This is the “Fossil Friday” post #303.  Expect this to be a regular feature of the website.  We will post 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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Today, we have one of the rarer forms, Pecopteris notata. It’s not always present in Mazon Creek plant books, but Jack Wittry did include it in his latest flora book “A Comprehensive Guide to the Fossil Flora of Mazon Creek”. P. notata was described by Leo Lesquereux in 1858. The penultimate pinnae has a unique shape, which is blunt and rather large. Have a look at Mazon Monday #109 for more information.

This particular specimen is notable for its mounting. Over the years, collectors displayed their finds in different ways. Some were hung on the wall, like this Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, which was once owned by Wilbert Rath (see Fossil Friday #181).

Another common mount was the use of cardboard or heavy stock paper, with the name, place, and date of collection. See these on thick paper stock from Walter Leitz and Wib Lewis at the Grundy County Museum.

Some collectors still do this. Here’s an example from Mark Kmiecik’s collection.

Today’s Pecopteris notata was mounted to a piece of ceramic tile. This one was purchased at an ESCONI auction a few years ago. We don’t know who mounted them this way, if you know… please let us know!