Lepidodendron, commonly known as “scale trees” due to the diamond-shaped leaf scars adorning their trunks, was an extinct genus of arborescent lycophytes that flourished during the Carboniferous Period (~359–299 million years ago). These towering plants reached heights of up to 40 meters (130 feet) and trunk diameters of 1–2 meters, rivaling modern trees in size. However, they were not true trees in the botanical sense. Unlike gymnosperms and angiosperms, Lepidodendron lacked extensiv...
