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9/29/24
While we are gone for a while, this website is not on vacation. If you have a question or would like to place an order, just send an email. Back in full mode in mid-October. Thank you for your patience. --------------------- Don't forget to check out the new non-profit organization devoted to fossil forests throughout the world - to the people who study them, to the people who collect their treasures, and to news about new discoveries. Please read our ringing endorsement by clicking the Friends of Fossil Forests link below. ------ Jim Mills and Beth Myers |
Welcome to Mills Geological quality identified petrified wood and plant fossils from around the globe |
our featured specimen
Palmoxylon
Bopesta Formation Miocene
Horse Canyon, near Tehachapi, California
** A wonderful palm specimen from the Horse Canyon locality near Tehachapi. Remember that this locality was very active for collecting in the 1950s and 1960s but mainly for Horse Canyon green moss agate which was a popular lapidary material for jewelry and crafts. Occasionally, a chunk of petrified would be found but overall, very little of this material was ever recovered. The owner of the ranch died 25 years ago and the entire area was closed to any public collecting by his heirs (who still live there but want no rock collectors to enter the property). Larger palm slabs like this out of older collections are those that were found in the strata while looking for moss agates. That is why we only see these kinds of pieces out of venerable collections.
Palm is described in the Tehachapi fossil leaf flora that was published in the Carnegie Institution Contributions to Paleontology publication number 516 A Miocene Flora from the Western Border of the Mojave Desert.
8.5” x 5.5” on polished face; 3/8” thick slab $80
Bopesta Formation Miocene
Horse Canyon, near Tehachapi, California
** A wonderful palm specimen from the Horse Canyon locality near Tehachapi. Remember that this locality was very active for collecting in the 1950s and 1960s but mainly for Horse Canyon green moss agate which was a popular lapidary material for jewelry and crafts. Occasionally, a chunk of petrified would be found but overall, very little of this material was ever recovered. The owner of the ranch died 25 years ago and the entire area was closed to any public collecting by his heirs (who still live there but want no rock collectors to enter the property). Larger palm slabs like this out of older collections are those that were found in the strata while looking for moss agates. That is why we only see these kinds of pieces out of venerable collections.
Palm is described in the Tehachapi fossil leaf flora that was published in the Carnegie Institution Contributions to Paleontology publication number 516 A Miocene Flora from the Western Border of the Mojave Desert.
8.5” x 5.5” on polished face; 3/8” thick slab $80
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Ancient conifer (Araucariaceae Family)
Injun Creek Formation, Middle to Late Jurassic Chinchilla/Wandoan District, Queensland, Australia ** Lovely slice with superb red color from the classic Wandoan District of Queensland. There is no mistaking the growth rings that make a fine display specimen from Australia. The fact that the district produces highly agatized wood that is free of fractures and imperfections means that the polish achieved is mirror bright. This slab has a large and very interesting pith. Check out our photomicrograph and note that you can see some of the initial points at the 7 and 8 o'clock position. The initial points get their name from the fact that it is at this point where the primary xylem of the pith is changed to the secondary xylem of the wood. There are even a few details still seen in the interior of the pith - rather a remarkable piece for the microscope enthusiast. 4" x 3" on polished face; 7/16" thick slab $60 |
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Southern Beech (Nothofagoxylon sp.)
