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Summary Fossilized plant–insect herbivore associations provide fundamental information about the assembly of terrestrial communities through geologic time. However, fossil evidence of associations originating in deep time and persisting to the modern day is scarce. We studied the insect herbivore damage found on 284 Eucalyptus frenguelliana leaves from the early Eocene Laguna del Hunco rainforest locality in Argentinean Patagonia and compared damage patterns with those observed on extant, rainforest‐associated Eucalyptus species from Australasia (> 10 000 herbarium sheets reviewed). In the fossil material, we identified 28 insect herbivory damage types, including 12 types of external feeding, one of piercing‐and‐sucking, five of galls, and 10 of mines. All 28 damage types were observed in the herbarium specimens. The finding of all the fossil damage types on extant Eucalyptus specimens suggests long‐standing associations between multiple insect herbivore lineages and their host genus spanning 52 million years across the Southern Hemisphere. This long‐term persistence, probably enabled through niche conservatism in wet eucalypt forests, demonstrates the imprint of fossil history on the composition of extant insect herbivore assemblages. Although the identities of most insect culprits remain unknown, we provide a list of Eucalyptus species and specific population locations to facilitate their discovery, highlighting the relevance of fossils in discovering extant biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The tall eucalypt forests (TEFs) of the Australian tropics are often portrayed as threatened by ‘invasive’ neighboring rainforests, requiring ‘protective’ burning. This framing overlooks that Australian rainforests have suffered twice the historical losses of TEFs and ignores the ecological and paleobiological significance of rainforest margins. Early Eocene fossils from Argentina show that biodiverse rainforests with abundant Eucalyptus existed > 50 million years ago (Ma) in West Gondwana, shaped by nonfire disturbance factors such as landslides and volcanic flows. Humid volcanic environments with eucalypts were also present in eastern Australia over much of the Cenozoic. The dominance of fire‐adapted eucalypts appears to be geologically recent and is linked to Neogene C4 grassland expansion, Pleistocene climate cycles, and human activity. We suggest that characterizing TEFs and rainforests as adversarial results from misinterpreting the evolutionary history and expansion‐contraction dynamics of a single humid forest system, whose features are now heavily modified by human activities. The resulting management practices damage the outstanding World Heritage values and carbon storage of affected areas and thus have impacts far beyond Australia. The fossil evidence shows that rainforest margins preserve ancient, still evolving, and globally significant forest interactions that should be prioritized for restoration and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. Roses have been horticulturally important for centuries, but their biogeographic history has remained largely unresolved. Fossil occurrences indicate that the genus was present in North America by the late Eocene and in Europe and Asia by the Oligocene. Given the age and importance of this genus, it is desirable to update as new fossils are uncovered and technologies advance. Methodology. Specimens preserved in lacustrine shales were studied by reflected light microscopy and micro–computed tomography scanning. Pivotal results. The fossil record of roses is summarized based on stipulate compound leaves and fruiting remains from western North America. Diagnostic characters of foliage and fruiting receptacles confirm identifications of Rosa from late Eocene, Oligocene, and Miocene sites in western North America and distinguish them from European and Asian fossil species. Rose hip species were found to vary in body shape and length of the apical neck. The hips from Colorado and Montana lacked prickles, while those from Oregon bore small prickles on the pedicel. Conclusions. A single largely uniform foliage type, R. hilliae Lesquereux, is recognized in the late Eocene and early Oligocene of western North America, while fruiting remains allow discrimination of two species, R. ruskiniana Cockerell from the late Eocene and early Oligocene of Colorado and Montana and R. mariae sp. nov. from the early Oligocene of Oregon. Another new species, R. packardae sp. nov., is recognized based on hips from the middle Miocene of Oregon. Reproductive structures were distinguished on the basis of differences in calyx lobing, receptacle shape, and epidermal projections on the pedicel. Among extant Rosa species, hip shapes are most commonly globose or subglobose, whereas North American fossils mostly display elliptical or urceolate hips. Urceolate hips in extant species are found in the subgenus Rosa , sections Cinnamomeae or Canieae, indicating potential infrageneric affinities for these fossils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a widely used functional trait in both neobotanical and paleobotanical research that provides a window into how plants interact with their environment. Paleobotanists have used site‐level measures of LMA as a proxy for climate, biome, deciduousness, and community‐scale plant strategy, yet many of these relationships have not been grounded in modern data. In this study, we evaluated LMA from the paleobotanical perspective, seeking to add modern context to paleobotanical interpretations and discover what a combined modern and fossil data set can tell us about how LMA can be best applied toward interpreting plant communities. Methods: We built a modern data set by pulling plant trait data from the TRY database, and a fossil data set by compiling data from studies that have used the petiole‐width proxy for LMA. We then investigated the relationships of species‐mean, site‐mean, and site‐distribution LMA with different climatic, phylogenetic, and physiognomic variables. Results: We found that LMA distributions are correlated with climate, site taxonomic composition, and deciduousness. However, the relative contributions of these factors are not distinctive, and ultimately, LMA distributions cannot accurately reconstruct the biome or climate of an individual site. Conclusions: The correlations that make up the leaf economics spectrum are stronger than the correlations between LMA and climate, phylogeny, morphospace, or depositional environment. Fossil LMA should be understood as the culmination of the influences of these variables rather than as a predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleogene age deposits east of the Fifteenmile River, northwest of Dawson City, Yukon, Canada preserve a diverse high‐latitude fossil flora. Here, we provide new data on the age of the fossil site based on laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) U‐Pb dating of tephra zircons, paleobotanical paleoclimate reconstructions, and growing season length estimates based on photoperiod. These new data indicate an age of the Fifteenmile River fossil locality as late middle Eocene and likely within the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum episode. The paleoflora‐based paleoclimate reconstruction indicates the region was relatively wet and warm with non‐freezing winters, but also experienced seasonal dryness, with an approximate 7 months long growing season as suggested by photoperiod. We interpret this paleoclimate as summer dry and winter wet—a climate analogous to modern day warm Mediterranean climates in the Köppen‐Geiger climate classification system. These findings provide a new perspective on the past climate and environment of high‐latitude ecosystems during warm greenhouse intervals and contribute to our understanding of the Earth's climate history and its potential future changes. Key Points: New U‐Pb data show the Fifteenmile River fossil flora age is late middle Eocene, potentially within the Middle Eocene Climatic OptimumWest central Yukon had a warm Mediterranean climate, with wet, mild winters and a distinct summer‐dry season during the late middle EoceneGrowing season length at high latitudes during greenhouse intervals would be determined by photoperiod, not temperature [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) is a deciduous tree species of the genus Quercus section Cerris (Fagaceae), widely distributed in Europe and Asia Minor. Throughout its vast distribution range, the species carries high phenotypic and genetic variability. Due to its high drought tolerance, Turkey oak may have great potential to be a key tree species in Central and Western Europe under climate change conditions. However, more detailed information on its phylogeny, phylogeography, phenotypic, and genetic variability is still needed for a more careful and reliable assessment of the species' adaptation potential. To this end, based on 41 reviewed articles, we collected detailed information to support the evaluation of Turkey oak's adaptation potential under climate change. In the reviewed articles, we observed a significantly lower number of genetic studies of the members of the section Cerris (especially the Euro-Mediterranean species) relative to the subgenus Quercus. We also identified research gaps with respect to the functional and population genetics of the species that should be addressed in the future. Nevertheless, the different evolutionary background and adaptation strategies of Turkey oak as compared to Central European white oaks, as well as its high phenotypic and genetic variability, may indeed represent a great potential for this species to support the climate adaptation of forestry in Central and Western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When studying the DNA polymorphism of ancient seeds from archaeological excavations, and comparing them with modern ones, it is possible, depending on the evolutionary significance/neutrality of the identified differences, to either find traces of adaptation of genotypes used in ancient times to unfavorable environmental conditions, or to clarify the origin of the samples, establishing additional evidence of trade and economic ties between different regions in different eras. The purpose of this work was to study the DNA polymorphism by comparing the 12th-century barley seeds from the Usvyaty settlement of the Pskov Region and VIR collection accessions of different geographical origin using the CHI and ELF3 gene fragments sequencing data. Of the 18 polymorphic SNP loci identified in the studied genes during the analysis of the barley samples under study, seven SNPs were from the regions amenable for resequencing in ancient DNA samples. The identified allelic changes in those seven SNP loci were neutral and did not lead to amino acid substitutions, therefore they can be used for a comparative analysis of the sample origin. The haplotype revealed in ancient barley based on the seven studied SNPs did not completely coincide with any of the studied accessions from the VIR collection. At the same time, rare alleles showed similarities with a Belarusian cultivar ‘Krinichny’, and the frequently occurring ones with several accessions of H. vulgare L. of different origin (Sweden, Denmark, Armenia), as well as with H. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell.

