What do we know about Ordovician marine plants?

[Denis Arcand]

I am trying to find Ordovician marine plants. in my region. What should I look for, and do I have any chance of finding these rare fossils in Quebec, Canada? Are there any fossils of Ordovician plants discussed on The Fossil Forum? I'd like to know what they look like?

[Fossildude19]

I've never heard of Ordovician marine plants. 

[Denis Arcand]

18 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

I've never heard of Ordovician marine plants. 

All i know is that during the Ordovician period , Algae were the primary photosynthetic organisms in the oceans,  and that some algae have organic cell walls that can fossilize.

 

This is all that i was able to find, i was wondering what an algae fossil look like, and if there was other photosynthetic organisms ?

[FossilDAWG]

Do you include algae in your concept of marine plants?  I have several examples of the green alga Chatocladus ottawensis in my collection.  Pasceolus is also considered to be an alga, and a case can be made for recepticulitids being algae as well, although there is controversy about that and they may better be called "incerte cedis" which means "uncertain higher classification".  Finally the common "coral", Tetradium, has been identified as a red alga.  As the name Tetradium had previously been used for another plant, the correct name for Tetradium is now Prismostylus.  So there is some diversity of plants (in the form of various algae) in the Ordovician of Ontario and Quebec.  I am not aware of any plants that are not algae, though.

 

Don

[Jeffrey P]

Stromatolites are found in the Ordovician in New Jersey. I know they're also found in the Cambrian, Silurian, and Devonian of New York. 

[Fossildude19]

1 hour ago, FossilDAWG said:

Do you include algae in your concept of marine plants?  I have several examples of the green alga Chatocladus ottawensis in my collection.  Pasceolus is also considered to be an alga, and a case can be made for recepticulitids being algae as well, although there is controversy about that and they may better be called "incerte cedis" which means "uncertain higher classification".  Finally the common "coral", Tetradium, has been identified as a red alga.  As the name Tetradium had previously been used for another plant, the correct name for Tetradium is now Prismostylus.  So there is some diversity of plants (in the form of various algae) in the Ordovician of Ontario and Quebec.  I am not aware of any plants that are not algae, though.

 

Don

 

 

Thanks for this informative answer Don. 

[aek]

Tasmanitids are microscopic palynomorphs that can be found in Ordovician rocks.