Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) Fossils - Montana

This is a Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) fossil from the Muddy Creek Formation of Beaver Head County, Montana. The larger frond is 2.1" long (not including the curve). The Metasequoia genus was considered extinct until a living population was discovered in China in 1941. This makes the dawn redwood a classic example of a "living fossil".