Cordaites

The explosive is spelled Cordite.

Cordaites Temporal range: Late Carboniferous PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Cordaites lungatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Coniferophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Cordaitales
Family:	Cordaitaceae
Genus:	Cordaites
Species
C. ludlowi C. lungatus C. principalis C. hislopii

Cordaites is an important genus of extinct gymnosperms which grew on wet ground similar to the Everglades in Florida. Brackish water mussels and crustacea are found frequently between the roots of these trees. The fossils are found in rock sections from the Upper Carboniferous (323 to 299 million years ago) of the Dutch - Belgian - German coal area. A number of many noteworthy types from this line are:

• Cordaites principalis
• Cordaites ludlowi (named after Ludlow, a coal area in England)
• Cordaites hislopii. Found in Paleorrota geopark in Brazil.

In contrast to many other plant varieties, Cordaites seeds are not rare, because they are rather large (up to 10 mm); those seeds are named Cordaicarpus.

External links

• http://www.uni-muenster.de/GeoPalaeontologie/Palaeo/Palbot/seite18.html
• http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/gallery/specimen/967206.htm
• http://www.xs4all.nl/~steurh/engcord/ecordai.html
• Image of a Cardiocarpus fossil