Tree Fern

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Name/Title

Tree Fern

Entry/Object ID

05.58.138 (B)

Description

Assemblage Zone: sandstone Chemical Composition: Si O2 Crystal System: Hexagonal Description: Family: Cyatheales Genus: Cyathodendron texanum Common Name: Tree Fern Age: Eocene Location data: Yegua Formation in Texas, USA Description:: Polished face colored white, brown, black and gray with the presence of pores. Type of Fossils Present: Plants Fracture: conchoidal Grain Size: Fine Hardness: 7 Quartz Lithofacies: Delta complex Luster: Glassy Occurrence: Silicified wood, which is the fossilization and opalization of organic woody matter by the deposition 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 or related volcanic mudflow. The organic material in the wood is then replaced by silica (SiO2), other minerals determined its colors. Pressure: Low-Moderate Rock Color: Medium Rock Origin: Post-depositional Rock Type: Sedimentary Specific Gravity: 2.6 Surface Process: Not apparent Streak: white Temperature: Low Texture: Mircrocrystalline Variety: Petrified woods here are hydrous microcrystalline variety of quartz that can be generally termed as chalcedony.

Collection

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition

Accession

05.58

Source or Donor

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition Method

Donation

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

Other Number: 2005.58.138 (B)

Dimensions

Width

3-1/2 in

Depth

1-1/4 in

Length

7-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Dimension taken at widest points

Location

Location

Display Case

PW-8

Room

Petrified Wood Room

Building

Crater Rock Museum

Category

Exhibit

Date

May 22, 2025

Notes

Location update

Location

Container

Left

Drawer

2nd Shelf

Shelf

Center

Cabinet

Case #105

Wall

North Wall

Building

Mentzer Hall - Petrified Wood Room

Category

Permanent