Cooksonia, Middle Silurian

Uploaded: Jan. 15, 2014, 2:21 p.m. | Modified: June 20, 2019, 11:11 a.m. | Albums: Colorado Geology Vignettes
This animation is an excerpt of the "Colorado Geology: Ordovician-Silurian" video (in progress). Cooksonia were one of the first vascular plants to evolve on land during the Middle Silurian. They were about 1 to 3 cm in height. Note that no Cooksonia fossils have been found in Colorado. The animation is used to illustrate the early evolution of plant life.

Animation by Joseph Rogers and Leo Ascarrunz. Special thanks to Ian Miller, James Hagadorn, and Kirk Johnson (all DMNS) for their technical input.

Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu

Geologic age: 430Ma