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Identifying petrified wood species


aper

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Does anyone have a recommendation for published keys to help identify tree species from petrified wood? I'm finding a lot of it and would like to not pester everyone here constantly, but would also really like to know more about the ancient environments I'm exploring. Any tips much appreciated! Happy New Year everyone. TFF definitely a highlight! 

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Pet wood can be tough to ID.  My technique.... is this palm?  yes or no?  If yes, then it is palmwood.  If it is not palm wood, then it is petrified wood.  Wood needs to be cut and polished on three axes to truly ID it.  I do not think there are any guides, you would have to delve into the scientific papers on the stuff.   

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I asked something similar and they said, polishing multiple sides and then comparing to other petrified wood specimens from the same area.

 

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When I lived in Northern California the fossil group I belonged to had access to very detailed fossil wood ID papers for the wood found around the Roseville/Granite Bay area. Unfortunately I did not grab a copy before I moved away :default_faint: Sent a request years later to try and find one but no avail. I have over 100 pounds of wood to ID.

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I have been told by those whom I trust to know whereof they speak that ID of petrified wood to genus requires thin section samples under magnification. 

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On 12/31/2020 at 9:00 PM, aper said:

Does anyone have a recommendation for published keys to help identify tree species from petrified wood? I'm finding a lot of it and would like to not pester everyone here constantly, but would also really like to know more about the ancient environments I'm exploring. Any tips much appreciated! Happy New Year everyone. TFF definitely a highlight! 

Certainly no expert on the subject, but the following resources might be helpful:

I really like Hoadley's (1990) Identifying wood: Accurate results with simple tools. This book deals with modern woods, but the basic principles also apply to fossil woods and are explained well here. The InsideWood database is a free and useful online search engine containing both extant and fossil wood types. Another great resource is the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA). Especially the IAWA lists for softwood and hardwood identification are very useful.

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Searching for green in the dark grey.

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5 hours ago, paleoflor said:

Certainly no expert on the subject, but the following resources might be helpful:

I really like Hoadley's (1990) Identifying wood: Accurate results with simple tools. This book deals with modern woods, but the basic principles also apply to fossil woods and are explained well here. The InsideWood database is a free and useful online search engine containing both extant and fossil wood types. Another great resource is the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA). Especially the IAWA lists for softwood and hardwood identification are very useful.

These are all the resources I have used and been referred to by experts in this specialty.  Even still, it may require expert analysis, in most cases, to identify to genus.

The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

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