Umhlaba wokuqala wawuze, ungenazityalo, zinambuzane, zintaka okanye zilwanyana zanyisayo. Kwakukho amatye aze nemilambo, phezu kwawo kuqukuqela amanzi.

Izityalo zokuqala zivele kwisithuba seminyaka ezizigidi ezingamakhulu amane anamashumi asixhenxe eyadlulayo. Izityalo zazisebenzisa amandla avela elangeni ukuzenzela ukutya. Ezi zityalo bezizikhulela njee ngokulula kakhulu, njengemfeyesele (imosi). Ekuhambeni kwexesha izityalo ziqale zanentsonkotha ekukhuleni, zaneengcambu, iziqu kunye namagqabi.

Olunye udidi lokuqala lwezityalo, iGlossopteris, yayixhaphakile eMzantsi Afrika nakwihlabathi jikelele. Lo yayingumthi onamagqabi amahle. Amagqabi alo mthi emka nomlambo aya kutyekezeka emigxobhozweni, apho angcwabeka kwintlenga, ajika angamatye. Ubunto besi sityalo samandulo benza iingqokelela zamalahle, la ambiwa kumhlaba waKwaZulu Natal kunye naseHighveld asetyenziswa ekuveliseni umbane.

Olu didi lunendumasi ngenxa yokufumaneka kumatye antanganye e-Antarctica, e-South America, kunye naseAustralia. Ngenxa yoku, kukholeleka ukuba amazwekazi ayedibene kwilixa lamandulo, kodwa aqelelana ekuhambeni kwe minyaka ngeminyaka. Le mithi yakudala yayiyimithi yahlathi linye.