| Devonian Plants of the Rhynie Chert |
| You can order any of the fossils listed below by clicking here |
At present all items will ship from the U.K.
The Rhynie Chert of Scotland is a Lower Devonian deposit unique in the
world. The deposit preserves one of the worlds earliest terrestrial faunas
that once thrived around a hot springs environment. Waters from the hot
springs periodically inundated the land, swamping the plants. The silica
rich waters rapidly penetrated the plants, preserving them in exceptional
detail. The silica formed chert and this has preserved fully 3 dimensional
plants showing every detail, even right down to fungi that lived within the
cells of the plants!
All of the specimens listed on this page are sections of chert mounted on
petrographic slides and ground thin enough that light may pass through
them. Each section typically measures ~1 inch in width. Using a
microscope the details of the plants can then be seen and studied. The
fauna includes plants, spores, fungi, arthropods and more. This really is
a unique and fascinating fauna.
world. The deposit preserves one of the worlds earliest terrestrial faunas
that once thrived around a hot springs environment. Waters from the hot
springs periodically inundated the land, swamping the plants. The silica
rich waters rapidly penetrated the plants, preserving them in exceptional
detail. The silica formed chert and this has preserved fully 3 dimensional
plants showing every detail, even right down to fungi that lived within the
cells of the plants!
All of the specimens listed on this page are sections of chert mounted on
petrographic slides and ground thin enough that light may pass through
them. Each section typically measures ~1 inch in width. Using a
microscope the details of the plants can then be seen and studied. The
fauna includes plants, spores, fungi, arthropods and more. This really is
a unique and fascinating fauna.
| Discounts are available on larger orders. Alternatively make us an offer on any items that you see. |
All thumbnails provide links to larger image files (up to 200 kb) so that the details of each
slide can be seen. Please feel free to download the images for your reference. Many are of
a large enough size that they can printed as photographs if so desired.
The species we list for each slide are not always the only ones in the slides. Careful
examination may reveal more, especially when one starts looking for the tiny spores, fungi
and fragments of arthropods. You have to look long and hard as there is so much preserved
in the chert that you just don't know what you might find!
slide can be seen. Please feel free to download the images for your reference. Many are of
a large enough size that they can printed as photographs if so desired.
The species we list for each slide are not always the only ones in the slides. Careful
examination may reveal more, especially when one starts looking for the tiny spores, fungi
and fragments of arthropods. You have to look long and hard as there is so much preserved
in the chert that you just don't know what you might find!
Rhynie Chert Slide #1
Aglaophyton major (plant), Palaeomyces gordoni (fungal cyst) and fungal
hypha in cortex of plant. $35
Aglaophyton major (plant), Palaeomyces gordoni (fungal cyst) and fungal
hypha in cortex of plant. $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cyst |
Rhynie Chert Slide #2
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex $35
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Fungal hypha in plant cortex |
Rhynie Chert Slide #3
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex.
Possible arthropod leg fragments $30
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex.
Possible arthropod leg fragments $30
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Possible segmented arthropod leg |
Rhynie Chert Slide #4
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex.
Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts. $35
Aglaophyton major cross sections, fungal hypha in plant cortex.
Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts. $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cyst |
Rhynie Chert Slide #5
Aglaophyton major branching section. Spores and fungal hypha. $20
Aglaophyton major branching section. Spores and fungal hypha. $20
| Aglaophyton major |
| Complete thin section |
Rhynie Chert Slide #7
Rhynia gwynne-vaughnii cross sections $20
Rhynia gwynne-vaughnii cross sections $20
Rhynie Chert Slide #8
Arthropod coprolite, Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts, and
Palaeomyces asteroxyli fungal cysts. $35
Arthropod coprolite, Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts, and
Palaeomyces asteroxyli fungal cysts. $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Palaeomyces asteroxyli fungal cysts |
| Arthropod coprolite (digested spores) |
Rhynie Chert Slide #9
Arthropod coprolite, Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni
fungal cysts, and fungal hypha in plant cortex $35
Arthropod coprolite, Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni
fungal cysts, and fungal hypha in plant cortex $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
Rhynie Chert Slide #10
Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts with spores. Fungal hypha
in plant cortex. Possible infilled burrow (left side of main slide - see below) $35
Aglaophyton major, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts with spores. Fungal hypha
in plant cortex. Possible infilled burrow (left side of main slide - see below) $35
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cyst with spores |
Rhynie Chert Slide #11
Aglaophyton major cross section, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts. Arthropod
coprolite made up of digested spores. $30
Aglaophyton major cross section, Palaeomyces gordoni fungal cysts. Arthropod
coprolite made up of digested spores. $30
| Complete thin section |
| Aglaophyton major cross section |
| Arthropod coprolite |
Rhynie Chert Slide #12
Large Aglaophyton major long section with Palaeomyces gordoni fungal
cysts in cortex. Some of the fungal cysts bear spores. $35
Large Aglaophyton major long section with Palaeomyces gordoni fungal
cysts in cortex. Some of the fungal cysts bear spores. $35
| Buy any 5 Rhynie Chert slides and get the cheapest one free! |