Brown-pink petrified conifer, wood slice from Arizona, Araucaria, with pink inclusion

A brown-pink fossilized conifer wood slice from Arizona, paleobotanically identified as Araucaria, with a pastel pink inclusion zone. The polished cross-section shows growth rings and medullary rays preserved alongside a sharply defined pink mineralization band.

Fossilized wood from Arizona originates from the Triassic Chinle Formation, a period approximately 225 million years ago. Silica-rich groundwater molecularly replaced the organic matter cell by cell with quartz and agate.

Araucaria is a characteristic coniferous genus of the Triassic and an ancestor of today's monkey puzzle trees. The paleobotanical identification enhances its scientific value beyond generic silicified wood.

The pink inclusion zone documents specific manganese or iron traces during the mineralization phase. Such color-zoned pieces are considered premium paleobotanical classifications.

A paleontological collector's item with documented Triassic Araucaria provenance, gallery dimensions, and unusual color inclusion.