The persistence and size of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) through the Pleistocene is uncertain. This is important because reconstructing changes in the GrIS determines its contribution to sea level rise during prior warm climate periods and informs future projections. To understand better the history of Greenland's ice, we analyzed glacial till collected in 1993 from below 3 km of ice at Summit, Greenland. The till contains plant fragments, wood, insect parts, fungi, and cosmogenic nuclides showing that the bed of the GrIS at Summit is a long-lived, stable land surface preserving a record of deposition, exposure, and interglacial ecosystems. Knowing that central Greenland was tundra-covered during the Pleistocene informs the understanding of Arctic biosphere response to deglaciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We studied fossil woods from the Neuquén Basin (Mendoza Province, Argentina). • All the fossil woods are conifers. • One fossil species was found, Agathoxylon antarcticum. • Specimens show rotting patterns and dark globules that resemble bacterial activity. An assemblage of four silicified woods from the Neuquén Group (Upper Cretaceous) collected in the Cara Cura Mountain Range, southwest of Mendoza Province, Argentina is described. The specimens are composed of secondary xylem, and the preservation varies among them. Two specimens were assigned to Agathoxylon antarcticum (Poole et Cantrill) Pujana et al., related to Araucariaceae. This fossil-species is characterized by its distinct growth ring boundaries, uni- to biseriate araucarian pitting on tracheid radial walls, and araucarioid cross-fields. Other specimens could not be assigned to a fossil-genus because of their poor preservation, but they show a conifer anatomy. The distinct growth ring boundaries of some specimens suggest annual seasonality. Additionally, the presence of small globose structures in areas of highly degraded secondary xylem is consistent with the erosion bacteria type observed in modern and fossil woods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous new records of Ferganiella, Podozamites, and Schidolepium, including a new species, Ferganiella ivantsovii sp. nov., are described from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) Middle Subformation of the Prisayan Formation from the Euro‐Sinian paleofloristic region in the Irkutsk Basin, Eastern Siberia, Russia. An analysis of the paleogeographic distribution of Ferganiella and Podozamites shows that both genera were the most diverse and numerous in the East Asian province of the Euro‐Sinian region and in the Northern Chinese province of the Siberian region during the Early and Middle Jurassic. These phytochoria were located in the subtropical and temperate subtropical climate zones, which allows us to consider Ferganiella and Podozamites as thermophilic plants, which are important indicators of the Early Toarcian climatic optimum. Their abundance in the Irkutsk Basin thus may indicate Early Toarcian warming; further abundant Schidolepium cones, which produced Araucariacites pollen, typical for Euro‐Sinian flora complement the scenario. Thus, the new finds are the first macrofloristic indicators of the Toarcian climatic optimum in the Irkutsk Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field work focused on the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality, Perm region, Urals, Russia, which contains a rich assemblage of diverse fossil organisms including higher plants (equisetophytes, pteridosperms, ginkgophytes, conifers, vojnovskyans) represented by stems, leaves and reproductive organs; invertebrates (mollusks, arthropods), and tetrapods (temnospondyl amphibians, seymouriamorphs, cotylosaurs, synapsids, diapsids), as well as bony fishes. General characteristics of the taxonomical composition of the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality are given. A new peltaspermalean pteridosperm taxon, Compsopteris longipinnata sp. nov., and a voltzialean conifer Archaeovoltzia kuedensis sp. nov. are described. General considerations on the paleoecologic and paleogeographic conditions of the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality origin are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil woods are preserved as calcareous permineralizations in the Upper Cretaceous Northumberland Formation on Collishaw Point, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada. They are well preserved, often including peripheral tissues, and reveal the diversity and structure of vegetation in the region ca. 72 million years ago. We describe a new genus and species based on two specimens. Two specimens were cut using a rock saw to expose the fossil wood in transverse and longitudinal sections. Thin sections were prepared using the cellulose acetate peel technique. Peels were mounted on slides with Eukitt mounting medium. Anatomical description follows the IAWA guidelines. We compared the anatomy of the fossils with that of other plants using data available in the published literature and the InsideWood database. The combination of wide vessels and high vessel frequency given the narrow diameter of the stem, combined with the abrupt increase in vessel diameter near the pith indicates this plant had hydraulic properties typical of a climbing plant (liana). The anatomy of the rays, the arrangement of the vessels and their pitting, and the thickness of the bark are also consistent with the climbing habit, but not diagnostic of any extant family. This is the second species of liana to be described from the Hornby Island assemblage, providing new information about the composition of structurally complex mixed conifer–angiosperm forests in the Late Cretaceous of western North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menispermaceae are an angiosperm family of mostly climbing plants distributed throughout tropical regions. The fruits in this family have a strong sclerified endocarp and can be used for reliable species‐level identifications, even in a fossilized form. New Paleocene‐age menispermaceous endocarps have recently been discovered in South America and Asia, while in Europe, they are mostly found in the Eocene. This paper focuses on the study of fossil endocarps belonging to Menispermaceae, found in the Petit‐Pâtis locality, which is one of the few Paleocene localities in Europe. The locality is dated to the late Paleocene (57–56 Ma) and the fossils represent flora and fauna in the Paris Basin before the onset of the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. Lignitized fossils were photographed and their morphology was analyzed using computed tomography, scanning electron microscope, and geometric morphometric analysis. The analysis of 36 fossils belonging to Menispermaceae revealed that three genera (Stephania, Palaeosinomenium, Tinospora) were present in the late Paleocene of Paris Basin. Differences in internal morphology and a more inflated endocarp base led to a description of a new fossil species—Palaeosinomenium oisensis sp. nov. The occurrence of these genera in the Paleocene of France is consistent with the suggestion that megathermal flora was present in the Paris Basin before the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. These three genera are currently the oldest occurrences in Europe, highlighting the connection between paleofloras of the Americas, Europe, and Asia in the Paleocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Characterization and phylogenetic integration of fossil angiosperms with uncertain affinities is relatively limited, which may obscure the diversity of extinct higher taxa in the flowering plant tree of life. The