Flora and Petrified Stems ENG

At the end of Paleozoic, during Carboniferous period, the flora was approaching one of the peaks of its development. The evidence of production of an enormous amount of plant matter are thick black coal beds. The flora was dominated by wet-like one, especially arborescent calamitaleans, ferns, lycophytes, and partly gymnosperms as well. Later on, during Periman, the climate became significantly arid (dry) and wet-like plants have been replaced with gymnosperms that preferred dry soils.  The Bohemian Paradise Geopark, in particular its eastern part, has many sites of various Paleozoic flora. The Novopacko region is a famous site of petrified stems and the local museum actively cooperates on their scientific research. So far, discoveries included stems of arborescent calamitaleans, arborescent and climbing ferns, conifers and cordaitaleans, as well as “silicified peat”, the material where various plant tissues have been preserved. These fossil are usually preserved in coarse-grained river deposits of volcanic tuff. Coalified plant impressions are known from fine-grained lake deposits around Nová Paka, Lomnice nad Popelkou, and Semily.