Palm leaf Sabalites sp. USA (Wyoming, Green River Formation), Eocene (50 million years), 95 x 58 cm

The Green River in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming is famous for its vast oil shale deposits and wonderfully preserved fossils. Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming preserves and displays some of these high quality fossils. Leaves and fish are the most common large fossils in the Fossil Lake basin of the Green River. Note that this specimen has its natural colours and the leaves have not been repainted, as is often the case.