Why is glossopteris important

The distribution of this plant was among the first evidence for continental drift. Glossopteris fossils provide important evidence for currently accepted distribution of continental plates in the Permian period that ended million years ago.

Fossils have been found in regions as distant as Patagonia, India and southern Australia. In the Permian, these landmasses were joined into a southern supercontinent known as Gondwana. The mass extinction that marks the end of the Permian period is believed to have led to the disappearance of Glossopteris. Similar to the land dwelling Cynognathus, the Lystrosaurus would have not had the swimming capability to traverse any ocean.

Modern day representation of the Glossopteris. Possibly the most important fossil evidence found is the plant, Glossopteris. Known as a woody, seed bearing tree, the Glossopteris is named after the Greek description for tongue due to its tongue shaped leaves and is the largest genus of the extinct descendant of seed ferns. Reaching as tall as 30 meters, the Glossopteris emerged during the early Permian period million years ago and became the dominant land plant species until the end of the Permian.

Now, the Glossopteris seed is known to be large and bulky and therefore could not have drifted or flown across the oceans to a separate continent. Description showing the fossil locations of the Mesosaurus, Cynognathus, Lystrosaurus, and Glossopteris spread across different continents.

If the continents of the Southern Hemisphere are put together, the distribution of these four fossil types form continuous patterns across continental boundaries. Of course, possible explanations are brought to attention. One explanation is the species could have migrated via a land bridge or swam to the other continents.

However, a land bridge is not applicable due to the differences in densities between the continents and oceans floor and violation of the isostasy concept.

This retarded the activity of the bacteria, fungi and other organisms that would otherwise lead to decomposition. Over time layers of mud, silt and sand washed into the swamp and buried the waterlogged peat layers. Millions of years passed. During this period the mud, silt, sand and the encased plant material experienced great pressure and high temperatures.

It was compressed and changed into rock, and underwent various chemical changes. The result? Coal seams. This is why coal is referred to as a fossil fuel. It is also a reminder that coal is finite.

The carbon atoms harvested from the air as carbon dioxide by these trees during the process of photosynthesis, hundreds of millions of years ago, can also be found in petrol, waxes, plastics, and a host of other products used in everyday life. South Africa has a huge potential for new fossil discoveries, with vast territories still waiting to be explored, yet very few researchers are studying fossil plants and insects.

We are part of a small group of researchers based at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province who are determined to change this by shedding more light on Glossopteris and fossil plants in general.

This is revealing a depth of knowledge about Permian ecosystems that has not been seen before in South Africa, and is very rare on a global scale.