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Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia occidentalis) Fossil Leaf, Oligocene, Muddy Creek Formation Montana USA | Authentic Specimen + COA
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia occidentalis) Fossil Leaf, Oligocene, Muddy Creek Formation Montana USA | Authentic Specimen + COA - Image 2

Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia occidentalis) Fossil Leaf, Oligocene, Muddy Creek Formation Montana USA | Authentic Specimen + COA

£24.00

Metasequoia occidentalis (Dawn Redwood) Fossil Leaf – Muddy Creek Formation, Oligocene Epoch, Beaverhead County, Montana, USA

This beautifully preserved leaf fossil belongs to Metasequoia occidentalis, the extinct ancestor of today’s Dawn Redwood. Dating from the Oligocene Epoch (approximately 28 to 23 million years ago), this specimen was collected from the Muddy Creek Formation in Beaverhead County, Montana, a region renowned for its exceptional fossil flora.

Fossil Type & Species:

  • Type: Plant Fossil (Conifer Leaf)
  • Species: Metasequoia occidentalis
  • Phylum: Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
  • Class: Pinopsida (Conifers)
  • Order: Cupressales
  • Family: Cupressaceae
  • Genus: Metasequoia
  • Described by: Chaney, 1951 (formal description based on earlier material)

Geological & Stratigraphic Details:

  • Location: Beaverhead County, Montana, USA
  • Formation: Muddy Creek Formation
  • Geological Epoch: Oligocene, Paleogene Period
  • Age: ~28–23 million years ago
  • Depositional Environment: Lowland fluvial-lacustrine (river and lake) environment with volcanic ash and fine silt layers, ideal for fossil plant preservation
  • Biozone: Western Interior Paleoflora assemblages (no specific biostratigraphic zone formally defined for this locality)

Morphology & Features: This Metasequoia occidentalis fossil displays:

  • Flat, linear leaves arranged in opposite pairs along a central stem
  • Symmetrical leaf venation and midrib detail visible in fossil matrix
  • Preserved in fine-grained mudstone or shale, often with a contrasting pale to dark brown impression
  • Occasionally associated with additional plant debris such as seed scales or branchlets

Notable: Metasequoia occidentalis is among the most iconic and widespread fossil conifers, often used as a key indicator species in understanding Oligocene and Eocene forest ecosystems. Its living relative, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, was thought extinct until rediscovered in China in 1941, making it a “living fossil.” Specimens from Montana provide vital data on the ancient North American distribution of redwood forests.

Specimen Details:

  • Origin: Muddy Creek Formation, Beaverhead County, Montana, USA
  • Species: Metasequoia occidentalis
  • Fossil Type: Compression Leaf Fossil (Conifer)
  • Geological Epoch: Oligocene
  • Size Reference: Scale cube = 1cm (see photos for full sizing)
  • Note: You will receive the exact specimen shown in the photo

Authenticity & Quality: We guarantee that this fossil is 100% genuine, professionally sourced, and unaltered. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity. No artificial enhancement or reconstruction has been applied.

Why Choose This Fossil? Ideal for:

  • Fossil and plant collectors
  • Earth science and paleobotany education
  • Natural history museums and botanical exhibits
  • Unique gifts for nature lovers and geologists

Shipping & Packaging: Carefully packed using eco-conscious materials. Tracked international shipping available. All items are securely wrapped and boxed to ensure safe delivery.

Own a prehistoric fragment of North America’s redwood past with this rare Metasequoia occidentalis fossil leaf from Montana’s Muddy Creek Formation.

 

All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

(Actual as seen)

Out of stock

SKU: UF3232 Category:

Description

Metasequoia occidentalis (Dawn Redwood) Fossil Leaf – Muddy Creek Formation, Oligocene Epoch, Beaverhead County, Montana, USA

This beautifully preserved leaf fossil belongs to Metasequoia occidentalis, the extinct ancestor of today’s Dawn Redwood. Dating from the Oligocene Epoch (approximately 28 to 23 million years ago), this specimen was collected from the Muddy Creek Formation in Beaverhead County, Montana, a region renowned for its exceptional fossil flora.

Fossil Type & Species:

  • Type: Plant Fossil (Conifer Leaf)
  • Species: Metasequoia occidentalis
  • Phylum: Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
  • Class: Pinopsida (Conifers)
  • Order: Cupressales
  • Family: Cupressaceae
  • Genus: Metasequoia
  • Described by: Chaney, 1951 (formal description based on earlier material)

Geological & Stratigraphic Details:

  • Location: Beaverhead County, Montana, USA
  • Formation: Muddy Creek Formation
  • Geological Epoch: Oligocene, Paleogene Period
  • Age: ~28–23 million years ago
  • Depositional Environment: Lowland fluvial-lacustrine (river and lake) environment with volcanic ash and fine silt layers, ideal for fossil plant preservation
  • Biozone: Western Interior Paleoflora assemblages (no specific biostratigraphic zone formally defined for this locality)

Morphology & Features: This Metasequoia occidentalis fossil displays:

  • Flat, linear leaves arranged in opposite pairs along a central stem
  • Symmetrical leaf venation and midrib detail visible in fossil matrix
  • Preserved in fine-grained mudstone or shale, often with a contrasting pale to dark brown impression
  • Occasionally associated with additional plant debris such as seed scales or branchlets

Notable: Metasequoia occidentalis is among the most iconic and widespread fossil conifers, often used as a key indicator species in understanding Oligocene and Eocene forest ecosystems. Its living relative, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, was thought extinct until rediscovered in China in 1941, making it a “living fossil.” Specimens from Montana provide vital data on the ancient North American distribution of redwood forests.

Specimen Details:

  • Origin: Muddy Creek Formation, Beaverhead County, Montana, USA
  • Species: Metasequoia occidentalis
  • Fossil Type: Compression Leaf Fossil (Conifer)
  • Geological Epoch: Oligocene
  • Size Reference: Scale cube = 1cm (see photos for full sizing)
  • Note: You will receive the exact specimen shown in the photo

Authenticity & Quality: We guarantee that this fossil is 100% genuine, professionally sourced, and unaltered. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity. No artificial enhancement or reconstruction has been applied.

Why Choose This Fossil? Ideal for:

  • Fossil and plant collectors
  • Earth science and paleobotany education
  • Natural history museums and botanical exhibits
  • Unique gifts for nature lovers and geologists

Shipping & Packaging: Carefully packed using eco-conscious materials. Tracked international shipping available. All items are securely wrapped and boxed to ensure safe delivery.

Own a prehistoric fragment of North America’s redwood past with this rare Metasequoia occidentalis fossil leaf from Montana’s Muddy Creek Formation.

 

All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Additional information

Era

Oligocene
Origin

USA

Oligocene Information

The Oligocene Epoch (33.9–23 million years ago) was a time of cooling climates and the transition to more modern ecosystems. Following the warm Eocene, global temperatures dropped, leading to the expansion of grasslands and the first permanent Antarctic ice sheets. Forests shrank, and grazing mammals like early horses, deer, and rhinos thrived in open landscapes. Primates evolved, with the ancestors of monkeys and apes appearing. In the oceans, whales diversified, and the first seals emerged. The Oligocene also saw the formation of major ocean currents, which further shaped Earth's climate. This period set the stage for the Miocene, with continued cooling and the rise of more modern mammal species.

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