order Cornales contains a diversity of extinct taxa with uncertain familial affinities that make it an ideal group for studying turnover in angiosperms. Here, we describe a new extinct genus of Cornales unassignable to an extant family and conduct a series of phylogenetic analyses to reconstruct relationships of fossils across the order. Methods: Two permineralized endocarps were collected from the Cedar District Formation (Campanian, 82–80 Ma) of Sucia Island, State of Washington, United States. Fossils were sectioned with the cellulose acetate peel technique and incorporated into a morphological dataset. To assess the utility of this dataset to accurately place taxa in their respective clades, we used a series of phylogenetic pseudofossilization analyses. We then conducted a total‐evidence analysis and a scaffold‐based approach to determine relationships of fossils. Results: Based on their unique combination of characters, the fossils represent a new genus, Fenestracarpa washingtonensis gen. nov. et sp. nov. Pseudofossilization analyses indicate that our morphological dataset can be used to accurately recover taxa at the major clade to family level, generally with moderate to high support. The total‐evidence and scaffold‐based analyses recovered Fenestracarpa and other fossil genera in an entirely extinct clade within Cornales. Conclusions: Our findings increase the reported diversity of extinct Cornales and indicate that the order's initial radiation likely included the divergence of an extinct higher clade that endured the end‐Cretaceous Mass extinction but perished during the Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the discourse on aesthetic theory can be articulated around an emerging artistic discipline called paleoart. The kitsch phenomenon, which has been extensively discussed in the realm of general art theory, can intrude into areas where aesthetic significance is present. One of these areas is within the framework of paleoart and the artistic reconstructions of the distant past. Although the coordinates of this discipline are highly regulated—relying on other areas of knowledge that converge to reveal the appearance of a lost world—paleoart cannot escape the increasingly widespread loss of the aura of the artwork that Walter Benjamin proclaimed. Paleoart has also not been spared from the ethics and morals of its time, nor from the intrusion of the playful and the lack of original significance as a transfer of scientific knowledge. And it is through this blurry film that kitsch operates to stay. We would then be right to speak of a new term: paleokitsch.

Summary: A minuscule fraction of the Earth's paleobiological diversity is preserved in the geological record as fossils. What plant remnants have withstood taphonomic filtering, fragmentation, and alteration in their journey to become part of the fossil record provide unique information on how plants functioned in paleo‐ecosystems through their traits. Plant traits are measurable morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, or phenological characteristics that potentially affect their environment and fitness. Here, we review the rich literature of paleobotany, through the lens of contemporary trait‐based ecology, to evaluate which well‐established extant plant traits hold the greatest promise for application to fossils. In particular, we focus on fossil plant functional traits, those measurable properties of leaf, stem, reproductive, or whole plant fossils that offer insights into the functioning of the plant when alive. The limitations of a trait‐based approach in paleobotany are considerable. However, in our critical assessment of over 30 extant traits we present an initial, semi‐quantitative ranking of 26 paleo‐functional traits based on taphonomic and methodological criteria on the potential of those traits to impact Earth system processes, and for that impact to be quantifiable. We demonstrate how valuable inferences on paleo‐ecosystem processes (pollination biology, herbivory), past nutrient cycles, paleobiogeography, paleo‐demography (life history), and Earth system history can be derived through the application of paleo‐functional traits to fossil plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palms are known to be an important and diverse angiosperm component in the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Central India. However, the report of fossilized palm stems inhibiting saprophytic fungal remains is empty in the field of paleobotany. Here, we document for the first time the occurrence of fungal remains in a petrified palm stem collected from the latest Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous)-earliest Danian (early Paleocene) sediments of the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. The anatomical features of the fossil stem are characterized by the presence of Corypha-type general stem pattern (progressive decrease of fibrous parts of fibrovascular bundles, fvbs from the periphery towards the center), vaginata-shaped fvbs with dorsal fibrous sclerenchymatous part (dcap) adjacent to the phloem, metaxylem vessel element varying from 1 in the outer part to 2 and more (>4) in the inner central zone, and abundant fibrous bundles in the central zone. Based on these anatomical characteristics, our Deccan specimen is confidently placed under extant Corypha-type coryphoid palm taxa belonging to the family Arecaceae and is recognized as a new species Palmoxylon coryphaoides Ali, Roy et Khan sp. nov. The detailed anatomical study of the fossil stem specimen also reveals that it is endogenously infected with well-preserved fungal conidia similar to the modern saprophytic fungus Epicoccum Link. ex Schlecht that are profusely distributed in the metaxylem vessels. The evidence of the current palm species and earlier-reported fossil palm species similar to Coryphoideae collectively indicate the existence of a tropical, warm, and humid environment in the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of Madhya Pradesh during the time of deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Fossil seeds recovered from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China, are described and assigned to Mongolitria gen. nov., a new genus of gymnosperm seed. Methods: Abundant lignitized seeds along with compression specimens isolated from the matrix were studied using a combination of scanning electron microscopy, anatomical sectioning, light microscopy, synchrotron radiation X‐ray microtomography, and cuticle preparations. A single permineralized seed was examined by light microscopy of cellulose acetate peels and X‐ray microtomography. Results: Two species are recognized, Mongolitria friisae sp. nov. and Mongolitria exesum sp. nov. Both seeds are orthotropous with a short apical micropyle and a small, basal, circular attachment scar. The thick sclerenchymatous integument has a consistently three‐parted organization and about 20 conspicuous longitudinal ribs on the surface. Mongolitria exesum differs from M. friisae primarily in its much larger size and thicker seed coat, which also preserves clear evidence of insect damage. Conclusions: Mongolitria is similar to other fossil seeds that have been assigned to Cycadales, but displays a unique combination of characters not found in any living or extinct cycadaceous plant, leaving its higher‐level systematic affinities uncertain. Germination apparently involved splitting of the integument into three valves. Mongolitria was prominent among the plant parts accumulating in peat swamps in eastern Asia during the Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Leaf epidermal cell morphology is closely tied to the evolutionary