Fossil Leaf (Beilschmiedia) - Green River Formation

This is a well defined Beilschmiedia eocenica leaf fossil from the Green River Formation in Utah. It is Eocene in age and the dark preservation contrasts well against the light colored shale.

The leaf shows signs of being eaten by an insect.

Beilschmiedia is a genus of trees and shrubs in family Lauraceae. Today, most of its species grow in tropical climates, but a few of them are native to temperate regions, and they are widespread in tropical Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America