This study documents a rare case of a fossilized plant inclusion within a 6-carat specimen of natural Yemeni agate (chalcedony - SiO2 ). Microscopic analysis reveals distinct three-dimensional plant tissue structures with circular cellular patterns. Based on the surrounding strata, the host volcanic rocks are conventionally assigned an apparent age of approximately 30–70 million years ago. However, the specimen's preserved three-dimensional morphology and requirement for rapid silicification are physically incompatible with this lengthy timescale.
This exceptional bio-mineral preservation strongly suggests a localized, much more recent formation event tied to active regional volcanism, pointing to an actual age estimation in the range of thousands of years. This specimen offers crucial insights into rapid biological preservation processes and highlights the intersection of paleobotany and gemology.