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While on vacation with my family we stopped by the Florissant Fossil Quarry in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Out of all the little leafs and branches we got this was probably the best one. I was wondering if it was possible to identify what kind of plant this leaf belongs to and what would be the best way to preserve it. Thanks ahead of time!

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1 hour ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said:

I'm not sure what it is, I looked through Herb Meyer's book but couldn't find an exact match. I'm also not very good at leaves, and have a hard enough time identifying most of my finds.

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I'm a horrible botanist (plant fossils are by-catch in my quest for insect fossils). However, the general shape and prominent secondary vein near the base leads me to speculate something in the Salicaceae. If you can take a higher resolution and higher magnification of the edge, that might be helpful. We're looking for a serrated type of edge. I believe botanists call that serrate or dentate leaf margins. If you see that and you see glands at the end, its a cinch it is the Salicaceae. This is an example of what I mean, although it does not come from the Florissant Formation:

 

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Notice how the vein as it approaches the serrated leaf edge, becomes enlarged like a gland. 

 

Regarding preservation, keep it protected from the elements in a dry location. You may try physical consolidation: take a block of foam and trace the outline of your specimen on it. Use a hobby knife to cut out that shape. You can then put your specimen in, and the foam should hold it in place. Avoid using any chemical consolidants unless absolutely necessary. Paraloid B-72 is popular with museum conservators, but avoid using too much acetone in your solution since it is too volatile for the paper shale and is liable to cause the rock to delaminate and shatter. A mix of acetone and ethanol to dissolve the B-72 might be better.

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Thanks for the feedback! I’m taking these photos on my iPhone so they are kind of bad. These photos might not help much but that’s about as good as I can do.

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On 8/5/2022 at 6:39 PM, Fossil finder 100 said:

Thanks for the feedback! I’m taking these photos on my iPhone so they are kind of bad. These photos might not help much but that’s about as good as I can do.

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I'm afraid I can't tell you anything new. If you're looking to give your cell phone photography a boost, you may want to invest in a clip-on macro lens for your cell phone. They are affordable and work surprisingly well. 

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5 minutes ago, Crusty_Crab said:

I'm afraid I can't tell you anything new. If you're looking to give your cell phone photography a boost, you may want to invest in a clip-on macro lens for your cell phone. They are affordable and work surprisingly well. 

Ok I’ll look into that

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