Fossil Palm with Unusual Matrix
Sabalites sp.
Eocene
Green River Formation, Lincoln County, Wyoming
In the famed Green River Formation, fossilized palm fronds are considered rare finds and are highly coveted for their aesthetic appeal. Plant materials generally fossilize poorly due to the delicate nature of cellulose, the material of which living flora are formed. Only a few plants remain, in the form of fossils, to tell the story of the subtropical Eocene environment in the area now known as Southwestern Wyoming, which supported a lush prehistoric lake system teeming with fishes, crocodiles, turtle, birds and, of course, that plant most evocative of warm climates, the palm. The unusual apricot-rust coloration of the limestone matrix in the present palm mural was produced by iron-laden ash deposits from volcanic activity 51 million years ago. Framed in exotic wenge wood and fitted with a cleat for simplicity of installation.
Matrix measures 81 x 62in; Specimen measures 69in
