CORDAITES (Plates 1 and 2)
Reading edition
CORDAITES (Plates 1 and 2)
Reconstruction of Cordaites (after Hirmer)
Cordaitean trees, forerunners of modern conifers such as pine and spruce, were important during the 17 Pennsylvanian Period for they were distributed throughout the world. These trees, among the tallest plants of the time, sometimes grew more than 100 feet high.
The cordaitean trunk was unbranched for three-fourths of the height of the tree and was topped by dense branches bearing large, simple, straplike leaves spirally arranged. The leaves had closely set parallel veins and measured from half an inch to three feet or more long.
Internally, the structure of the trunks was similar to that of modern pine trunks. Casts of the pith are referred to the genus Artisia. The seeds were borne in clusters on branches in leaf axils.
The Cordaites were major contributors to some coal beds.