Pet Fern

[carloscinco]

I was sifting through my pet wood pile today, looking for the next victim and came across this piece which I believe may be a type of fern, or something other than tree wood. I copied the following quote from the Petrifiedwoodmusuem website.
"The trunk of Psaronius was unbranched and clothed in a thick mass of descending roots near the bottom. Along the trunk leaf scars marked former positions of fronds. These circular scars are diagnostic of species." I think this may describe the surface of this specimen.

closeup:

I chipped some off the end to see what it may look like on the inside and it looks promising:

Please comment if you have an idea about what it may be,Thanks, Carlos

[kk]

Can't help with ID, but looking forward to see whats inside.

[Sabre52]

Carlos, I think Darwin Dillon calls that stuff fern bud and I've found some of those too, though not as nice as yours, and they look like fern to me. Kind of tough though because one has to assume there were other monocots than fern or palm around too, yuccas, sotols, palmetto, cycad roots etc but the bud looking formations sure make e think fern.....Mel

[jamesp]

Mr Dillon would call that fern root. I agree with Mel.
Look at the 'veins' or tubes in that stuff Carlos
www.flickr.com/photos/97769244@N00/sets/72157624373748835/

[rockjunquie]

jamesp Boy, that sure looks like a dead ringer, great catch! I have a slab of fern tree from Brazil, but it is more jasper like, not agate like. It's neat looking stuff, though.

[jamesp]

South Texas was a palm forest when settlers first moved there. It must have been a jungle in prehistoric times, covered w/fossilized tropical
vegetation Tela. Carlos has great spots to collect them.

[beefjello]

Definitely looks promising! Cut that baby up!!

[carloscinco]

I cut across the end of this piece. The orange spots are soft and would ruin a tumble. I'll just keep it as a specimen.

Thanks

[riverbendlapidary]

Yep, South Texas stuff for sure. Want to sell it?

[jamesp]

Glad you shared that Carlos. You also have pet grapevine. I never have seen that one.

[carloscinco]

Thanks for the offer but I think I'll holt on to it for a bit.
Pet grapevine... I may have thrown that one out with the pet crabgrass.

[jamesp]

check it out Carlos

Petrified Pink Grapevine Wood nevada fossil wood, 4 specimens, the largest measures 2 3/4" x 1 1/2" x 1 1/4". Polished. Dug at Texas Springs, near Jackpot Nevada. Tumble polished.

Another on Ebay