1.1" Detailed Fossil Plant Leafs Metasequoia Dawn Redwood Oligocene Age MT COA
Location: Muddy Creek Formation, Beaverhead County, Montana
Weight: 1.4 Ounces
Dimensions: 3 Inches Long, 2.6 Inches Wide, 0.4 Inches Thick (Plate)
Leaf Dimensions: 1.1 Inches Long, 0.9 Inches Wide
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
The Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) is one of the most famous living fossil tree species, with a lineage that dates back to the age of dinosaurs. Closely related to modern California redwoods, Metasequoia was once widespread across the Northern Hemisphere and known only from the fossil record for decades. Its remarkable rediscovery in central China in 1944 confirmed that this ancient conifer had survived virtually unchanged for millions of years.
Metasequoia is a rare deciduous conifer, shedding its soft needles seasonally—an unusual trait preserved from its prehistoric ancestors. Fossil specimens document its dominance in Mesozoic and early Cenozoic forests, where it thrived in warm, humid climates. Today, the Dawn Redwood grows rapidly, forming a graceful pyramidal shape and reaching heights of up to 120 feet, making it a popular ornamental and landscape tree.
Ideal for fossil collectors, paleobotany enthusiasts, educators, and museums, a Metasequoia fossil offers a powerful connection between prehistoric forests and modern ecosystems, illustrating evolutionary resilience and one of the most extraordinary botanical discoveries in scientific history.
