The calamites were a genus of extinct horsetails which the modern horsetails are closely related to. They thrived in the carboniferous periods vast swamps reaching heights of up to 50 meters! They had a distinctive bamboo-like appearance consisting of multiple segments arranged on one another. The calamites reproduced via spores, as many plants did back then. They became extinct in the lower permian, at around the same time when the modern horsetails were starting to diversify! This specimen was encased in vulcanic ash during the carboniferous extinction event! This event brought about an end to the era of large insects and blooming forests and paved the way for huge amphibians and reptiles to follow in their footsteps! Get this wonderful piece of natural history in your collection today!
