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In prehistoric times, there were gigantic ferns

Did you know that in prehistoric times there were gigantic ferns, reaching heights of up to 18 meters?

During the Carboniferous period (over 300 million years ago), the warm climate provided ideal conditions for ferns to grow into giants. These ferns reached heights of up to 18 meters. Other plants also grew significantly larger than what we are accustomed to today.

In prehistoric times, particularly during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, there were indeed enormous ferns. These periods, which took place hundreds of millions of years ago, were characterized by a warm climate that was perfect for ferns to grow to enormous sizes, as well as other gigantic plant species. The vegetation of these eras was lush and included ferns up to 18 meters tall, among other large plants.

During the Carboniferous period (about 359 to 299 million years ago), there were vast forests of ferns that covered the Earth and contributed to the formation of large coal deposits that we know today. These ferns could reach several meters in height and often had a tree-like structure.

In the Mesozoic era (about 252 to 66 million years ago), which includes the age of the dinosaurs, ferns remained an important part of the flora, although they were accompanied by other plants such as conifers and early flowering plants. The ferns of this time could still reach impressive sizes, though not as large as those in the Carboniferous.

The large ferns of that time played a crucial role in the ecosystems of those periods by providing food and shelter for many early animals and contributing to the atmospheric composition of the Earth.

The image accompanying this article is from Pexels.com