Cercidiphyllum& Joffrea

The Cercidiphyllaceae are today represented by the monotypic genus Cercidiphyllum, a small tree that is native to Japan. This group was much more widespread during the Tertiary, and is represented extensively by fossils in many Tertiary localities in Europe, Asia and western North America.  Leaf fossils are well known, as well as fruits seeds, stems and even seedlings. Joffrea, a plant in this family that has been reconstructed in some detail, is found at the Paleocene Joffre Bridge locality, the same site as our fossil sycamore described below.

On the left you can see the living Cercidiphyllum leaf attached to its stem, on the right, a fossil from the Eocene Republic flora of Washington.