 - Fossilized Root System
Author: akhenatenator
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication
License: CC0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en
Attribution Required?: No