Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) | Montana

Metasequoia
Dawn Redwood
Oligocene epoch
Muddy creek Formation
Beaver Head County, Montana

Specimen approx. size range: 2"-4"

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Metasequoia is a genus of coniferous trees belonging to the family Cupressaceae. It is commonly referred to as the dawn redwood. Fossil evidence shows that Metasequoia has an extensive paleontological history dating back to the Late Cretaceous and flourishing throughout the Paleogene and Neogene periods.

Metasequoia fossils are widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, with occurrences in North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus was particularly abundant during the Eocene and Oligocene, thriving in warm-temperate to subtropical climates.

Unlike most conifers, Metasequoia sheds its needle-like leaves in the fall. The leaves are arranged oppositely along branchlets, distinguishing them from related genera like Sequoia and Taxodium.

Metasequoia thrived in wetland and riparian environments. Its presence in Arctic fossil sites indicates it was adapted to high-latitude conditions with prolonged periods of darkness and light. During the Eocene, when global temperatures were higher, Metasequoia formed extensive forests alongside Ginkgo, Taxodium, and other temperate broadleaf trees.

While the genus nearly vanished from the fossil record after the Pliocene, Metasequoia glyptostroboides survived in isolated valleys of China, making it a famous Lazarus taxon. This living fossil provides a direct link to the widespread Metasequoia forests of the Cenozoic.