Description

Middle Miocene (Mohnian)

Aguajito Shale Member, Monterey Fm.

Carmel, California, USA

65mm branch with cones on 140mm slab.

Cone, Conifer.

A branch with leaves or cones still attached is a very rare plant fossil.  Even rarer are land plant fossils from marine deposits like this one.  Leaves are uncommon and the ones found at that site tend to be incomplete.

This is only the second branch and the only one with cones I’ve seen from there.