Palaeobotany is blooming: 1970–1979, a review

Abstract

During the ten years covered by this review, the foci of studies in palaeobotany of plant megafossils and certain non-palynological plant microfossils included Precambrian palaeobotany, early vascular plants, Palaeozoic pteridosperms, conifers, and angiosperms. Botanically orientated investigations displayed an increasing use of the electron microscope. Interpretations of palaeoecology and reproductive biology of fossil plants gained increasing momentum. Biostratigraphic studies underwent some new activation but generally took second place to the amount of morphological work. The number of palaeobotanists who completed or received their training during the decade augurs well for the future; there is still much to be done.