Rockwerks Lapidary Forum

These are from the Oligocene Era approx 30-35 MYA,
Thanks for looking,
Dan

Looks almost like a satelite image. Conditions must have to be exactly right for mineralized tissue replacement to occur with something as delicate as a leaf. Doesn't seem that leaves have changed much over the eons.

Hi Ken,
I had that thought to when I was collecting them, they are pretty much what I rake up in the Fall. There are a few warmer species in fossils, than are around now, but most seem the same.
Dan

Many of the species that fossilized (yes, petwood is a fossil) are still growing today. Climatechanges change the environment so they no longer inhabit the area. In Vantage, WA there is petrified Ginko; which was thought to be extinct until found growing in China.

Petwood is the state gem for Washington. A really good site for samples and ID info: http://www.mashell.com/~estrauss/pwoodfx.html

One of my favorite pieces is a small section of root that is shot thru with wormholes that have filled with agate. Likely more agate than petwood in the piece. There is a site in Central Oregon; Little Bear Creek; that has huge buried petrified trees and stumps. I took out 3 pieces about 50 pounds each; plue smaller pieces. It's charcoal black and white and includes small pockets of quartz druze.

Hi Rain,
Thanks for the info. When I was at UofO They had some Ginko's and Metaseqouia trees, (Living) I was always fascinated by the "Living" fossils,
Thanks again,
Dan