The Paleontology of North America

Early Land Plants from North America

What are Early Land Plants? Members of this group, which includes the trimerophytes, rhyniophytes, and zosterophylls, were the earliest vascular plants. They all lacked leaves and roots, and photosynthesis was conducted by the stems and branches. All of these plants arose in the Devonian, but whereas the rhyniophytes and zosterophylls went extinct before the end of the period, the trimerophytes lasted until the Carboniferous.

First known fossil occurrence: Devonian.

Last known fossil occurrence: Carboniferous.

Fossils through time:
Choose a time period to see what life was like:

Quaternary
Tertiary
Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic
Permian
Carboniferous
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian
Precambrian