piranha Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 This is my first post in the Hunting Trips forum. That has a nice ring to it and since this will be my first full season of fossil hunting in Oregon I will make it official with this beauty found yesterday. It is the nicest split pair plant fossil yet to be found. Each slab measures 12" x 7" x 2" with a beautiful variety of different large leaves preserved as carbonized impressions in the matrix. The detail of margins and venation makes for a spectacular presentation. The thrill of splitting it open to view the leaves from majestic ancient trees for the first time in 30 million years is an absolutely incredible feeling. At least I will have a nice follow-up to my first plant entry for April FOTM. Although the voting is a cinch for Dan's great insect from Canada I'm hopeful for another shot in May for Oregon fossil flora to get a chance in the spotlight. Enjoy the preview everyone !! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 The details and coloration are striking. What a find, Scott. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Wow, wonderful preservation Scott! Congratulations on your neat finds. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 beautiful Scott, and it sure splits nice.Are there many layers of plant matter in the matrix, or is it like one primary layer? "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Y'know, the longer I look, the cooler it gets "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaRockhound Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Very Nice ! Frankie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 3, 2011 Author Share Posted May 3, 2011 Thank you for the comments guys! There are at least 20 plant layers in the vicinity of this horizon of the Little Butte Volcanic Series. I would say those have a span top to bottom of around 100 feet give or take. What is remarkable are the layers of ash, basalt and tuff in between the many plant deposits. Narrowing it down to any specific band of plant bearing strata on average 2-4 feet thick and full of dense leaf compressions throughout. When I moved to Oregon the focus was squarely on the fossils, now the geology and volcanic events of the Oligocene have the spotlight and my full attention as well. Never a dull moment, that's for sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Great fossil! Ya that dang geology keeps coming into play up here in Washington state too. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astron Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Magnificent find, Scott :wub: Astrinos P. Damianakis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandomas Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Very detailed leaves. Congrats Scott Erosion... will be my epitaph! http://www.paleonature.org/ https://fossilnews.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nala Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Very nice details!a beautifull picture also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Very cool leaves, can't wait to see more! -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Very cool leaves, can't wait to see more! There will be more leaves.... many more! The giant slabs are slowly dehumidifying in the workshop. Millions of years in the making it is almost unbearable waiting them out wondering what will be revealed. That is part of the fun of it though and as additional collecting trips are completed I will have enough rocks to split well through summer and fall. The major difference this year making sure to set aside plenty to keep me busy during the rainy season (winter) months. Thanks everyone for the nice comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Awesome details ,I can hardly wait to see more . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Thanks Bob! As promised as the slabs are being worked I will post the new fossil photos here. Here is a nice hash plate of flora on the front and back and measures 14 inches across. I will show the complete leaves as well although they are far and few between. Not surprising when you consider that most of what is preserved in sediments are mass accumulations of leaves that comprise any given varve over a brief period of time. More soon.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 The preservation is just amazing... you can almost pick the leaves off the rock... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdevey Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Very nice looking Scott, can't wait to see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 This weekend yielded a very nice discovery. The first photo shows one slab of flora front and back views. The slab is quite thick at two inches. Naturally it had to be split open. Luckily there was a spectacular reward for the effort. Double vision in this case is a good problem. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 beautiful, they look like masterful water-color paintings "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astron Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 ... they look like masterful water-color paintings Agreed... Superb plant plates, Scott Amazing preservation and colors Astrinos P. Damianakis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Thanks for the great feedback guys! Glad there are folks here that enjoy the fossil flora. Here is another superb specimen. This one is a Sequoia affinis which is theorized to be the ancestral genus/species of the coastal California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and the giant sequoia/sierra redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These are exceedingly rare in this particular horizon of the Little Butte Volcanic Series of Oregon. For every 100 fossil plants discovered you might find one example of S.affinis. Typically the preservation is just bits and pieces. This one happily beats all the odds! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Wow just too cool looking, Scott! What formation are these from again? -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astron Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Thanks for the great feedback guys! Glad there are folks here that enjoy the fossil flora. Here is another superb specimen. This one is a Sequoia affinis which is theorized to be the ancestral genus/species of the coastal California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and the giant sequoia/sierra redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These are exceedingly rare in this particular horizon of the Little Butte Volcanic Series of Oregon. For every 100 fossil plants discovered you might find one example of S.affinis. Typically the preservation is just bits and pieces. This one happily beats all the odds! Impressive Sequoia, Scott It seems it's alive Astrinos P. Damianakis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 This weekend yielded a very nice discovery. The first photo shows one slab of flora front and back views. The slab is quite thick at two inches. Naturally it had to be split open. Luckily there was a spectacular reward for the effort. Double vision in this case is a good problem. Enjoy! Just beautiful Scott!!! Fantastic find. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks for the great feedback guys! Glad there are folks here that enjoy the fossil flora. Here is another superb specimen. This one is a Sequoia affinis which is theorized to be the ancestral genus/species of the coastal California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and the giant sequoia/sierra redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These are exceedingly rare in this particular horizon of the Little Butte Volcanic Series of Oregon. For every 100 fossil plants discovered you might find one example of S.affinis. Typically the preservation is just bits and pieces. This one happily beats all the odds! Wow... What a super find! Congratulation Scott... you have one gem of a collecting spot!!! : ) Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now