We report a small number of well preserved Late Pennsylvanian plant fossils physically associated with an 8-cm-long assumed anthracitic axis on one of the larger rock slabs (phyllite) described by Leo Lesquereux from the Southern Anthracite Field, USA. The fragmentary fossils, not larger than 1.6 mm, resemble microscopically ‘fossilized-cuticles’. Additionally, observed are 10–28 μm diametric bodies reminiscent of spores. Effectively demonstrated is the co-occurrence of two preservation modes of plant material: (1) as assumed anthracitic axis; and (2), as ‘fossilized-cuticle’ in a metamorphic environment. An organometallic process is hypothesized for stabilizing the preservation states with novel research potential for plant-fossil preservation in an anthracitic terrain.

中文翻译：

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在美国宾夕法尼亚州东部宾夕法尼亚州南部无烟煤田晚期千枚岩中发现植物角质层：一种新的研究资源？

我们报告了少量保存完好的宾夕法尼亚晚期植物化石，这些化石与美国南部无烟煤田的 Leo Lesquereux 描述的较大岩板（千枚岩）上的一个 8 厘米长的假定无烟煤轴物理相关。不大于 1.6 毫米的零碎化石在显微镜下类似于“化石角质层”。此外，观察到的直径为 10-28 μm 的物体让人联想到孢子。有效地证明了植物材料的两种保存模式的共存：（1）假设无烟轴；(2)，作为变质环境中的“化石角质层”。假设有机金属过程用于稳定保存状态，具有在无烟煤地形中保存植物化石的新研究潜力。