Specimen P 257028 Early Vascular Plant Fossil, Taungurungia garrattii

Summary

Taungurungia garrattii is an early example of a vascular plant (a plant with conductive tissues to transport water and nutrients and to support the plant's weight). It would have grown to about 20 cm high, larger than other vascular plants known at the time except for Baragwanathia, another early vascular plant found in Victoria, which grew to more than 2.5 m. With the permission of Taungurung Elders, the genus was named Taungurungia for the Taungurung people on who's land the holotype was found. The species name garrattii is in honour of Dr Michael Garratt who helped find the fossil.