Ancient Clones

This family circle of fossilized stumps grew from the single trunk of an older parent tree, and the three trunks are ancient clones, genetically identical copies of that parent. Modern coastal redwoods also reproduce by stump sprouting: if a redwood is toppled or burned, a ring of new trees often sprouts from burls around the trunk's base. In coastal redwood forests, such family groups are common, but this trio of stone stumps is unique in the world's fossil record. If the main trunk of a redwood is damaged, dormant stems begin growing rapidly, using the parent tree's root system for nourishment and support. Harry D. MacGinitie, a paleobotanist shown with a modern redwood trio in California, excavated fossils at Florissant during the Great Depression years of 1936 and 1937. His work, published in 1953, remains the most comprehensive study of Florissant's fossil plants, and he was the first to compare these fossils with modern vegetation to reconstruct past climate, ecology, and elevation.

Florissant, Colorado · United States