Moreno Formation, leaf imprint or not?

[allmightydoggo]

I’m not really sure if this is geologic related or a leaf imprint. Found in Del Puerto Canyon, Eastern of Stanislaus County, California. Found in the Moreno Formation too. I found this specimen alongside many others but this one is the most visible or intact one. The lines on it are somewhat hard to see, if requested I can post more photos later.

[allmightydoggo]

An ID would be nice I guess but I’d like to know if it’s actually a leaf imprint or not, thank you.

[Fossildude19]

Looks like it to me.

A more specific ID without a clear margin/edge of the leaf showing, would be quite difficult. 

 

 

And unfortunately, ... I'm not seeing a lot of material online in regards to identification of the leaves from that area.

[DPS Ammonite]

There is lots of interesting geology in Del Puerto Canyon including relatively unaltered pieces of the mantle with bright green olivine. Hopefully they won’t build a reservoir in that canyon.

 

https://geotripper.blogspot.com/2019/12/damning-del-puerto-canyon-geological.html?m=1#:~:text=It's nominally composed of basalt,dinosaur era%2C the Cretaceous Period.

 

https://geotripper.blogspot.com/2011/12/spending-day-in-earths-mantle-exploring.html?m=1

 

 

[allmightydoggo]

 

Just now, DPS Ammonite said:

There is lots of interesting geology in Del Puerto Canyon including relatively unaltered pieces of the mantle with bright green olivine. Hopefully they won’t build a reservoir in that canyon.

 

https://geotripper.blogspot.com/2019/12/damning-del-puerto-canyon-geological.html?m=1#:~:text=It's nominally composed of basalt,dinosaur era%2C the Cretaceous Period.

 

https://geotripper.blogspot.com/2011/12/spending-day-in-earths-mantle-exploring.html?m=1

 

 

I hope not. It’s a really nice area there, nice creek which extends sort of long. 

[allmightydoggo]

I figured it wouldn’t be identifiable since there were probably a lot of different leaves there. Haven’t found good specimens yet, only good ones I’ve found are really soft and break easily. I’m hoping to go back there sometime this month.

[Ludwigia]

There is a possibility by the looks of it, that this is relatively recent and has been formed under the influence of lime sinter (travertine).

[allmightydoggo]

I see.

[DPS Ammonite]

Moreno Fm. Plant fossils

 

Here is the only website yet for ID of plant fossils from the Cretaceous to Paleocene rocks.

Edited November 7 by DPS Ammonite

[Ludwigia]

Ok. I'll take back my last statement now that I've studied the website.

[allmightydoggo]

I will post more photos later.

[Moth.11]

Lookslike yes, congratulations! 

[Fossildude19]

17 hours ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Moreno Fm. Plant fossils

 

Here is the only website yet for ID of plant fossils from the Cretaceous to Paleocene rocks.

 

 

I saw no mention of Identification for the leaves. Only the pelecypods.

[DPS Ammonite]

18 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

 

 

I saw no mention of Identification for the leaves. Only the pelecypods.

I probably should have said it showed plant fossils, modern looking leaves and listed plants found although it did picture and ID one conifer and gave a very general ID for a piece of wood. I agree that it is not helpful to ID the leaf of the OP; it just gives suggests of what it might be.

 

“Typical late Cretaceous plants one would expect to encounter include walnuts, oaks, figs, alders, laurels, and magnolias--a decidedly modern-appearing angiospermous association”

[Fossildude19]

Best ID for this is: Plant leaf, indet.

 

Unless better samples are obtained that show the leaf margin, stem, veining, etc.

 

 

[DPS Ammonite]

Here is a great paper on the type locality of the Moreno Formation including fossil localities and lots of great maps. It also has information on overlying formations. This is what geologists and fossil hunters drool over. The big problem: what area have public access and what areas can be collected.
 

Payne, M.B., 1951, Type Moreno formation and overlying Eocene strata on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno and Merced Counties, California: California Division of Mines Special Report, no. 9, 29 p., (incl. geologic map, scale 1:125,000)

 

https://ia800103.us.archive.org/23/items/typemorenoformat09payn/typemorenoformat09payn.pdf