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Welcome to Mills Geological |
High-quality, identified petrified wood and plant fossils from around the globe
Our featured specimen
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Conifer (Pinales order)
Little Butte Formation, Mehama Volcanics, Oligocene Crabtree Creek, near Scio, Linn County, Oregon ** The word "gnarly" is often used in today's vernacular as a derogatory adjective. But when we wood collectors think of gnarly, we appreciate its beauty and character. This is an amazing piece -- and one that we could not capture in just three photos. To be frank, we don't often acquire stand-up style specimens (cut on both ends so that it displays in a vertical position) unless there is something exceptional about the piece and here we have an exceptional conifer! Many Crabtree Creek specimens exhibit an exterior that appears to be water worn after residing in a stream bed for a very long time and while this one is certainly water-worn -- and gnarly good. The exterior bulges and cavities are precisely what you might expect to find drifting along a major mountain stream today. Bark is gone. Softer portions are worn away. Harder portions give the impression of aesthetic art as well as scientific interest. We could not take enough photos to show all the angles that give distinction to this piece. If "looks like wood" is part of your criteria, this one is a definite for you. (Looks great on a table!) 3.25” x 3” on polished face; stand-up style 5” tall $65 |
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Early Walnut family (Rhysocaryoxylon fryxellii)
Columbia Basalts Group, Miocene
near Vantage, Washington
** We have sometimes seen this species described as Chinese Walnut and sometimes as Chinese Wingnut, both of which are distinct modern species. But, as all of you know, we try to be as precise as we can with our descriptions, and the rules of paleobotany require that for a fossil wood to be identified as the same species as a modern species, there must be an attached fruiting body (seed, cone, nut, flower, or any reproductive structure) actually attached (not detached even if it was found in the same hole as the wood). Both modern species have diagonal patterns of the pores like this fossil specimen. So we try to follow the rules of paleobotany and avoid common names of modern plants for fossil wood. That said, it really is in the walnut family and we refer to that family in our common name. Please see our photomicrograph of this slab. It is very well preserved and the diagonal tendency of pores is easy to see. We particularly like the size (7" x 6" in diameter, and 1/2" thick) and roundness of the log, along with the unusual splashes of yellow. And again, if you follow our website postings, you already know that we love rot cavities - and this one is in the absolute center of the log and very precisely outlined with pink and yellow. Just a gorgeous piece of wood.
7" x 6" on polished face; 1/2" thick slab $149
Columbia Basalts Group, Miocene
near Vantage, Washington
** We have sometimes seen this species described as Chinese Walnut and sometimes as Chinese Wingnut, both of which are distinct modern species. But, as all of you know, we try to be as precise as we can with our descriptions, and the rules of paleobotany require that for a fossil wood to be identified as the same species as a modern species, there must be an attached fruiting body (seed, cone, nut, flower, or any reproductive structure) actually attached (not detached even if it was found in the same hole as the wood). Both modern species have diagonal patterns of the pores like this fossil specimen. So we try to follow the rules of paleobotany and avoid common names of modern plants for fossil wood. That said, it really is in the walnut family and we refer to that family in our common name. Please see our photomicrograph of this slab. It is very well preserved and the diagonal tendency of pores is easy to see. We particularly like the size (7" x 6" in diameter, and 1/2" thick) and roundness of the log, along with the unusual splashes of yellow. And again, if you follow our website postings, you already know that we love rot cavities - and this one is in the absolute center of the log and very precisely outlined with pink and yellow. Just a gorgeous piece of wood.
7" x 6" on polished face; 1/2" thick slab $149
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Tanoak (Lithocarpus sp.)
Mehama Volcanics Unit, Little Butte Formation, Oligocene
Sweet Home area, Linn County, Oregon
** Wow, what a beauty, and one of the better-preserved slices of Tanoak that we have seen from the Sweet Home petrified forest. The perfect preservation is best seen microscopically in the tan areas of the slab. We particularly like the blue agate filling in some of the dessicaton cracks and cavities. The cracks were already present in the wood prior to petrification and later provided passageways for the groundwater to enter the log. Be sure to check closely our photomicrograph of the outstanding woody fine structure. The blue fortification agate filling some of the cavities in the old log gives this slab real aesthetic appeal, and makes it a great candidate for an experienced collector.
