Petrified Hermanophyton Log Hermanophyton taylorii Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation,...

Petrified Hermanophyton Log Hermanophyton taylorii Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Brushy Basin Member East McElmo Creek, Cortez, Colorado, USA Hermanophyton represents a rare genus of an extinct gymnosperm found exclusively in Jurassic deposits around the Colorado and Utah border, with one type specimen in the Henry Mountains, as well as one unique Late Cretaceous example from the Bingeberg-Floeg Sand Pit in Hauset, Belgium. Stems range up to 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, and sections extend over 30 feet (9 meters) in length. Until recently, branching sections had never been found, and it was thought such wood only grew in singular columns. Proven otherwise by this phenomenal offering, this most unusual presentation of the extremely rare and highly collectible material is quite large. Featuring a trio of roundish polished window faces, the piece is so much more than just a log. Presented on a granular tan matrix, a huge split-log section with its longest extension measuring almost 32 inches (81 cm) is the "star" of this ancient botanical scene - with two branches terminating as cut, round and polished window faces. The base of its core stem also has a cut and polished surface, and all three display the colorful and wedge-patterned appearance for which this variety is so popular with collectors. Just an extrapolation of the number of valuable slabs that could have been (or could be) cut from such a massive example of the rare and prized Hermanophyton is hard to imagine. Dating to the Jurassic out of the famous Brushy Basin locality in Cortez, Colorado, this material represents some of the most beautiful and desirable Petrified Wood on the market and is universally prized by serious and institutions collectors for its many numerous attributes. Measurements: 31.89 x 11.02 x 6.69 inches (81.00 x 28.00 x 17.00 cm) HID09710052018 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved