Pepper Tree

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Name/Title

Pepper Tree

Entry/Object ID

07.58.103

Description

Assemblage Zone: Lake sediments Chemical Composition: Si O2 Crystal System: Hexagonal Description: Genus: Schinoxylon Common name: Pepper Tree Age: Eocene Location data: Eden Valley, Wyoming, USA Description: The two limbs are attached with volcanic ash shows the formation of grey calcareous rock on the outerside with a bark appearance. The inner limbs show light shades of browns with growth ring . Size: .750"x 5.375"x 4.00" Type of Fossils Present: Plants Fracture: conchoidal Grain Size: Fine Hardness: 7 Quartz Lithofacies: Volcanic ash Luster: Glassy Occurrence: Like petrified wood, limb cast are created in much the same manner. Volcanic ash or silica-rich sediment buries a tree limb, the limb decays, leaving behind an open void. This void works as a mold that fills with amorphous silica that has percolated through the surrounding rock. Once microamorphous silica has filled the mold and the crystallization process to a (quartz)chalcedony or opal is complete, the result is a siliceous rock with the same exterior markings as the original limb. Pressure: Low-Moderate Rock Color: Light Rock Origin: Post-depositional Rock Type: Sedimentary Specific Gravity: 2.6 Surface Process: Not apparent Temperature: Low Texture: microcrystalline Variety: Petrified woods ar hydrous microcrystalline varieties of quartz that can be generally termed as chalcedony .

Collection

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition

Accession

07.58

Source or Donor

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition Method

Donation

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

Other Number: 2007.58.103

Dimensions

Width

5-3/8 in

Depth

4 in

Length

3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Dimension taken at widest points

Location

Location

Container

Center

Drawer

3rd Shelf

Shelf

Left

Cabinet

Case #101

Wall

South wall

Building

Mentzer Hall - Petrified Wood Room

Category

Permanent