Rancahue Formation, late Oligocene to early Miocene Neuquen Province, Argentina. **The age and locality are what make this a rather unique small specimen. Different authors have placed the Rancahue Formation in either the very late Oligocene or the very early Miocene but all of them agree it is very near the boundary between Oligocene and Miocene. The literature identifies three different species of Nothofagoxylon from this formation but the only way to differentiate between them would be to cut up the specimen to get thin sections in the longitudinal and the tangential planes - not a good solution for adding the piece to a collection which also prizes aesthetics! So, we are going strictly with the specific epitaph sp., meaning the genus is known but the species is not determined. Most of the Argentina fossil wood on the market in the past has been Mesozoic from Santa Cruz or Chabut Province so we were quite pleased to obtain this more recent Cenozoic wood from Neuquen. The living modern genus of Nothofagus has more than 20 species spread across the southern hemisphere. A literal translation to English of the genus name Nothofagoxylon comes out as "wood like that of the Nothofagus." Most of the modern species have different common names but the general common name for the genus as a whole is "Southern Beech" and that is the name we are using on our label. It is the only material from Neuquen that we were able to acquire in an old collection two years ago. 2.5" x 2" on polished face, 3/8" thick slab $55 |
Primitive Conifer (Araucarioxylon arizonicum)
Chinle Formation, Triassic
Near Tanner Springs, border of Apache and Navajo counties, Arizona
** Here's an Arizona slab with a story to tell. It is generally believed that the strongly defined rings like those in this slab are actually drought rings - not annual rings. Drought rings occur when there is a temporary slowing of growth due to lack of water and the nutrients that it transports from the soil to the leaves. This occurs on a non-periodic basis so that they tend to be uneven distances between rings and the unevenness of the rings in this slab are one of the first characteristics to catch your eye. In addition, some of the rings are a bit less distinct compared to others because droughts can often bring less water as opposed to no water. And, don't forget, droughts can last for a period of years or for just a single growing season. Less water versus no water means less of a halt in regular growth. Chinle time climate was subtropical in character but droughts can occur in the subtropics as well as more northerly regions. If you like a good story to go along with the aesthetics for specimens in your petrified wood collection, this is a fine candidate to consider.
6.25” x 5” on the polished face; 3/4” thick slab $70
Chinle Formation, Triassic
Near Tanner Springs, border of Apache and Navajo counties, Arizona
** Here's an Arizona slab with a story to tell. It is generally believed that the strongly defined rings like those in this slab are actually drought rings - not annual rings. Drought rings occur when there is a temporary slowing of growth due to lack of water and the nutrients that it transports from the soil to the leaves. This occurs on a non-periodic basis so that they tend to be uneven distances between rings and the unevenness of the rings in this slab are one of the first characteristics to catch your eye. In addition, some of the rings are a bit less distinct compared to others because droughts can often bring less water as opposed to no water. And, don't forget, droughts can last for a period of years or for just a single growing season. Less water versus no water means less of a halt in regular growth. Chinle time climate was subtropical in character but droughts can occur in the subtropics as well as more northerly regions. If you like a good story to go along with the aesthetics for specimens in your petrified wood collection, this is a fine candidate to consider.
6.25” x 5” on the polished face; 3/4” thick slab $70
Black Locust encased in algae (Robinia zirkelii)
Miocene, Trout Creek Formation
Diggings near McDermitt, Nevada/Oregon border
** McDermitt has produced fossil wood in algae from three different sites where the specimens have been preserved in three distinct colors - a different color of the fossil algae at each site. We suspect the differences are the result of different volcanic events over the span of Trout Creek time. All of the geological evidence points to there being numerous eruptions separated by longer periods of quiescence in between eruptions. Color differences are most likely caused by complex differences of the geochemistry of the ash along with different chemical characteristics of the groundwater which began to weather the volcanic ash to provide the silica for permineralization. The result - brown, yellow and green coloration in the fossil algae. This specimen is from the brown algae site - the one with the best preservation of the stromatolitic algae colonies but with wood preservation nearly approaching unidentifiable. The algae appear to have had more time to form and grow at the brown algae site giving the fungal and bacterial agents more time to attack and destroy wood tissue. Hydrolization by the water also added to the disintegration of the wood tissue. Fortunately, there is just enough remaining anatomy preserved to get a good identification on this particular stem. It is a Black Locust. The Latin name Robinia zirkelii is applied to all fossil Robinia in North America. The color changes reflect the differences between iron oxides with different valences of the iron ion in the compound. We love having all three sites represented in our own collection so they can be displayed beside one another to help illustrate the story of volcanic activity during Trout Creek time. We have reason to believe that all three sites are now completely depleted so this is a rare opportunity to add a brown algae site slab to your collection if it is currently missing.
