Araucaria

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Name/Title

Araucaria

Entry/Object ID

78.58.357

Description

Assemblage Zone: sedimentary Chemical Composition: Si O2 Crystal System: Hexagonal Description: Family: Araucaiaceae Genus: Araucarioxylon Species; Arizonicum Common name: Araucaria or Monkey Puzzle Age: LateTriassic Location data: Chinle Formation, Utah USA Description: Delmar describes this pieces as 7/16" (1.0cm) thick slice of petrified wood from Utah. Polished side shows brightly colored wood oranges, pinks and reds,greys, browns and black with large white crystalline cracks in center and crystalline patches in grey and red. Tropical tree. Delmar believes this piece was from Jurassic but it is from the late Triassic (Mesozoic era) Size: 9.250"x 10.00"x .250" Type of Fossils Present: Plants Grain Size: Fine Hardness: 7 Quartz Lithofacies: Fluvial System Luster: Glassy Occurrence: Silicified wood, which is the fossilization and opalization of organic woody matter by the deposation of SiO2 in a anaerobic environment to prevent decay. This means that the wood must somehow be buried in an oxygen free enviroment, possibly in the silt-laden river or the bottom of a lake or buried by volcanic ash. Pressure: Low-Moderate Rock Color: Medium Rock Origin: Terrestrial Rock Type: Sedimentary Specific Gravity: 2.6 Surface Process: Not apparent Temperature: Low Texture: microcrystalline Variety: Petrified woods here are hydrous microcrystalline variety of quartz that can be generally termed as chalcedony or opal.

Collection

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition

Accession

78.58

Source or Donor

Delmar Smith Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition Method

Donation

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

Other Number: 1978.58.357

Dimensions

Width

10 in

Depth

1/4 in

Length

9-1/4 in

Dimension Notes

Dimensions taken at widest points

Location

Location

Container

Right

Drawer

2nd Shelf

Shelf

Center

Cabinet

Case #103

Wall

East Wall

Building

Mentzer Hall- Petrified Wood Room

Category

Permanent

Location

Shelf

Top on right, Top on right

Wall

Eastern

Room

Wood Room, Mentzer Hall

Building

Crater Rock Museum

Category

Permanent