PLANT EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY DURING THE EARLY CAINOZOIC DIVERSIFICATION

This chapter reviews current understanding of early Tertiary floras, concentrating on the evidence provided by researchers concerning the evolution and diversification of land vegetation, origination of modern plant groups, and co-evolution of floras and faunas. It also considers early Tertiary floras as a basis for interpreting ancient climates. Areas in which major innovations are occurring, both in study methods and in resultant knowledge are emphasized and selected examples are provided. The chapter attempts to provide sufficient guidance to the literature for most plant groups recorded in the early Tertiary from most areas of the world. Selected aspects of Tertiary floras, considered of particular interest, are also described. Important geological and physical factors that may have influenced plant life in the early Tertiary are introduced and a general overview of the floras themselves and the methods by which they are investigated is provided. © 1990, Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.