Fossil Branch with Leaves and Berries

Of the Araliaceae Family

Eocene, circa 50 million years before present

100 x 89 cm

Provenance

Discovered by Liz Lindgren on Lewis Ranch, in the Green River Formation, Wyoming, 3 August 2021.

A remarkably well-preserved botanical fossil, with leaves and small berries, from the renowned Green River Formation.

Both of scientific importance and of such pleasing composition that it seemingly resembles a still life, the present piece is notable for its preservation of even the most fragile structures. Immaculately preserved with life-like quality, it perfectly illustrates what Dr. Lance Grande has called a ‘snapshot from deep time’, and captures an ephemeral moment of prehistoric existence with unparalleled clarity.

The branch, splitting into three main offshoots, exhibits leaves and fruiting structures attached to the stem. A solitary leaf displays damage from leafcutter ants, a subtle hint to the dynamic interactions within the Eocene world. Resting at the branch’s base is a partial fossil of a fish, Diplomystus dentatus, a reminder of the Fossil Lake itself.

POA