history of plants and their growth environments and is therefore of interest to many plant biologists. However, cell measurement can be time consuming and restrictive with current methods. CuticleTrace is a suite of Fiji and R‐based functions that streamlines and automates the segmentation and measurement of epidermal pavement cells across a wide range of cell morphologies and image qualities. Methods and Results: We evaluated CuticleTrace‐generated measurements against those from alternate automated methods and expert and undergraduate hand tracings across a taxonomically diverse 50‐image data set of variable image qualities. We observed ~93% statistical agreement between CuticleTrace and expert hand‐traced measurements, outperforming alternate methods. Conclusions: CuticleTrace is a broadly applicable, modular, and customizable tool that integrates data visualization and cell shape measurement with image segmentation, lowering the barrier to high‐throughput studies of epidermal morphology by vastly decreasing the labor investment required to generate high‐quality cell shape data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. In a 2010 phylogenetic study of Early Cretaceous angiosperms, we confirmed that Endressinia (Aptian) and Archaeanthus (Albian) belong to the magnoliid order Magnoliales, but since then several relevant new fossils and new data on characters have been reported. Here we analyze nine putatively magnolialean fossils, including four from the first half of the Late Cretaceous. Methodology. We evaluated relationships by parsimony analysis of a substantially revised morphological dataset of living and fossil angiosperms, with the arrangement of living taxa constrained to backbone trees based primarily on molecular data. Pivotal results. A study emphasizing fruit anatomy linked Archaeanthus with Liriodendron , but with our dataset the relationships among Archaeanthus , Liriodendron , and Magnolioideae remains unresolved. Endressinia and Schenkeriphyllum are probably sister to Magnoliaceae, rather than associated with Degeneria , Galbulimima , Eupomatia , and Annonaceae, as previously inferred for Endressinia. The Coniacian flower Futabanthus is probably nested within Annonaceae, but the Cenomanian flower Pecinovia is not related to the family. Aptian–Albian fruits and seeds named Serialis and Riaselis may be related to either Austrobaileyales or Magnoliales. The Turonian–Coniacian flower Cronquistiflora may belong in Magnoliales, possibly linked with Eupomatia , but Detrusandra is more likely austrobaileyalean. Affinities of the Cenomanian flower Cecilanthus remain ambiguous. Conclusions. Magnoliales, like other Magnoliidae, were actively diversifying alongside Chloranthaceae, eudicots, and monocots in the middle third of the Cretaceous. Endressinia and Schenkeriphyllum indicate that the line leading to Magnoliaceae originally had inner staminodes, and that the sheathing leaf base and dry fruit wall of Magnoliaceae originated before the loss of staminodes and elongation of the receptacle. The presence of Endressinia and Schenkeriphyllum in northeastern Brazil is consistent with an origin of the magnoliaceous line in Gondwana, and it implies that early Magnoliales could more easily adapt to dry tropical conditions than might be inferred from extant taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil record of the diverse subfamily Passifloroideae (>750 species and 17 genera) is relatively poor. Despite the distinctiveness of its leaves (glandular and often emarginate), most of the fossils from this group have been described from seeds. Fossil seeds have been recovered from Europe, and North and South America. A lack of information on seed morphology for all the genera and tribes of this subfamily has prevented a tribe-level identification of the fossils and a better understanding of their biogeographic patterns. The Passifloroideae is divided into three tribes: Passifloreae with 10 genera, Paropsieae with six genera and the monotypic Jongkindieae. This study provides new descriptions for 15 species from 5 genera from the mostly Afrotropical tribe Paropsieae based on herbarium material, and introduces an online seed database and a key for 100 species of Passifloroideae compiled from literature and direct observations. Our study shows a low morphological diversity among the seeds of Paropsieae in comparison to a much larger diversity within Passifloreae. Some rare morphologies are only present in Passifloreae and can be used to assign seeds to this tribe. Within the Paropsieae, Androsiphonia has seed that are very distinct from those in the other genera in the tribe and also from the rest of the subfamily. The genus Paropsia exhibits two main morphotypes, while the genera Barteria, Paropsiopsis and Smeathmannia have very similar seeds with a highly conserved morphology. These results suggest that living or fossil Paropsieae cannot be identified confidently based solely on seed characters.

The scarcity of pictorial reconstructions focusing on Quaternary flora and vegetation prompts a reevaluation of traditional zoocentrism in future paleoartistic research. Here we present paleoartistic renderings depicting vegetation landscapes around the Orce Archaeological Zone (OAZ), encompassing sites dating from 1.6 to 1.2 million years ago during the Early Pleistocene of the Guadix-Baza Basin in southern Spain. Four pieces are based on fossil pollen data from Venta Micena 1 (VM1), Barranco León (BL), and Fuente Nueva 3 (FN3). The artwork considers altitudinal belt distribution, taxonomic and structural diversity, extinct taxa in the Iberian Peninsula post-Early Pleistocene, and those previously extinct at higher latitudes in Europe. This essay visually represents the coexistence of mesophytic, thermophytic, and xerophytic plant communities within a glacial refugium of woody species. Lastly, employing a non-conventional iconographic approach, we portray a female Homo individual in the forest refugium to draw up on possible adaptive traits of these early Europeans.

PREMISE: Reconstructing the light environment and architecture of the plant canopy from the fossil record requires the use of proxies, such as those derived from cell wall undulation, cell size, and carbon isotopes. All approaches assume that plant taxa will respond predictably to changes in light environments. However, most species-level studies looking at cell wall undulation only consider sun or shade leaves; therefore, we need a fully quantitative taxon-specific method. METHODS: We quantified the response of cell wall undulation, cell size, and carbon isotopes of Platanus occidentalis using two experimental setups: (1) two growth chambers at low and high light and (2) a series of outdoor growth experiments using green and black shade cloth at different densities. We then developed and applied a proxy for daily light integral (DLI) to fossil Platanites leaves from two early Paleocene floras from the San Juan Basin in New Mexico. RESULTS: All traits responded to light environment. Cell wall undulation was the most useful trait for reconstructing DLI in the geological record. Median reconstructed DLI from early Paleocene leaves was ~44 mol m-2  d-1 , with values from 28 to 54 mol m-2  d-1 . CONCLUSIONS: Cell wall undulation of P. occidentalis is a robust, quantifiable measurement of light environment that can be used to reconstruct the paleo-light environment from fossil leaves. The distribution of high DLI values from fossil leaves may provide information on canopy architecture; indicating that either (1) most of the canopy mass is within the upper portion of the crown or (2) leaves exposed to more sunlight are preferentially preserved.

