Discovery of permineralized plant fossils (coal balls) in the Bolsovian (e.g., Westphalian C) (Middle Pennsylvanian, Upper Carboniferous), Stellarton Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

Permineralized plant fossils (coal balls) of Bolsovian age (ex Westphalian C) were discovered in the Foord seam of the Stellarton Basin of Nova Scotia. The coal-ball plants were preserved in a siderite–dolomite matrix and formed in a nonmarine intermontane setting. The coal-ball flora is dominated by arborescent lycopods and contains a few ferns, as well as occasional seed ferns, calamiteans, and cordaiteans. The following taxa were identified: Diaphorodendron, Paralycopodites brevifolia, Lepidocarpon lomaxii, Stigmaria, Scolecopteris, Botryopteris tridentata, Medullosa, Heterangium, Astromyelon, and Cordaianthus. This assemblage contains plants typical of Westphalian coal-swamp floras and helps fill a stratigraphie gap in Westphalian coal-ball floras of Euramerica. Key words: permineralized plants, coal balls, Carboniferous, Canada.