6.5” x 5” on polished face; end cut varies from 3/8” to 1.5” thick $80
Miocene, Trout Creek Formation
Diggings near McDermitt, Nevada/Oregon border
** McDermitt has produced fossil wood in algae from three different sites where the specimens have been preserved in three distinct colors - a different color of the fossil algae at each site. We suspect the differences are the result of different volcanic events over the span of Trout Creek time. All of the geological evidence points to there being numerous eruptions separated by longer periods of quiescence in between eruptions. Color differences are most likely caused by complex differences of the geochemistry of the ash along with different chemical characteristics of the groundwater which began to weather the volcanic ash to provide the silica for permineralization. The result - brown, yellow and green coloration in the fossil algae. This specimen is from the brown algae site - the one with the best preservation of the stromatolitic algae colonies but with wood preservation nearly approaching unidentifiable. The algae appear to have had more time to form and grow at the brown algae site giving the fungal and bacterial agents more time to attack and destroy wood tissue. Hydrolization by the water also added to the disintegration of the wood tissue. Fortunately, there is just enough remaining anatomy preserved to get a good identification on this particular stem. It is a Black Locust. The Latin name Robinia zirkelii is applied to all fossil Robinia in North America. The color changes reflect the differences between iron oxides with different valences of the iron ion in the compound. We love having all three sites represented in our own collection so they can be displayed beside one another to help illustrate the story of volcanic activity during Trout Creek time. We have reason to believe that all three sites are now completely depleted so this is a rare opportunity to add a brown algae site slab to your collection if it is currently missing.
6.5” x 5” on polished face; end cut varies from 3/8” to 1.5” thick $80
Dicot (Angiospermae)
Fleming/Oakville Formation Miocene
George West area, Live Oak County, Texas
** A very handsome specimen with rich browns in counterpoint with white highlights. This specimen has very unusual structure that we are unable to match up with the Insidewood website collection of photomicrographs. There are well defined growth rings which can be a good correlation with the tropical nature of climate in south Texas during the Miocene. The vessels are quite large – over 100 microns in size and most of them solitary. But no matches that we can find. So, the appeal of this specimen must bow to the very handsome aesthetics of beautiful pattern and color contrast – or your dutiful research!
5” x 4” on polished face; 1/2" thick slab $40
Fleming/Oakville Formation Miocene
George West area, Live Oak County, Texas
** A very handsome specimen with rich browns in counterpoint with white highlights. This specimen has very unusual structure that we are unable to match up with the Insidewood website collection of photomicrographs. There are well defined growth rings which can be a good correlation with the tropical nature of climate in south Texas during the Miocene. The vessels are quite large – over 100 microns in size and most of them solitary. But no matches that we can find. So, the appeal of this specimen must bow to the very handsome aesthetics of beautiful pattern and color contrast – or your dutiful research!
5” x 4” on polished face; 1/2" thick slab $40
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Primitive Soapberry tree (Sapindus-like) Sedimentary Tuff; Upper Miocene Eagles Nest, Oregon ** Neat limb with an interesting colloquial name - "blue star limb" - which some of the old-timers called these limbs from Eagles Nest with multiple cavities emanating from the exact center of the limb. Sapindus-like wood has also been reported from Miocene Ginkgo Fossil Forest near Vantage, Washington. These are small trees, the fruit of which contains the chemical called saponin which is still used in some third world countries for laundering clothes. This specimen has excellent preservation of structural wood anatomy - see our photomicrograph. Different species of the genus are native in warm temperate and tropical climates of Asia as well as North, Central and South America. We see the genus in fossil leaf floras but not so often in fossil wood floras. 2" x 1.75" on polished face; limb section is 5" in length $85 |
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Palm trunk (Palmoxylon sp.)
China Ranch Beds Formation, Pliocene to Pleistocene(?)
