As the researchers noted, the new discovery highlights the differences between the two ecosystems and indicates that they went from quite primitive to established over several million years.

The scientists say the significance of their discovery is that it highlights the differences between the plant diversity in Gilboa and this forest, which appears to have contained only one plant species.

A now extinct plant species known as cladoxyleaaceae is considered a close relative of ferns. Scientists note that they are similar to palm trees, although they are not related to them. It is assumed that the height of the found plants ranged from 2 to 4 meters.