Really nice plant fossil needs IDing

[indominus rex]

My friend recently kindly helped me buy a really cool plant fossil, the slate is around 24 cm in length and is extremely heavy and solid. There are multiple other leaves in the slate, I have no clue where it is from or what species of plant it is. Is it a kind of Palm plant? All information would be helpful. 

Regards, indominus rex 

[indominus rex]

Another image of when it is closed.

[Fossildude19]

Looks similar to Nala's example of Zamites feneonis. 

Regards,

[indominus rex]

10 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Looks similar to Nala's example of Zamites feneonis. 

Regards,

Thanks it would make sense that it is a Zamites, it was bought in France so I am guessing it's a Zamite Feneonis.

[Scylla]

Just asking if the fossil has been enhanced at all. The leaves are so dark and even, on both sides of the split too. Sometimes pigment is added to highlight the fossil. Was that done on this one?

[indominus rex]

1 minute ago, Scylla said:

Just asking if the fossil has been enhanced at all. The leaves are so dark and even, on both sides of the split too. Sometimes pigment is added to highlight the fossil. Was that done on this one?

I am not sure, but looking at this piece, I would say there hasn't been enhancements. I am looking at closely at the leaves and it doesn't really look like there has been color inhancements. But then again if I wanted to be sure I would have a specialist look at it in person.

[caldigger]

From your pictures, it doesn't look enhanced. There are other pieces of leaves and such all over the block that are just as dark. I like it!

[indominus rex]

3 minutes ago, caldigger said:

From your pictures, it doesn't look enhanced. There are other pieces of leaves and such all over the block that are just as dark. I like it!

Thanks, my friend helped me get it for a really good price.

[Tidgy's Dad]

It looks wonderful. 

I would look closely at it under a loupe though, just to be sure whether it's been painted or enhanced. 

[indominus rex]

29 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

It looks wonderful. 

I would look closely at it under a loupe though, just to be sure whether it's been painted or enhanced. 

Thanks for the advice, that was actually the first thing I did when I received it. I don't really see anything off.

[Tidgy's Dad]

What struck me as well, was that it looks almost, but not quite, like a positive and negative of the same frond. 

But the two pieces clearly fit together and some of the bits aren't quite mirror images. 

[Fossildude19]

7 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

What struck me as well, was that it looks almost, but not quite, like a positive and negative of the same frond. 

 

I'm pretty sure that they are.   

Left side with hammer blow/crack                     Right side no crack(mirror image) 

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, Fossildude19 said:

 

I'm pretty sure that they are.   

Left side with hammer blow/crack                     Right side no crack(mirror image) 

 

 

So, it's been cut so the two pieces fit together? 

On the reverse, the two bits match up very well, patterns seem to cross the break. 

[Fossildude19]

Adam, 

I think that the rock was split, and the counterpart of the fossil broke in half. It was repaired/glued.

So they are part and counter part.   

 

 

[holdinghistory]

Nice one!

[Ludwigia]

Very nice frond! It's good to have part and counterpart as well.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, Fossildude19 said:

Adam, 

I think that the rock was split, and the counterpart of the fossil broke in half. It was repaired/glued.

So they are part and counter part.   

 

 

Yes, but part and counter-part fit together.

Reverse view of the two :

[piranha]

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Yes, but part and counter-part fit together...

 

 

It's a little confusing because Tim made a mirror image of one of the parts; i.e., a mirror of the mirror.  

[ynot]

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Yes, but part and counter-part fit together.

I think they were cut to fit together, but it is definitely one piece showing part and counterpart.

[piranha]

How do you cut them to fit together?  They fit together because they are part and counterpart.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, piranha said:

How do you cut them to fit together?  They fit together because they are part and counterpart.  

The two triangular pieces outlined in red have been added and the section outlined in blue cut away from the piece on the right to make it look like the two pieces fit together are two fossils, not just the part and counterpart of one fossil

Hence why they fit together on the reverse.

I'm not explaining myself very well. 

 

[piranha]

35 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

The two triangular pieces outlined in red have been added and the section outlined in blue cut away from the piece on the right to make it look like the two pieces fit together are two fossils, not just the part and counterpart of one fossil

Hence why they fit together on the reverse.

 

 

It must be an optical illusion! 

The attached image shows the actual outline of the smaller part.  They appear to fit together perfectly,  there is no adding, cutting, or trimming that I can detect. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, piranha said:

 

 

It must be an optical illusion! 

The attached image shows the actual outline of the smaller part.  They appear to fit together perfectly,  there is no adding, cutting, or trimming that I can detect. 

 

Yeah. 

I see where I'm going wrong.

Indeed it is an optical illusion based on the principal of I really must get some new glasses. 

Thanks. 

[piranha]

5 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Indeed it is an optical illusion based on the principal of I really must get some new glasses. 

 

you and me both... lol

 

[ynot]

2 hours ago, piranha said:

How do you cut them to fit together?  They fit together because they are part and counterpart.  

I was wrong. It is not cut.

 

It is 2 pieces of rock, the counterpart is set on the plate (left side of first picture.). The 2 red triangles that @Tidgy's Dad marked are actually the continued layers of the counterpart. The second picture is with the counterpart in place, showing the crack in that layer.