RARE LARGE OLIGOCENE LEAF FOSSIL FROM BULGARIA - Hvoina Basin - Southwest Bulgaria

OLIGOCENE PERIOD:  38 - 23 million years ago

Leaf fossils are a window into what the Earth looked like in prehistoric times.  We can see a leaf and let our imagination conjure up a field or forest millions of years ago.  Most leaf fossils lack contrast or may seem rather plain in appearance but this spectacular and rare specimen has got to be one of the most impressive specimens we have come across.  Furthermore, it comes from a volcanic ash shale deposit dating back to the Oligocene near the Southwest Rhodope mountain range.  This fossil leaf comes from THE ONLY LOCATION KNOWN that produces these fossils in Bulgaria!  Out of the hundreds we have examined, this one is far above what is typically found at the site.  Due to the immense varieties found unique to this rare site, this is an unidentified species of angiosperm leafy plant.  The leaf has wonderful detail and contrast.  Specimen of exotic provenance and rarity! 

First appearing in the Early Cretaceous, the angiosperms, or flowering plants make up the majority of plant life on the Earth today.  The oldest terrestrial plant life dates back to the Ordovician Period and these plants reproduced asexually.  The latter period angiosperms reproduce sexually through the transfer of pollen by wind and insects to neighboring plants.  Most angiosperm plant fossils are still unidentified due to the immense varieties found.

During the Oligocene Period, this region in the Rhodope Mountains of Southwest Bulgaria experienced numerous Volcanic events.  Entire regions were buried under ash hence the results, stunning fossil preservation of otherwise delicate life-forms not normally prone to such exceptional fossilization.

BEAUTIFUL LEAF FOSSIL WITH STUNNING VEIN DETAIL - ONLY ONE LOCATION KNOWN IN BULGARIA!

5.25" in length x 3.5" wide overall with leaf 5.25" in length

SOLD     PL-004     STAND INCLUDED     Actual Item - One Only

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