"Mark Godden's Little Bit Of Cyberspace Mk.II"

A section through a silicified tree trunk (Protocupressinoxylon purbeckensis) from the Lower Purbeck, Bowers Quarry, Portland.

The diameter of this specimen is 230mm at its widest point. It has a very "woody" appearance, complete with annular rings of variable width, but is in fact completely petrified. It is believed that when alive, these conifers would have probably resembled modern Monkey Puzzle trees.

Stromatolitic "Tree Bowl" from Withiescroft Quarry, Portland.

The picture above shows one of a number of stromatolitic "tree bowls" recovered as part of the work to quarry the remaining stone in Withiescroft, Portland. These are very similar to the famous in-situ ones forming the "Fossil Forest" at Lulworth Cove, Dorset. The above specimen contains a silicified tree trunk in the base of the bowl.