This report presents survey and excavation results from the site of Río Chico, located near the city of Puyo, Ecuador. Currently, Río Chico is the oldest multicomponent village-type mound site of the Pastaza drainage, one of the great rivers of the Amazon basin. It is part of a series of monumental sites in the Upper Amazon of Ecuador but is unique in the area because of its evidence of consumption of certain plants and interregional trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of reproductive morphology and trait evolution provides a vital insight to understand the evolutionary history of plants. The conifer family Podocarpaceae has a remarkable diversity of seed cones, with distinct morphology among the genera and with conifers in general. However, we lack a good understanding of the seed cone morpho-anatomy and trait evolution of Podocarpaceae. We investigated detailed seed cone morpho-anatomy using staining and sectioning techniques to clarify the anatomical, morphological diversity and evolution of functional traits. The presence of a fleshy receptaculum is a characteristic feature of both clades. However, species of Retrophyllum, Afrocarpus and some species of Nageia and Podocarpus form a fleshy sarcotesta-like seed coat, lacking a fleshy receptaculum. The ancestral state reconstructions show a shift between and sometimes within the genus. Although both clades demonstrate fleshiness as an ancestral trait, the shift in fleshy structures provides evidence for complex multiple evolutions of fleshy morphologies. These seed cone traits (e.g., fleshiness and size), along with the broad, flattened and well-adapted (leaf dimorphism) foliage in both clades, are largely congruent with efficient light harvesting and bird dispersal. These traits make these two clades well adapted to their environment, when growing in communities including tall and broad-leaved angiosperms (closed-canopy angiosperm forests), compared to other podocarps, making them more successful in achieving a wider distribution and species richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal balls, in which fossil plants are preserved in permineralized peat deposits, have widely been described from coal deposits representing the tropical forest of the Carboniferous. Coal ball preparation techniques have evolved over the past century, with the cellulose acetate peel method becoming the standard in the 1950s. While coal ball research is not as active as it has been in the past, large collections of coal balls and their respective peels still form a large part of many museum and university collections. This contribution aims to review coal ball preparation methods, curation, and the digital archiving of peels to create a cohesive guide for researchers working with coal balls and other petrified plant material. The physical and digital curation of cellulose acetate peels and other types of coal ball specimens is critical for long‐term preservation and accessibility. Physical curation involves embedding coal balls in media to slow pyrite deterioration. Digital curation creates high‐resolution scans of peels, which can be shared and accessed online. Cellulose acetate peels and their digital curation are a valuable and accessible technique for the analysis of coal balls, and physical and digital curation ensures long‐term preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. In our modern flora, the Cycadales represent one of the oldest-known gymnosperm clades, with their evolutionary roots tracing back to the late Paleozoic. Their radiation and wide distribution in the Mesozoic are well documented by numerous fossils. In contrast, the fossil record of late Paleozoic forms is restricted to a few specimens, thus leaving open questions on the origin and early evolution of cycads. A petrified stem with cycadalean affinity has been found in Saxony (central-eastern Germany) in Holocene gravel deposits of the Zwickauer Mulde river as a result of fluvial transportation from its original lower Permian locality. Methodology. The specimen was sectioned transversely, radially, and tangentially. Its provenance was clarified by comparing fossil woods of various localities in the upstream catchment area. Samples of these localities were exposed to ultraviolet light of different wavelengths, revealing distinctive fluorescence patterns related to specific geochemical conditions during the fossilization process. Plant anatomical studies were performed by macroscopic and microscopic documentation, including photo scanning, microscopic photography, and anatomical measurements. Pivotal results. Cycadodendron galtieri gen. nov. et sp. nov. originates from the Chemnitz Fossil Lagerstätte, an autochthonous floral assemblage of early Permian age (291 Ma; Sakmarian–Artinskian) that has been buried and conserved by pyroclastics in a geological instant. Several anatomical characteristics provide evidence for its cycadalean affinity: (1) a wide pith with numerous scattered medullary bundles, (2) a pith-peripheral vascular system with endarch primary xylem bundles, (3) at least nine successive vascular segments with secondary xylem and phloem, (4) araucarioid-type pitting of secondary xylem tracheids, and (5) primary rays and medullary bundles traversing the vascular segments. Conclusions. Cycadodendron galtieri gen. nov. et sp. nov. provides insights into stem anatomical characteristics of the oldest-known cycads, for example, revealing that polyxyly was an early-derived feature in cycad evolution. Its provenance reveals that the arborescent but generally small taxon was part of intramontane forested landscapes thriving on a well-drained mineral substrate in an alluvial plain setting and experiencing seasonally dry paleoclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing the timing of glacial and nonglacial intervals in the core regions of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) is essential to constrain ice-sheet configuration at times of globally reduced ice volume, such as during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (~57–29 ka). Hudson Bay Lowland (HBL) deglaciation, at the centre of the LIS, has been inferred at MIS 3 based on near-infinite wood radiocarbon ages and limited luminescence ages. To better constrain the age of the penultimate deglaciation of the western HBL, this study initially identified the youngest intertill nonglacial sediments, based on extensive fieldwork and till characterization. Next, vetted radiocarbon ages were combined with revised stratigraphy to show that five previously identified "MIS 3" sites were likely deposited during an earlier ice-free period. Finally, new optical ages targeting the youngest intertill nonglacial bed at three localities yielded ages ranging from 166 to 146 ka; all older than MIS 3. These ages indicate that the penultimate deglaciation of the western HBL likely occurred during MIS 5e. This interpretation better explains accompanying paleobotanic data sets that indicate vegetation similar to vegetation existing under present interglacial conditions. Currently no firm evidence exists in the terrestrial stratigraphic record for the deglaciation of the western HBL during MIS 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First Late Triassic palynological assemblage reported from Nanjing area. • Palynological composition of Fanjiatang Formation indicates a Norian-Rhaetian age. • Paleovegetation was reconstructed combing palynofloral and macrofloral data. • Palynological composition suggests a tropical to subtropical warm and humid climate. The end-Triassic is characterized by a significant biotic crisis in both marine and terrestrial realms. However, terrestrial records in eastern Tethys are relatively limited, especially in eastern China. The Fanjiatang Formation represents the Upper Triassic sequence in southern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces of eastern China, yielding a rich plant and bivalve fossil record. The present study provides the first detailed palynological investigation for the Upper Triassic of Nanjing area, eastern China. Six of twenty processed palynological samples are productive, and more than 70 terrestrial spore and pollen fossil taxa were identified. A palynological assemblage, namely, the Concavisporites – Dictyophyllidites – Kyrtomisporis – Classopollis Assemblage was established, characterized by abundant fern spores, mainly including Concavisporites , Dictyophyllidites and Kyrtomisporis , and much less abundant gymnosperm pollen grains (important taxa include Alisporites , Chasmatosporites , and Classopollis), indicating a Late Triassic Norian–Rhaetian age. In conjunction with previously reported macro-plant data, the palynofloral analysis reveals a vegetation dominated by ferns, with diverse cycadophytes, less abundant lycophytes, bryophytes, equisetales, ginkgophytes and seed ferns, and a few conifers. Paleovegetation and semiquantitative palynological analysis permit a paleoecological interpretation, suggesting a lowland groundcover-dominated vegetation under (sub)tropical warm and humid climate in Nanjing area during this time interval. More detailed palynological and macro-plant data through the whole Upper Triassic in this region are necessary in the future to better reveal the Late Triassic paleoecological settings and variations on land prior to the end-Triassic mass extinction in eastern Tethys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference is held every 4 years. At meetings and seminars of the conference, a wide range of scientific problems related to taxonomy of ancient plants, morphology, nomenclature, as well as the latest results