LEPIDODENDRON
Lepidodendron: Habit and Habitat of Lepidodendron: A new groups of arborescent lycopods, popularly known as Lepidodendrales, had evolved from the Middle Devonian lycopods. These arborescent plants would grow to 164 ft (50 m) and form extensive coal measures swamp forest of the Northern Hemisphere Euramerican province during the Carboniferous period. Among these, Lepiclodendron was the most successful of all the arborescent members and is the best-investigated genus (Fig. 7.36). In early stage of development, an endosporic prothallus grew straight up and subsequently it expanded its diameter by secondary growth until its apical meristem divided. Thus, in the successive dichotomy, the size of the branches decreased until the growth finally ceased with terminal twig. So the plant had a determinate growth pattern. The Lepidodendron was a large tree (50-60 m tall) with a prominent trunk (up to 35 m height). The ultimate dichotomies formed the leaves. The branches and the foliage
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