JURASSIC FOSSIL PINE CONE (CUT AND POLISHED) - Argentina

JURASSIC FOSSIL PINE CONE
Polished slice

Araucaria mirabilis
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​​​​160 million years old
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Santa Cruz, Patagonia, Argentina

Cut and polished slice of the cone of an extinct coniferous tree, a relative of the monkey puzzle.

The cones were preserved when the forest was engulfed in the ash from a volcanic eruption. These were very tall trees and it has been suggested that the long necks of sauropod dinosaurs may have evolved specifically to browse on the foliage high up in the canopy. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This slice is polished on both sides.

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