Sperry Wash, San Bernardino County, California
** A very unique specimen of palm trunk from Sperry Wash that was dead and down long enough for the wood to have cracked and later filled in with chalcedony. It gives the log a beautiful "brecciated" look. The palm stumps at Sperry Wash were discovered by rockhounds in the early 1950s and were soon excavated with heavy equipment (presumably backhoes). The area has been depleted ever since. I visited the site many years ago in search of palm logs but came up totally empty-handed. It was a location renowned for its colorful well-patterned specimens but unfortunately, the color was very desirable for jewelry and other lapidary craft projects and a great amount of it was cut up for these purposes rather than being saved for fossil wood collectors! In the case of this slab, the pattern would have been very attractive to those jewelry makers so we are extremely happy that this specimen survived intact. Like other Sperry Wash specimens that you might be lucky enough to come across, this one comes out of an old collection. The catalog actually indicated that it was collected in April of 1958. (please remember to click photo for more detailed view)
7.25" x 5" slab; 1/2" thick slab $175
China Ranch Beds Formation, Pliocene to Pleistocene(?)
Sperry Wash, San Bernardino County, California
** A very unique specimen of palm trunk from Sperry Wash that was dead and down long enough for the wood to have cracked and later filled in with chalcedony. It gives the log a beautiful "brecciated" look. The palm stumps at Sperry Wash were discovered by rockhounds in the early 1950s and were soon excavated with heavy equipment (presumably backhoes). The area has been depleted ever since. I visited the site many years ago in search of palm logs but came up totally empty-handed. It was a location renowned for its colorful well-patterned specimens but unfortunately, the color was very desirable for jewelry and other lapidary craft projects and a great amount of it was cut up for these purposes rather than being saved for fossil wood collectors! In the case of this slab, the pattern would have been very attractive to those jewelry makers so we are extremely happy that this specimen survived intact. Like other Sperry Wash specimens that you might be lucky enough to come across, this one comes out of an old collection. The catalog actually indicated that it was collected in April of 1958. (please remember to click photo for more detailed view)
7.25" x 5" slab; 1/2" thick slab $175
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Pine (Pinus sp.)
Clarno Formation, Middle to Late Eocene Milepost 32 near Post, Oregon ** This perfectly-centered specimen with amazing visual aesthetics comes from the classic locality called Milepost 32 near Post, Oregon. We got this slice from the digger and so we can be certain of the Milepost 32 provenance! He found the log very near the entrance of the dirt road that leads to the north opposite Milepost 32 on the road to Post. The site is a section of BLM land that has long been a favorite spot for field collectors. Check out our photomicrograph to see the absolutely perfect preservation. It simply is the best we have ever seen from this location. 8" x 6.25" on polished face; end cut that varies from 3/8” to 1-3/8" thick $185 |
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Lauraceae Family wood (Umbellularia sp.)
Palm Spring Formation, Diablo Member, Pliocene
Colorado River Terraces, Imperial County, California
** You may have a great limb of "ironwood" in your collection but is it polished? The vast bulk of these great character pieces will not take a decent polish so it is quite unusual that we find one with an excellent shine like this one has. Plus, this specimen has another special trait: it is a complete round with the center and growth rings showing on the end of the specimen - see our photomicrograph. But wait - there's more! This one also has an incredibly gnarly wood character exterior with several knots showing along the exterior length. Even Better! This specimen has some color on the polished end – that’s almost unheard of for wood from any Palm Spring Formation locality! The vast majority of the so-called Ironwood material is simply chunks and shards of larger trunks (albeit interesting in that way) so it is quite special to find a complete round, well-preserved, capable of being polished and with great character like this one. The Palm Spring Formation crops out on both the Arizona and California sides of the Colorado River. Oddly, the wood on the Arizona side is nearly always light tan in color and never capable of taking a polish. The wood on the California side of the river is almost always dark brown and only about one or two percent actually will take a polish.
