An extinct order of the * Lycopsida containing arborescent forms, such as Lepidodendron, that flourished during the Carboniferous. Species of Lepidodendron reached heights of up to 30 m. The trunks, some of which had a girth of over 3 m at their base, were unbranched for the main part but divided dichotomously at the top into numerous branches. The trunk was patterned with diamond-shaped leaf scars and from its base arose four dichotomously branching axes that gave rise to the root system. Strobili, similar, except in size, to those of Selaginella, were borne on the ends of the branches and it appears that the method of fertilization was basically similar to that of Selaginella. |
