Fossil or Natural?

[diggummup]

I picked this up at an estate sale sometime in the last year or so for little or nothing. I assumed it was a fossil of some sort but never really researched it. O took a closer look the other day at it and now I'm not sure if it is a fossil or not, the indentations don't look too symmetrical to me but I guess it could be erosion causing the look. What do you think, rock or fossil? Stigmaria root?

 

[kingskid1611]

petrified wood? I got some pretty big pieces of petrified wood that have some holes similar to that

 

[kcm]

Really interesting! Getting close to the end of my data cycle, so could only view one pic.

 

[diggummup]

petrified wood? I got some pretty big pieces of petrified wood that have some holes similar to that

That's why I was thinking Stigmaria root. http://www.fossilmall.com/Stonerelic/western/wpf3/wpfossil3.htm

Speaking of petrified wood, I have a few pieces of that too. Nothing big or spectacular though.

 

[Tigger]

Is it limestone? Or is the third pic showing an agate-y spot? There are clams? that burrow into rock that make neat holes - found some great holey rocks in CA. Just another avenue to pursue.

 

[diggummup]

Is it limestone? Or is the third pic showing an agate-y spot? There are clams? that burrow into rock that make neat holes - found some great holey rocks in CA. Just another avenue to pursue.

It's not limestone. No reaction to acid. Here is a better photo showing a more symmetrical look of the indentations-

 

[GoldenEagle09]

Its a lepidodenron fossil I think

 

[diggummup]

Its a lepidodenron fossil I think

Thanks. So Stigmaria was a good guess then.


Stigmaria are a type of branching tree root fossil found in Carboniferous rocks. They were the roots of coal forest lycopsid trees such as Sigillaria and Lepidodendron. Each trunk tended to have four of those roots. Stigmaria is a form taxon, as the genus and species of the plant bearing the root is not identified.