of paleobotanical and palynological research are represented, ways of using them for stratigraphic constructions, paleogeographic, including paleoclimatic reconstructions, and the study of archaeological monuments are discussed. Formulation of the problem. A necessary aspect of today’s scientific research in Ukraine is the integration of the research results of Ukrainian scientists into the world scientific space. An important component in the implementation of this direction is the active participation of scientists in international projects and the presentation of research results at international professional conferences. The presented publication is devoted to an overview of one of these forums. Formulation of the purpose of the article. The main purpose of the article is to highlight the latest directions of the modern stage of paleobotanical and palynological research of the world scientific community, which were represented at the 11th European paleobotanical – palynological conference, as well as the characteristics of the scientific results of Ukrainian scientists, which was presented at this forum. Presenting main material. The 11th European Conference on Paleobotany and Palynology was held in Stockholm on June 19-22, 2022. The conference was jointly organized by the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Stockholm University. The head of the organizing committee and event coordinator was Professor Vivi Vaida. The conference gathered more than 240 delegates from 44 countries of the world, which proves the authority of the conference and the exit of EPPC beyond Europe to the international level. More than 180 oral scientific presentations and about 70 poster presentations were presented during the plenary and sectional meetings. The organizers of the conference condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the support of the Ukrainian scientific community and the people of Ukraine was felt at all stages of the conference preparation. Main scientific directions of symposia work. Work during the conference took place in 35 scientific symposia of various topics, covering almost all modern aspects of paleobotany and palynology. The article provides a general description of the latest research that was discussed at the conference. Achievements of Ukrainian scientists represented at the conference. In total, scientists from Ukraine presented 2 oral reports – O. A. Shevchuk (The first Cretaceous megaspores from Ukraine) and D. O. Pustovoitova (History of palynological research of Mesozoic deposits in Ukraine) and 6 posters – O. A. Shevchuk (Paleobotanical research in Ukraine); O. A. Sirenko (Changes in the vegetation of Ukraine in the Gelasian time (by palynological data)); A. B. Ivanina, A. О. Myronova (Standardized characteristics of the Geminospora extensa Zone from the Givetian of western Ukraine); V. Р. Grytsenko and O. A. Shevchuk (On the collections of fossil plant and algae in the geological department of the National Museum of Natural History at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine); A. I. Martyshyn, O. A. Shevchuk (Taphonomy of tubular fossils (algae) from the deposits of the Late Ediacaran of Ukraine); N. I. Boyarina (The collection of the late Carboniferous plant fossils of the Donets Bassin in the Institute of Geological Sciences of NAS of Ukraine: general review). The scientific reports presented concerned various aspects of paleobotanical and palyno­logical research: historical, taphonomic, stratigraphic, paleogeographic and paleoclimatic reconstructions, review of paleobotanical collections and problems of their storage in modern military conditions. The presented materials covered the results of the study of micro- and macro-plant remains from rocks of all subdivisions of the Phanerozoic (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic), as well as the Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran). Conclusions. At the conference, during the plenary and sectional meetings, considerable attention was paid to the results of research devoted to climate changes and their impact on the biota of high latitudes in the past, as well as reconstructions of the paleogeographic conditions of the formation of deposits of different ages, especially Holocene. Attention is focused on the need to develop new research methods, in particular 3D modeling of paleontological objects, popularization of paleobotany and palynology achievements, preservation of paleontological monuments, interaction of amateur paleontologists with professional paleontologists and scientific institutions and organizations.

Abstract Coal balls, in which fossil plants are preserved in permineralized peat deposits, have widely been described from coal deposits representing the tropical forest of the Carboniferous. Coal ball preparation techniques have evolved over the past century, with the cellulose acetate peel method becoming the standard in the 1950s. While coal ball research is not as active as it has been in the past, large collections of coal balls and their respective peels still form a large part of many museum and university collections. This contribution aims to review coal ball preparation methods, curation, and the digital archiving of peels to create a cohesive guide for researchers working with coal balls and other petrified plant material. The physical and digital curation of cellulose acetate peels and other types of coal ball specimens is critical for long‐term preservation and accessibility. Physical curation involves embedding coal balls in media to slow pyrite deterioration. Digital curation creates high‐resolution scans of peels, which can be shared and accessed online. Cellulose acetate peels and their digital curation are a valuable and accessible technique for the analysis of coal balls, and physical and digital curation ensures long‐term preservation.

Two new species of Eretmophyllum Thomas are described from the lower (Toarcian) and upper (Aalenian) Prisayan Formation of the Irkutsk Basin, Eastern Siberia, Russia based on distinct morphological and cuticular features of the leaves that distinguish them from other species of the genus. Eretmophyllum polypapillosum sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of 2–3 papillae on the lower and upper epidermis of ordinary cells. Taphonomically, the leaf burials of E. polypapillosum sp. nov. indicate that it preferred mesophilic forests developed on river terraces and/or low watersheds. Eretmophyllum yershowskiensis sp. nov. is represented exclusively by leaf cuticles extracted by coal maceration, and it probably inhabited the low banks of peat bogs. The presence of the genus Eretmophyllum in the Early Jurassic of France and Eastern Siberia shows that it was already widespread in the territory of Eurasia, distributed from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia. This indicates the possible existence of Eretmophyllum species elsewhere in the Early Jurassic such as Central Asia and Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This review explores the evolution of extant South American tropical biomes, focusing on when and why they developed. Tropical vegetation experienced a radical transformation from being dominated by non‐angiosperms at the onset of the Cretaceous to full angiosperm dominance nowadays. Cretaceous tropical biomes do not have extant equivalents; lowland forests, dominated mainly by gymnosperms and ferns, lacked a closed canopy. This condition was radically transformed following the massive extinction event at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. The extant lowland tropical rainforests first developed at the onset of the Cenozoic with a multistratified forest, an angiosperm‐dominated closed canopy, and the dominance of the main families of the tropics including legumes. Cenozoic rainforest diversity has increased during global warming and decreased during global cooling. Tropical dry forests emerged at least by the late Eocene, whereas other Neotropical biomes including tropical savannas, montane forests, páramo/puna, and xerophytic forest are much younger, greatly expanding during the late Neogene, probably at the onset of the Quaternary, at the expense of the rainforest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fossil discoveries can transform our understanding of plant diversification over time and space. Recently described fossils in many plant families have pushed their known records farther back in time, pointing to alternative scenarios for their origin and spread.Here, we describe two new Eocene fossil berries of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) from the Esmeraldas Formation in Colombia and the Green River Formation in Colorado (USA). The placement of the fossils was assessed using clustering and parsimony analyses based on 10 discrete and five continuous characters, which were also scored in 291 extant taxa.The Colombian fossil grouped with members of the tomatillo subtribe, and the Coloradan fossil aligned with the chili pepper tribe. Along with two previously reported early Eocene fossils from the tomatillo genus, these findings indicate that Solanaceae were distributed at least from southern South America to northwestern North America by the early Eocene.Together with two other recently discovered Eocene berries, these fossils demonstrate that the diverse berry clade and, in turn, the entire nightshade family, is much older and was much more widespread in the past than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Previous paleobotanical work concluded that Paleogene elements of the sclerophyllous subhumid vegetation of western Eurasia and western North America were endemic to these disjunct regions, suggesting that the southern areas of the Holarctic flora were isolated at that time. Consequently, molecular studies invoked either parallel adaptation to dry climates from related ancestors, or long‐distance dispersal in explaining disjunctions between the two regions, dismissing the contemporaneous migration of dry‐adapted lineages via land bridges as unlikely.We report Vauquelinia (Rosaceae), currently endemic to western North America, in Cenozoic strata of western Eurasia. Revision of North American fossils previously assigned to Vauquelinia confirmed a single fossil‐species of Vauquelinia and one of its close relative Kageneckia.We established taxonomic relationships of fossil‐taxa using diagnostic character combinations shared with modern species and constructed a time‐calibrated phylogeny.The fossil record suggests that Vauquelinia, currently endemic to arid and subdesert environments, originated under seasonally arid climates in the Eocene of western North America and subsequently crossed the Paleogene North Atlantic land bridge (NALB) to Europe. This pattern is replicated by other sclerophyllous, dry‐adapted and warmth‐loving plants, suggesting that several of these taxa potentially crossed the North Atlantic via the NALB during Eocene times. See also the Commentary on this article by Hill & Kahn, 238: 2261–2263. