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An Introduction to Plant Fossils

ISBN: 9780521715126 | 0521715121
Edition: 1st
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Pub. Date: 10/30/2009

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SummaryTable of Contents
A practical introduction to the study of plant fossils. It summarises plant groups occurring as fossils, explains modern research techniques and outlines features for identifying plant fossils, with wide-ranging examples and illustrations. An ideal guide for students on introductory or intermediate courses in palaeobotany, palaeontology and plant evolution, and amateurs.
This book provides an excellent practical introduction to the study of plant fossils, and is written for those who have had little previous experi... MORE
Prefacep. ix
Introductionp. 1
What is a plant?p. l
How do plant fragments get into the fossil record?p. 2
Types of plant fossilp. 3
Where are plant fossils found?p. 7
Bias in the fossil recordp. 10
Why do we study plant fossils?p. 12
Recommended readingp. 13
Highlights of palaeobotanical study... MORE
The beginnings of palaeobotanyp. 14
The importance of coalp. 16
Anatomical studiesp. 20
Coal ballsp. 21
Coal petrology and palynologyp. 23
The Glossopteris flora and continental driftp. 25
Early land plantsp. 28
The age of cycadsp. 29
Flowering plantsp. 33
The future for palaeobotanyp. 35
Recommended readingp. 37
Studying plant fossilsp. 38
Morphology of adpressionsp. 38
Macrophotographyp. 38
Transfersp. 39
Cuticles and epidermal structuresp. 40
Extracting in situ pollen and sporesp. 41
Dispersed pollen and sporesp. 42
Three-dimensionally preserved plant fossilsp. 42
Prepared castsp. 42
Sectioning anatomically preserved fossilsp. 44
Reconstructing whole fossil plantsp. 46
Naming plant fossilsp. 46
Phylogenetic analysisp. 49
BiostraLigraphy and palaeobiogeographyp. 49
Curationp. 52
Site conservationp. 52
Recommended readingp. 54
Early land plantsp. 55
Alternating generationsp. 55
Adapting to life on landp. 57
Cryptospores and the earliest land plantsp. 59
The first vascular plantsp. 59
The Rhynie Chert florap. 63
Zosterophyilsp. 64
Trimerophytesp. 66
Progymnospermsp. 67
Recommended readingp. 71
Lycophytesp. 72
The earliest herbaceous lycophytesp. 72
The beginnings of modern herbaceous lycophytesp. 77
Increase in size and arborescencep. 79
Cuticles and paper coalp. 85
Rooting structuresp. 86
Reproductionp. 88
After the giantsp. 90
Recommended readingp. 92
Sphenophytesp. 93
Origin and systematic position of the sphenophytesp. 93
Pseudobornialesp. 94
Sphenophyllalesp. 96
Archaeocalamitaceaep. 97
Calamostachyaceaep. 99
Gondwana sphenophytesp. 104
Modern sphenophytesp. 104
Recommended readingp. 105
Fernsp. 106
The first fernsp. 109
Modern fernsp. 109
Marattialesp. 110
Other Late Palaeozoic fernsp. 113
Ophioglossalesp. 114
Filicalean fernsp. 115
Osmundaceaep. 115
Schizaeaceaep. 120
Gleicheniaceaep. 121
Matoniaceaep. 122
Dipteridaceaep. 122
Dicksoniaceae and Cyathaceaep. 125
Polypodiaceous fernsp. 127
Tempskyap. 130
Heterosporous fernsp. 131
Recommended readingp. 134
Early gymnospermsp. 135
What are ovules and seeds?p. 135
Gymnosperm reproducrionp. 136
What plants did gymnosperms evolve from?p. 137
The pteridospermsp. 138
Lyginopteridalesp. 139
Medullosalesp. 142
Callistophytalesp. 147
Peltaspermsp. 149
Glossopteridsp. 150
Cordaitesp. 153
Recommended readingp. 156
Modern gymnospermsp. 157
Early conifersp. 157
Modern conifersp. 163
Ginkgoalesp. 165
Cycadsp. 166
Bennettitalesp. 172
Caytonialesp. 174
Other gymnosperm groupsp. 175
Gnetalesp. 175
Recommended readingp. 177
Angiospermsp. 178
What makes an angiosperm?p. 178
Woodp. 180
Ancestors of the angiospermsp. 181
The earliest angiospermsp. 184
Cretaceous angiospermsp. 186
Wind pollinated angiospermsp. 192
The rise of the monocotyledonsp. 192
Cenozoic angiospermsp. 195
Recommended readingp. 202
The history of land vegetationp. 203
Silurian Period (416-443 Ma)p. 203
Devonian Period (359-416 Ma)p. 203
Carboniferous Period (299-359 Ma)p. 204
Permian Period (251-299 Ma)p. 208
Permian/Trias sic (P/T) Extinction Eventp. 209
Triassic Period (200-251 Ma)p. 209
Jurassic Period (146-200 Ma)p. 211
Cretaceous Period (66-146 Ma)p. 212
Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) Extinction Eventp. 214
Palaeogene and Neogene Periods (1.8-67 Ma)p. 215
Quaternary Period (1.8 Ma to present)p. 217
Recommended readingp. 220
Referencesp. 221
Indexp. 230
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.


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