Northern California Petrified Wood

[DPS Ammonite]

This is a piece of opalized wood from the late Miocene Neroly Formation near Antioch, CA. AKA Antioch Wood. What is the cause of the herringbone or chevron growth rings? Did the tree grow that way or was the wood compressed before it was fully mineralized? I found similar wood from Late Miocene formations in the Berkeley Hills. I also have seen similar wood from the Hell's Canyon area in Idaho/Oregon. Has anyone found wood with a similar pattern elsewhere?

 

Any idea what type of wood this is?

 

The field of view in the photo is about 0.6 inches across.

[Rockwood]

I've seen a similar thing in modern wood. It's usually older trees. I think it may be a response to stress.

[doushantuo]

i once posted this,to promote understanding of woody structures

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/72590-cant-see-the-treesbut-i-sure-see-the-wood/#comment-764227

 

[supertramp]

11 hours ago, DPS Ammonite said:

What is the cause of the herringbone or chevron growth rings?

 

Might it be that growth rings have been affected by some branch nodes just above or below the section?

 

https://www.google.it/search?q=tree+rings+growth+knots&rlz=1C1AOHY_itIT708IT708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL9Z_WnbjTAhXNbVAKHdK-A0oQ_AUICCgB#tbm=isch&q=tree+rings+growth+&imgrc=dqBQ7_JmDZvYsM:

 

https://www.google.it/search?q=tree+rings+growth+knots&rlz=1C1AOHY_itIT708IT708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL9Z_WnbjTAhXNbVAKHdK-A0oQ_AUICCgB#tbm=isch&q=tree+rings+growth+&imgrc=jYVJE7QZDgJ_jM:

 

https://www.google.it/search?q=tree+rings+growth+knots&rlz=1C1AOHY_itIT708IT708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL9Z_WnbjTAhXNbVAKHdK-A0oQ_AUICCgB#tbm=isch&q=tree+rings+growth+&imgrc=Z4mbVaQ4AtxbOM:

 

ciao

[abyssunder]

Try to compare it with the wavy pattern of Pseudotsuga annual rings.

 

" Fragments of petrified wood are common in the Neroly sediments. Mr. Dougherty, formerly of the University of California, identified one specimen as a dicot and another as larch (Larix) or Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga). " - A.S. Huey. 1948. Geology of the Tesla quadrangle, California. Bulletin 140.

[DPS Ammonite]

Thank you everyone for your help. The most similar wood structures came from the reference mentioned by doushanuto: figure 10:22 from Fritz Hans Schweingruber's "Wood Structure and Environment." I tend to think the folded wood growth rings in my piece are from compression since the folds sort of occur in a plane that could be created from compression in one direction. If I find a piece of wood with a complete circle of growth rings that are folded in all directions then I might be convinced that the tree grew with chevron growth rings.
 

[Rockwood]

It does take huge pressure to fold mineralized wood. It folds much easier when it's green though,and if you've ever pinched a saw bar in a large tree you know they can produce considerable pressure.

[ynot]

I have cut a lot of firewood and see that type of folding under big branches quite often.

[abyssunder]

I thought you wanted to find out the genus or species name for this petrified wood trunk piece, AKA Antioch Wood.

[doushantuo]

it's not even inconceivable that those are chevron folds,caused by Miocene compressional tectonics in the Antioch region