This wood has been called “Ironwood” by rockhounds for at least 75 years. It is not the same species as the ironwood that grows today in the deserts of the southwest, but apparently was given the name by early rockhounds because it rings like iron when tapped with a hammer. Even the most novice of observers can immediately recognize this specimen as petrified wood. Better in 3D than in our flat photograph, and a particularly excellent display specimen that sits naturally on the wide end or lengthwise.
2.75" x 2" on the polished face; 5" long limb section $75
Palm Spring Formation, Diablo Member, Pliocene
Colorado River Terraces, Imperial County, California
** You may have a great limb of "ironwood" in your collection but is it polished? The vast bulk of these great character pieces will not take a decent polish so it is quite unusual that we find one with an excellent shine like this one has. Plus, this specimen has another special trait: it is a complete round with the center and growth rings showing on the end of the specimen - see our photomicrograph. But wait - there's more! This one also has an incredibly gnarly wood character exterior with several knots showing along the exterior length. Even Better! This specimen has some color on the polished end – that’s almost unheard of for wood from any Palm Spring Formation locality! The vast majority of the so-called Ironwood material is simply chunks and shards of larger trunks (albeit interesting in that way) so it is quite special to find a complete round, well-preserved, capable of being polished and with great character like this one. The Palm Spring Formation crops out on both the Arizona and California sides of the Colorado River. Oddly, the wood on the Arizona side is nearly always light tan in color and never capable of taking a polish. The wood on the California side of the river is almost always dark brown and only about one or two percent actually will take a polish.
This wood has been called “Ironwood” by rockhounds for at least 75 years. It is not the same species as the ironwood that grows today in the deserts of the southwest, but apparently was given the name by early rockhounds because it rings like iron when tapped with a hammer. Even the most novice of observers can immediately recognize this specimen as petrified wood. Better in 3D than in our flat photograph, and a particularly excellent display specimen that sits naturally on the wide end or lengthwise.
2.75" x 2" on the polished face; 5" long limb section $75
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Conifer (Pinales Order)
Columbia Plateau Basalts, Miocene Yakima Canyon, Kittitas County, Washington ** Beautiful specimen with really nice patterning and cut thick, the old-fashioned way. It comes from the one of the several digging areas in Yakima Canyon between the cities of Yakima and Ellensburg. This section comes from a growing root of a tree that must have lasted hundreds of years. The growth rings are very, very close together - as many as 40 to the inch. As a bonus, there is a bit of forest floor material adhering to the edge of the upper right in the photo (approximately the 8:00 position) with the roots of other plants and trees. One of our favorite customers refers to slabs like this as "bulls-eye" slabs. It is a beauty. 9” x 6” on polished face, 3/4” thick slab $83 |
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Bald Cypress (Taxodium sp.)
Inyan-Kara Group, Lakota Formation, Early Cretaceous Black Hills, South Dakota ** FINALLY! We have collector quality slabs from the Black Hills area of South Dakota. It has always been a mystery as to why we do not see it often (or … really, at all). Various "Petrified Forest" tourist attractions have existed on private lands for nearly a century and perhaps the fear of not having their tourist attraction any longer has hobbled the availability of specimens for collectors. We simply don't have an answer to the mystery but now that we have some very nice slabs, we presumably don't need an answer. The attraction Black Hills Petrified Forest near Piedmont is one of the largest outcrops and oldest attractions and while their website says they sell South Dakota petrified wood, the only picture of collector interest is of Blue Forest wood. Other attractions in the past have borne the names "Timber of Ages" and "Skyline Petrified Forest," and while we are uncertain as to which attraction our slab was collected, we are assured that it is the Lakota Formation since that is the strata from which all Black Hills wood has been found. If your collection strategy includes having as many localities represented as possible, this is likely going to be a "must have" for you. The bald cypress slab is made all the more attractive by the patterning produced by pecky rot fungus. In appearance, this slab looks like it could have been cut from a dead and down log in modern forests! 4.5" x 4 " on the polished face; 1/2" thick slab $74 |
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