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main critical remarks to the paper by M.G. Moiseeva, A.B. Herman, and A.B. Sokolova entitled "On the Stratigraphic Setting and Composition of the Ayanka Flora from the Upper Cretaceous of Okhotsk–Chukotka Volcanogenic Belt, Northeastern Russia" (Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation, 2022, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 250–272), stated by S.V. Shczepetov in his article "On the Ayanka Flora from the Upper Cretaceous of Northeastern Russia" (Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation, 2022, vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 578–585), are considered. Additional arguments are given to confirm the conclusions we have previously made: (1) all three taphofloras from the Obryvistaya River basin came from the same stratigraphic unit, which, however, is called differently in separate sheets of the 1 : 200 000 State Geological Map of the Russian Federation: Auney Member on the northern sheet and Makkoveem Formation on the southern one; (2) according to the composition of the plants of these taphofloras, all of them are approximately coeval and can be considered as a unified Ayanka flora; (3) the most probable age of the Ayanka Flora is Santonian–Campanian, since it is undoubtedly the most similar to the Santonian–Campanian floras of Northeastern Russia and Northern Alaska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This artistic research focuses on vegetal histories from and about Donbas, Ukraine, a land which once was an exemplary mining region of the Soviet Union and where in 2014 the ongoing war broke out. In order to re-examine dominant representations of the region through the frames of industrialisation and war, the study engages with scholarship in paleobotany and explores the vegetal past of coal, the fossil at the heart of Donbas' history. Through drawing and writing this research brings together plant fossils, recent interviews with internally displaced persons and critique of colonial depictions of the steppe as an empty space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The Lower Cretaceous Crato Konservat‐Lagerstätte (CKL) preserves a rich flora that includes early angiosperms from northern Gondwana. From this area, the recently described fossil genus Santaniella was interpreted as a ranunculid (presumably Ranunculaceae). However, based on our examination of an additional specimen and a new phylogenetic analysis, we offer an alternative interpretation. Methods: The new fossil was collected from an active quarry for paving stones in the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. We assessed support for alternative phylogenetic hypotheses using a combined analysis of morphological data and DNA sequence data using Bayesian inference. We used a consensus network to visualize the posterior distribution of trees, and we used RoguePlot to illustrate the support for alternative positions on a scaffold tree. Results: The new material includes a flower‐like structure not present in the original material and also includes follicles preserved at early stages of development. The flower‐like structure is a compact terminal cluster of elliptical sterile laminar organs surrounding internal filamentous structures that occur on flexuous axes. Phylogenetic analyses did not support the fossil placement among eudicots. Instead, Santaniella appears to belong in the magnoliid clade. Conclusions: The presence of seeds in a marginal‐linear placentation and enclosed in a follicle supports the fossil as an angiosperm. However, even though most characters are clearly recognizable, its combination of characters does not provide strong support for a close relationship to any extant order of flowering plants. Its position in the magnoliid clade is intriguing and, based on plicate carpels, it is definitely a mesangiosperm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tell Khamîs, an archaeological site of the Syrian region of Upper Jazeera, is 3 km east of the Euphrates and 31 km from Yarâblûs (ancient Karkemiš); archaeological excavations determined seven different levels (Early Bronze, Middle Bronze, Aramaic, Assyrian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Islamic). This study aims to identify plant remains recovered during the excavation of the site and to place them within the chronology of Tell Khamîs and in the context of the archaeobotanical evidence for the Upper Euphrates. A total of 88 sediment samples were collected, and seeds, recovered via flotation, were identified using optical and SEM microscopy. A total of 20,606 whole remains and 37,646 fragments belonging to 92 taxa and 35 plant families were identified. Seed lists were compared with those from other sites, and the results were analyzed using multivariate techniques. Barley is particularly noteworthy for the number of remains; this species was found in 49 different samples, notably, in a silo of about 4 m3 in volume. Middle Bronze Age and Assyrian levels are the richest in remains; the site presents a maximum of documented activity in the Middle Bronze Age period, and the most interesting taxa from a paleoenvironmental and cultural point of view are represented by one or a few seeds.

Summary: The terrestrial biota is a crucial part of the long‐term carbon cycle via the deposition of biomass as coal and other sedimentary organic matter and the impact of plants, fungi, and microbial life on the weathering of silicate minerals. Understanding these processes and their changes through time requires both geochemical modeling of the system as well as expertise in the living and fossil biotas and their ecological interactions, but details of these components are often lost in translation between disciplines. Here, we highlight misconceptions of the long‐term carbon cycle that most frequently infiltrate the literature and hamper progress: mass balance requirements, the nature and duration of perturbations, opposing timescale constraints on biological and geological processes, and the role of models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference is held every 4 years. At meetings and seminars of the conference, a wide range of scientific problems related to taxonomy of ancient plants, morphology, nomenclature, as well as the latest results of paleobotanical and palynological research are represented, ways of using them for stratigraphic constructions, paleogeographic, including paleoclimatic reconstructions, and the study of archaeological monuments are discussed. Formulation of the problem. A necessary aspect of today's scientific research in Ukraine is the integration of the research results of Ukrainian scientists into the world scientific space. An important component in the implementation of this direction is the active participation of scientists in international projects and the presentation of research results at international professional conferences. The presented publication is devoted to an overview of one of these forums Formulation of the purpose of the article. The main purpose of the article is to highlight the latest directions of the modern stage of paleobotanical and palynological research of the world scientific community, which were represented at the 11th European paleobotanical - palynological conference, as well as the characteristics of the scientific results of Ukrainian scientists, which was presented at this forum Presenting main material. The 11th European Conference on Paleobotany and Palynology was held in Stockholm on June 19-22, 2022. The conference was jointly organized by the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Stockholm University. The head of the organizing committee and event coordinator was Professor Vivi Vaida. The conference gathered more than 240 delegates from 44 countries of the world, which proves the authority of the conference and the exit of EPPC beyond Europe to the international level. More than 180 oral scientific presentations and about 70 poster presentations were presented during the plenary and sectional meetings. The organizers of the conference condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the support of the Ukrainian scientific community and the people of