Rare 10.55" Petrified Seed Fern (Rhexoxylon) Slab - Madagascar

Rare Petrified Seed Fern (Rhexoxylon) Slab - Madagascar #145271

This is something you certainly don't see every day; it's a slab of petrified seed fern (Rhexoxylon sp.) from Madagascar. Nearly 99% of all petrified material from Ambilobe, Madagascar is of the genus Araucaria, making this a truly unique and rare specimen. The round is 10.55" wide and polished to a mirror-like finish on one side. There appear to be some stabilized/filled cracks in this slab.

An acrylic & metal display stand will accompany your purchase.

What Is Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is the name given to wood that has been turned into stone (fossilized) through the process of permineralization. In this process, all of the organic matter becomes replaced by minerals, while much of the original structure, such as tree rings, is retained. For this to happen, the wood needs to be buried in an environment low in oxygen to prevent decomposition and with flowing, mineral-laden water, so minerals may replace structures. The coloration is caused by various minerals that present in that water during fossilization. For example, red colors are due to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.