Charnia

Charnia is the genus name given to a frond-like Precambrian plant with segmented ridges branching alternately to the right and left from a zig-zag medial suture. It strongly resembles a chestnut leaf. There is one species, Charnia masoni. It was originally interpreted as an algae (Ford) or a sea pen (Glaessner). One modern interpretation is that it is a Vendazoan built with unipolar iterations of one cell family.

Charnia is one of the most widespread Ediacaran fossils. It has been reported from a number of localities worldwide including England's Charnwood Forest, Newfoundland, Iran, Olenek, South Australia, and the White Sea Coast of Russia.

External links

For pictures of Charnia, see:

• http://geol.queensu.ca/museum/exhibits/ediac/drook/carolyn.html
• http://www.toyen.uio.no/palmus/galleri/montre/english/x494.htm