9” x 7.5” on polished face; 5/8” thick slab $95
Mehama Volcanics Unit, Little Butte Formation, Oligocene
Sweet Home area, Linn County, Oregon
** Wow, what a beauty, and one of the better-preserved slices of Tanoak that we have seen from the Sweet Home petrified forest. The perfect preservation is best seen microscopically in the tan areas of the slab. We particularly like the blue agate filling in some of the dessicaton cracks and cavities. The cracks were already present in the wood prior to petrification and later provided passageways for the groundwater to enter the log. Be sure to check closely our photomicrograph of the outstanding woody fine structure. The blue fortification agate filling some of the cavities in the old log gives this slab real aesthetic appeal, and makes it a great candidate for an experienced collector.
9” x 7.5” on polished face; 5/8” thick slab $95
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Grape Family (Vitaceoxylon sp.) Slab cut stand-up
Ricardo Formation, Pliocene Last Chance Canyon, California ** A wonderful small grape family specimen from the now depleted petrified forest in Last Chance Canyon, north of Mojave, California. The petrified forest at Last Chance Canyon in the El Paso Mountains was completely collected out by rockhounds and souvenir hunters long before the State of California established Red Rock Canyon State Park in this area, and subsequently added Last Chance Canyon to the park. So, even if there were more petrified wood there now (there isn't), you would not be allowed to collect it! This piece was collected in the 1960's by a rockhound from Southern California. It has really excellent woody fine anatomy - please see our photomicrograph that shows the really large vessels on this great specimen for the microscope enthusiast. 2.75" x 1.25" on polished face; slab cut stand-up style 3/4” $32 |
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Joshua Tree (Protoyucca shadishii)
Virgin Valley Formation, Miocene
Badger Flat, Humboldt County, Nevada
** This is a rare wood offer, and you know that we don't "throw around" the designation of rare. Joshua Tree is one of the most scarce species of petrified wood that one can collect (others include Ginkgo, Mennegoxylon, and Trochodendron). You may have seen a few pieces on offer here on our website, but that is because we got lucky, and not because Protoyucca is becoming more common.
Joshua Tree is a monocot - it sends up only one cotyledon from the seed rather than two - and silicified petrifications of monocots are very rare in the fossil record (palm is the single exception to this). A lot of the Joshua Tree suffered from heart rot (typical for monocots) and the centers were all gone before petrification started. Since it is a monocot, it does not have annual growth rings. Instead, it has an inner primary cylinder and an outer secondary cylinder. The specimen we offer here is entirely secondary cylinder. Most of the fossil Joshua Tree is mineralized in colors of gray and white. This specimen is a bit different in that it has a much richer reddish color palette. Even better, this piece was from very close to the bottom of the trunk and has a couple of rootlets - see the closeup above with the round structure. This is a nice specimen of a rare wood.
3.5" x 2" on polished face; 1.5" thick end cut $98
Virgin Valley Formation, Miocene
Badger Flat, Humboldt County, Nevada
** This is a rare wood offer, and you know that we don't "throw around" the designation of rare. Joshua Tree is one of the most scarce species of petrified wood that one can collect (others include Ginkgo, Mennegoxylon, and Trochodendron). You may have seen a few pieces on offer here on our website, but that is because we got lucky, and not because Protoyucca is becoming more common.
Joshua Tree is a monocot - it sends up only one cotyledon from the seed rather than two - and silicified petrifications of monocots are very rare in the fossil record (palm is the single exception to this). A lot of the Joshua Tree suffered from heart rot (typical for monocots) and the centers were all gone before petrification started. Since it is a monocot, it does not have annual growth rings. Instead, it has an inner primary cylinder and an outer secondary cylinder. The specimen we offer here is entirely secondary cylinder. Most of the fossil Joshua Tree is mineralized in colors of gray and white. This specimen is a bit different in that it has a much richer reddish color palette. Even better, this piece was from very close to the bottom of the trunk and has a couple of rootlets - see the closeup above with the round structure. This is a nice specimen of a rare wood.
3.5" x 2" on polished face; 1.5" thick end cut $98
Conifer (Pinales Order)
Absoraka Supergroup Eocene Tom Miner Basin, Montana ** We don’t see a lot of wood from Tom Miner Basin these days, so we acquire them whenever we see them. Only pieces from old collections (like this one) seem to come to market any longer. The Basin is quite high in elevation and it is a very difficult hike to get into the wood-bearing localities. Lower elevation specimens have largely disappeared except for those on a nature trail (and those are NOT available for collecting). We particularly like the great pattern, the vugs containing nice bubbly chalcedony, and the way this specimen sits on its natural end for effective display. And by the way, we've included a view of that natural, unpolished end cut side of this piece. We think it is every bit as beautiful as the polished side with the bubbly chalcedony seen in relief. Click the close-up views! 8” x 6” on polished face; end cut varies in thickness from .25" to 2.5" (no knife edge) $175 |
