The Green River Formation - Fossil Ecosystems of North America: A Guide to the Sites and their Extraordinary Biotas - page 190

those growing on adjacent land areas, and
includes pollen, seeds, leaves, branches,
and flowers. Water plants include delicate
lily pads and cattails, both indicating
freshwater. Land plants include many
extant trees, such as pine, redwood,
poplar, willow, oak, sycamore, maple,
along with climbing ferns, horsetails,
Oregon grape, rose, hibiscus, balloon
vines, soapberry, and sumac. Algae,
stromatolites, and fungi are also found,
but perhaps the plants most associated

with Green River are the enormous palm
fronds of the genus Sabalites ( 213 ), which
may be over 2 m (6 ft) in height. Plant
fossils are often associated with insects and
many plants show bite marks.

Trace fossils
Trackways are not uncommon and include
those made by invertebrates, by wading
birds ( 214 ), some including a 'dabble'
pattern made by the bird's beak as it
probed the mud for food), and rare

213

213 The palm frond SabalitesPC.
Height 2 m 6.6 ft.

214

214 Trackway of wading bird
BHIGR. Length of block 37 cm
14.7 in.