European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference 2026

Lycopsids, a monophyletic lineage of vascular plants originated in Late Silurian-Early Devonian, reached peak diversity as arborescent forms during Carboniferous-Permian, dominating tropical wetlands and contributing 50-90% of peat-forming biomass. Despite abundant fossil records, their biology such as gross morphology, ontogeny and lifespan remains poorly understood. Here, we present the first whole-plant reconstruction of Sigillaria sp. nov., based on exceptionally well preserved fossil trees from the Wuda Fossil Site, also called Chinese “Vegetational Pompeii”, recently designated as one of the Second 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites. The reconstruction reveals: (1) columnar trunk with a terminal crown formed by leaves and whorls of lateral pedunculate bisexual strobili bore megasporangia basally and microsporangia apically; (2) early ontogeny established mature basal diameters through a broad proximal primary body with thick primary cortex, thin vasculature, and thin periderm, a body plan that persisted with only minor distal tapering, as negligible secondary thickening displaced the primary inner cortex rather than driving radial expansion; meanwhile limited phloem indicates most photosynthate was used locally for apical growth, periderm production, and sporangia/spore development, with minimal long-distance translocation, resulting in largely self-sustaining organs throughout the plant; (3) potentially greater longevity based on growth increments between reproductive zones and transition of young and old leaves; (4) rooting system Stigmaria on the substrate before in the substrate.
Keywords: reconstructed whole-plant, Sigillaria, ontogeny, lifespan, Early Permian