This is the “Fossil Friday” post #285.  Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website.  We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com.  Please include a short description or story.  Check the #FossilFriday Bluesky/Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

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We have a very special seed fern specimen for this weeks “Fossil Friday”. It’s and old Alethopteris serlii labeled as Alethopteris lonchitica. This specimen is special on three different levels… its name, its finder, and its preserved beautifully.

First, the name Alethopteris lonchitica was used by George Langford in his 1958 book “The Wilmington Coal Flora From a Pennsylvanian Deposit in Will County, Illinois” and no longer considered valid for Mazon Creek flora. Specimens of this type are now classified as Alethopteris serlii (see Mazon Monday #57). Langford thought these specimens were sufficiently different from A. serlii. Alethopteris lonchitica is still a valid species name used in other much older Carboniferous deposits. Here is Langford’s description and photos.

Secondly, this specimen was collected by Cecil Goss. A Methodist pastor with a passion for fossil and mineral collecting. Cecil was pastor at the Wheatland-Salem E.U.B. Church near what is now Naperville, IL. in the 1950s. He and his family later moved north to Stockton, IL. Both Cecil and his wife Elaine attended North Central College in Naperville. The photo below is from 1953.

Unfortunately, the church was torn down in 1997.

The family later moved to California in 1960, however Cecil remained an ESCONI member until 1969. The entry below is from 1955.

Here’s is Cecil’s obituary from June 6th, 2000.

Lastly, the fossil is beautiful. It was recently obtained from Bob Goss, son of Cecil. Thanks for preserving this nice example of Alethopteris lonchitica/Alethopteris serlii!

The handwritten label is just as beautiful as the fossil!