Ukraine was felt at all stages of the conference preparation. Main scientific directions of symposia work. Work during the conference took place in 35 scientific symposia of various topics, covering almost all modern aspects of paleobotany and palynology. The article provides a general description of the latest research that was discussed at the conference. Achievements of Ukrainian scientists represented at the conference. In total, scientists from Ukraine presented 2 oral reports - O. A. Shevchuk (The first Cretaceous megaspores from Ukraine) and D. O. Pustovoitova (History of palynological research of Mesozoic deposits in Ukraine) and 6 posters - O. A. Shevchuk (Paleobotanical research in Ukraine); O. A. Sirenko (Changes in the vegetation of Ukraine in the Gelasian time (by palynological data)); A. B. Ivanina, A. О. Myronova (Standardized characteristics of the Geminospora extensa Zone from the Givetian of western Ukraine); V. Р. Grytsenko and O. A. Shevchuk (On the collections of fossil plant and algae in the geological department of the National Museum of Natural History at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine); A. I. Martyshyn, O. A. Shevchuk (Taphonomy of tubular fossils (algae) from the deposits of the Late Ediacaran of Ukraine); N. I. Boyarina (The collection of the late Carboniferous plant fossils of the Donets Bassin in the Institute of Geological Sciences of NAS of Ukraine: general review). The scientific reports presented concerned various aspects of paleobotanical and palynological research: historical, taphonomic, stratigraphic, paleogeographic and paleoclimatic reconstructions, review of paleobotanical collections and problems of their storage in modern military conditions. The presented materials covered the results of the study of micro- and macro-plant remains from rocks of all subdivisions of the Phanerozoic (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic), as well as the Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran). Conclusions. At the conference, during the plenary and sectional meetings, considerable attention was paid to the results of research devoted to climate changes and their impact on the biota of high latitudes in the past, as well as reconstructions of the paleogeographic conditions of the formation of deposits of different ages, especially Holocene. Attention is focused on the need to develop new research methods, in particular 3D modeling of paleontological objects, popularization of paleobotany and palynology achievements, preservation of paleontological monuments, interaction of amateur paleontologists with professional paleontologists and scientific institutions and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant fossils play an important role in understanding landscape evolution across the Tibetan Region, as well as plant diversity across wider eastern Asia. Within the last decade or so, paleobotanical investigations within the Tibet Region have led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of how the present plateau formed and how this affected the regional climate and biota. This is because: (1) Numerous new taxa have been reported. Of all the Cenozoic records of new plant fossil species reported from the Tibet (Xizang) Autonomous Region 45 out of 63 (70%) were documented after 2010. Among these, many represent the earliest records from Asia, or in some cases worldwide, at the genus or family level. (2) These fossils show that during the Paleogene, the region now occupied by the Tibetan Plateau was a globally significant floristic exchange hub. Based on paleobiogeographic studies, grounded by fossil evidence, there are four models of regional floristic migration and exchange, i.e., into Tibet, out of Tibet, out of India and into/out of Africa. (3) Plant fossils evidence the asynchronous formation histories for different parts of the Tibetan Plateau. During most of the Paleogene, there was a wide east-west trending valley with a subtropical climate in central Tibet bounded by high (>4 km) mountain systems, but that by the early Oligocene the modern high plateau had begun to form by the rise of the valley floor. Paleoelevation reconstructions using radiometrically-dated plant fossil assemblages in southeastern Tibet show that by the earliest Oligocene southeastern Tibet (including the Hengduan Mountains) had reached its present elevation. (4) The coevolution between vegetation, landform and paleoenvironment is evidenced by fossil records from what is now the central Tibetan Plateau. From the Paleocene to Pliocene, plant diversity transformed from that of tropical, to subtropical forests, through warm to cool temperate woodland and eventually to deciduous shrubland in response to landscape evolution from a seasonally humid lowland valley, to a high and dry plateau. (5) Advanced multidisciplinary technologies and novel ideas applied to paleobotanical material and paleoenvironmental reconstructions, e.g., fluorescence microscopy and paleoclimatic models, have been essential for interpreting Cenozoic floras on the Tibetan Region. However, despite significant progress investigating Cenozoic floras of the Tibetan Region, fossil records across this large region remain sparse, and for a better understanding of regional ecosystem dynamics and management more paleobotanical discoveries and multidisciplinary studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Over the last few decades, numerous geological studies have been carried out in the South Shetland Islands, which have greatly contributed to a better understanding of its geological evolution. However, few attempts have been conducted to correlate the geological units throughout this archipelago. We present herein a review of the literature available in the South Shetland Islands, which we use to propose a lithostratigraphical correlation that constitutes a coherent stratigraphy for the main Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks of the South Shetland Islands along with a new geological map. The lithostratigraphical correlation shows that the geological and environmental evolution comprises three main stages: 1) deep marine sedimentation from ∼164 to 140 Ma, 2) subaerial volcanism and sedimentation with a proliferation of plants and fauna from ∼140 to 35 Ma and 3) glacial and interglacial deposits from ∼35 Ma. The lithostratigraphical correlation also shows a broad geographical trend of decreasing age of volcanism from southwest to northeast, which has been previously suggested. However, this spatial age trend is disrupted by the presence of Eocene magmatism in Livingston Island, located in the centre of the archipelago. We suggest that the migration of volcanism occurred from the Late Cretaceous until the early Eocene. Subsequently, enhanced magmatic activity took place from the mid-Eocene until the Miocene, which we associate with processes related with the waning of subduction. Constraining the protolith age of the metamorphic complex of Smith Island remains challenging, yet holds key implications for the tectonic and accretionary evolution of the Antarctic Peninsula. The rocks recording the glaciation of this sector of Antarctica are well exposed in the northern South Shetland Islands and hold critical information for understanding the timings and processes that lead to the greenhouse to icehouse transition at the end of the Eocene. Finally, contemporaneous rocks to the breakup of Antarctic Peninsula from Patagonia that led to the opening of the Drake Passage and the development of the Scotia Sea are exposed in the centre and north of the South Shetland archipelago. Better constraints on the age and tectonic settings on these units may lead to further understanding the paleobiogeographical evolution of the region, which may have played an important role for speciation as a land bridge between South America and Antarctica. The dataset containing the geological map and associated information is shared as a shapefile or KML file.

Chloranthaceae were one of the first common lines during the early radiation of angiosperms, possibly reflecting adaptation to more open habitats. Phylogenetic analyses clarify the position of Cretaceous mesofossils in molecular trees of Recent taxa. Plants that produced Asteropollis pollen, with tepals adnate to a single carpel, are nested in crown group Chloranthaceae with Hedyosmum; Canrightiopsis, with three stamens and no perianth, is sister to Sarcandra and Chloranthus; and Canrightia is a stem relative that illustrates a still bisexual stage in floral reduction. Plants that produced Pennipollis pollen are related to Chloranthaceae and/or Ceratophyllum rather than monocots. Appomattoxia, which produced Tucanopollis pollen, has equivocal affinities, but Pseudoasterophyllites, with similar pollen and stems with reduced leaves, may be a link between Chloranthaceae and Ceratophyllum. These results imply that flowers became unisexual before losing the perianth, while bisexual flowers in Canrightiopsis, Sarcandra, and Chloranthus are secondarily derived from unisexual flowers.

A paper by M.G. Moiseeva et al. on the Ayanka flora from the nonmarine Cretaceous of Northeast Asia is critically reviewed. It is shown that this paleofloristic object cannot be considered as a paleoflora since taphofloras composing it are significantly different in their systematic composition, and the stratigraphic relations of their host deposits are uncertain. The authors of the paper under review believe that all three paleofloristic assemblages of the "Ayanka flora" are Santonian–Campanian in age which seems to be not quite justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]