Earth Sciences Division
Invertebrate Paleontology | Geology | Vertebrate Paleontology | Paleobotany | Comparative Osteology
Paleobotany
Paleobotany is the scientific study of ancient plants. Paleobotanists learn what plants were like long ago from fossils found in sedimentary rocks. These fossils can be impressions or compressions of the plants left on the rock's surface, or "petrified" objects, such as wood, which preserve the original plant material as rock. Some of our unique holdings include Tempskya fern from east Idaho, and a diverse collection of polished wood slabs from across the western US.