Palmoxylon cliffwoodensis

plant species

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

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Palmoxylon cliffwoodensis is a fossilized palm stem dating back to the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 80 million years ago. It is among the earliest known fossils of palms, a group of flowering plants. This fossil is an example of petrified wood, where minerals, typically silica, have replaced the original wood tissues. The process can be so precise that the internal cellular structure of the original plant is preserved. The discovery of Palmoxylon cliffwoodensis helps scientists understand the early evolution and diversification of palm species.12

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Evolution
…Sabal magothiensis and stems of Palmoxylon cliffwoodensis from the Late Cretaceous, about 80 million years ago. By the middle of the Maastrichtian, some 69 million years ago, pollen supposedly representative of Nypa fruticans and Acrocomia is present. These records place palms among the earliest recognizable modern families of flowering plants.…
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…Sabal magothiensis and stems of Palmoxylon cliffwoodensis from the Late Cretaceous, about 80 million years ago. By the middle of the Maastrichtian, some 69 million years ago, pollen supposedly representative of Nypa fruticans and Acrocomia is present. These records place palms among the earliest recognizable modern families of flowering plants.…
Read More