Fossil Plants from Cretaceous Laramie Formation

Fossil Plants from Cretaceous Laramie Formation - 11/26/2002
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$Standard construction gear was required at the Northwest Parkway construction site including: hard hats, orange vests, gloves and boots. Here Regan Dunn and Jennifer Haessig have smiles of anticipation as we prepare to dig for fossils in the Cretaceous Laramie formation.\n\nThis locality is designated DMNS #2741.$

Standard construction gear was required at the Northwest Parkway construction site including: hard hats, orange vests, gloves and boots. Here Regan Dunn and Jennifer Haessig have smiles of anticipation as we prepare to dig for fossils in the Cretaceous Laramie formation.

This locality is designated DMNS #2741.

Mark Panuska, PSI (left). Rich Barclay, DMNS (right), talks with construction workers who were very helpful. They walked right up to the formation and immediately handed us nice fossil palm specimens. Notice the lunch bag in Rich's hand - he never ate it because we were frantically digging up fossils in the time allotted by the construction project. The DMNS "Fossil Posse" is very aware of construction deadlines and we try to have little or no impact to the project.

Fossil tree trunk in-situ (upright growth position).

Sedimentary layers showing paleocurrents. Black vertical lines are likely roots or burrows from small creatures.

Close-up of burrows and/or roots.

Portion of a fossil palm. The Cretaceous Laramie formation often doesn't give up these large leaves in one piece. Considerable effort and luck is required to extract the entire leaf and piece it back together with glue.

These palms were very strong leaves to retain their natural 3-dimensional structure through the fossilization process.

Fossil palm

Leaves to be identified.

Leaf to be identified.

Leaves to be identified.

Notice relatively thin layers of sediments with palm on top and other leaves at various levels below, less than 1/2 inch thick.

Regan Dunn (DMNS staff) examines slabs to be split.

Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.

Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.

Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.

Inventory - Box 1

Some of these circular damage marks on this leaf are from insects.

Inventory - Box 2

Leaves to be identified.

$Inventory - Box 3\nOccasionally slabs were recovered that are completely covered with fossil leaves. This slab will be carefully prepared back at the museum using air scribes.$

Inventory - Box 3
Occasionally slabs were recovered that are completely covered with fossil leaves. This slab will be carefully prepared back at the museum using air scribes.

Some of these specimens show great preservation as shown in this leaf with higher order veination easily visible.

Inventory - Box 4

Inventory - Box 5

Inventory - Box 6

Leaves to be identified.

Inventory - Box 7

It is very rare to find a 1998D dime in Cretaceous formations. (just kidding!)

The apex (top) of this leaf will easily be revealed with an air scribe. The light sandstone covering will pop off with a few touches.

Inventory - Box 8

Leaves to be identified.

Inventory - Box 9

Mark Panuska talks with another worker at the site. These 9 boxes represent three-fourths of our finds in our 3 1/2 hours on site.

Rich Barclay and Regan Dunn packing up after the dig. The sun began setting on this easterly hillside about 2:30 pm. By 3:30 pm in late November, temperatures were dropping rapidly.

Center portion of a large fossil palm.

Leaf to be identified.

Notice burrowing from small creatures moving downward and diagonally through the layers of sediment. (The dime is upside-down, the sediments are not.)

Beautiful, multi-colored sediments. Notice the mix of sandstones and mudstones in these upper layers of the Laramie formation at this locality. In the leaf producing layers, it was pure sandstone of a dull yellow color.

$Standard construction gear was required at the Northwest Parkway construction site including: hard hats, orange vests, gloves and boots. Here Regan Dunn and Jennifer Haessig have smiles of anticipation as we prepare to dig for fossils in the Cretaceous Laramie formation.\n\nThis locality is designated DMNS #2741.$ Standard construction gear was required at the Northwest Parkway construction site including: hard hats, orange vests, gloves and boots. Here Regan Dunn and Jennifer Haessig have smiles of anticipation as we prepare to dig for fossils in the Cretaceous Laramie formation. This locality is designated DMNS #2741.	Mark Panuska, PSI (left). Rich Barclay, DMNS (right), talks with construction workers who were very helpful. They walked right up to the formation and immediately handed us nice fossil palm specimens. Notice the lunch bag in Rich's hand - he never ate it because we were frantically digging up fossils in the time allotted by the construction project. The DMNS "Fossil Posse" is very aware of construction deadlines and we try to have little or no impact to the project.	Fossil tree trunk in-situ (upright growth position).	Sedimentary layers showing paleocurrents. Black vertical lines are likely roots or burrows from small creatures.
Close-up of burrows and/or roots.	Portion of a fossil palm. The Cretaceous Laramie formation often doesn't give up these large leaves in one piece. Considerable effort and luck is required to extract the entire leaf and piece it back together with glue.	These palms were very strong leaves to retain their natural 3-dimensional structure through the fossilization process.	Fossil palm
Leaves to be identified.	Leaf to be identified.	Leaves to be identified.	Notice relatively thin layers of sediments with palm on top and other leaves at various levels below, less than 1/2 inch thick.
Regan Dunn (DMNS staff) examines slabs to be split.	Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.	Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.	Notice the beautiful and turbulent sedimentary structure in the layers above the leaf producing section. Fossil wood was found in these layers, but leaves didn't survive in this chaotic deposition.
Inventory - Box 1	Some of these circular damage marks on this leaf are from insects.	Inventory - Box 2	Leaves to be identified.
$Inventory - Box 3\nOccasionally slabs were recovered that are completely covered with fossil leaves. This slab will be carefully prepared back at the museum using air scribes.$ Inventory - Box 3 Occasionally slabs were recovered that are completely covered with fossil leaves. This slab will be carefully prepared back at the museum using air scribes.	Some of these specimens show great preservation as shown in this leaf with higher order veination easily visible.	Inventory - Box 4	Inventory - Box 5
Inventory - Box 6	Leaves to be identified.	Inventory - Box 7	It is very rare to find a 1998D dime in Cretaceous formations. (just kidding!)
The apex (top) of this leaf will easily be revealed with an air scribe. The light sandstone covering will pop off with a few touches.	Inventory - Box 8	Leaves to be identified.	Inventory - Box 9
Mark Panuska talks with another worker at the site. These 9 boxes represent three-fourths of our finds in our 3 1/2 hours on site.	Rich Barclay and Regan Dunn packing up after the dig. The sun began setting on this easterly hillside about 2:30 pm. By 3:30 pm in late November, temperatures were dropping rapidly.	Center portion of a large fossil palm.	Leaf to be identified.
Notice burrowing from small creatures moving downward and diagonally through the layers of sediment. (The dime is upside-down, the sediments are not.)	Beautiful, multi-colored sediments. Notice the mix of sandstones and mudstones in these upper layers of the Laramie formation at this locality. In the leaf producing layers, it was pure sandstone of a dull yellow color.