Despite the rich biodiversity of plants in the islands of southeast Asia, modern pollen reference collections are still sparse for this part of the world. With only limited availability of pollen data, the ability to answer questions, regarding climate change and environmental change, to aid archaeological investigations through the reconstruction of past vegetation, or even for modern investigations, is challenging. No palynological work had ever been carried out in the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, before this investigation. During 2007–2008, as part of the ‘Cultured Rainforest Project’, a number of cores were extracted for multi-proxy palaeoecological analysis, including pollen analysis. The cores produced a 50,000-year record of climate, environmental and later anthropogenic change. To aid fossil pollen identification, a modern pollen reference collection was also established. In August 2008, 253 modern plant species from a wide range of habitats were collected from in and around the villages of Bario and Pa'Dalih. Specimens were identified at the Department of Forestry Sarawak Herbarium (SAR), whilst pollen slides from all of the plant specimens were prepared at Queens University Belfast. This paper presents a detailed account of the pollen grains (176 species) collected from the Kelabit Highlands, and from SAR (25 species).

Microfloristic assemblages have been recovered from the Hirnantian-aged Hassi el Hadjar (‘Argiles Microconglomèratiques’) and M'Kratta formations in borehole Nl-2, northeast Algerian Sahara. These formations are genetically related to glacial sedimentary dynamics, and represent, according to previous analysis, glacial diamictites resulting from the melting of the Saharan ice cap, and post-glacial shelf conditions, respectively. Previous studies have analyzed in detail the microplankton (acritarchs and chitinozoans) content of the Nl-2 section, providing precise biostratigraphic control. This contribution presents for the first time a diverse Hirnantian miospore microflora from Algeria, comprising cryptospores and trilete spores, and compares it with previously reported coeval spore assemblages from worldwide localities at different palaeolatitudes. The palynological microfloristic association is mainly characterized by cryptospores in permanent tetrad and dyad configurations, along with minor occurrences of laevigate monads and rare trilete spores. The present results, in conformity with previous suggestions, show apparent planet-scale homogeneity of the bryophyte-like earliest terrestrial flora during Hirnantian times. The diversity and abundance of early land plants was not affected by the Hirnantian glaciation.

The Eastern Himalayan foothills constitute an important part of the Indo-Burma hotspot due to their richness in biodiversity and representative nature for the region. This contribution enhances the data bank on the variation in rich floral diversity from northeast India. Here, we present the first palynological report for the region on palaeovegetation and past climate variations as reflected in the Subankhata swamp of Assam. This is an attempt to show the affinity of the vegetation records of this swamp with Indo-Burma flora based on the remarkable similarity in the trend of vegetation changes over a time period of about 27,000 yrs. The studied palynoassemblage reflects six different vegetational and climatic phases (S-I to S-VI) since the Late Pleistocene. The first phase (S-I) comprises compact organic clay with a little silt. During this phase, a vast lowland savanna forest existed in a cool and dry climate regime similar to what was observed during the Ice Age. Later, during the S-II phase, the forest initially continued with little alteration in tree taxa under a relatively less cool and dry climate. Thereafter, the establishment of forest occurred under the influence of moderate monsoons that led to the onset of a warm and humid climate during the S-III phase which mainly comprises organic clay with silt. During the span of the S-IV phase, vegetation consisting of Dipterocarpaceae, Mesua ferrea, Elaeocarpus and Syzygium are found, indicating warm and humid climatic conditions with high rainfall. The clearance of forest by humans has also been noted in this period. Subsequently, during the S-V zone, the beginning of a gradual decline in arboreals suggests an acceleration in forest clearance, possibly due to human activities as the climate turned warm and less humid. Entering the S-VI zone (probably Late Holocene), a drastic decline occurred in major tree elements, implying relatively dry climatic conditions indicating weakened monsoonal activity. The trend in our findings shows a clear affinity of these variations in the region with the whole Indo-Burma range since the Late Pleistocene.

Sediment samples from the Hoke's Landing area of St. Catherines Island, Georgia, were analyzed for their pollen and spore contents, and were further analyzed for their clay mineralogy and time of deposition. Samples were retrieved from a core collected in July, 2013, and were recovered from a site lying near an early-twentieth-century oyster boiler on the eastern side of the island, the Hoke's Landing oyster boiler. The continuous core was more than 4.5 m long, representing one of the longest continuous cores collected on the island. Palynological and radiocarbon analyses provide significant information concerning the Late Pleistocene and Holocene evolution of the island; one of the most ancient finite radiocarbon ages (31,990 ± 230 years BP) came from the Hoke's Landing site. Clay analyses indicate the presence of montmorillonite, kaolinite and illite, indicating sediment contributions from marine and terrestrial environments. Palynological data show that the freshwater fern Woodwardia grew in abundance at the site nearly 32,000 years ago. Investigation of other strata from the island, and comparison with data derived from other locations on the Georgia coastal plain, were undertaken. Emphasis was placed on the timing and topographic extent of the Pleistocene sea level lowstand along the eastern seaboard of North America. The effects of the eastward migration of the Georgia coastal zone during the lowstand are preserved in sediments at Hoke's Landing, and provide a convincing new source of information concerning the nature of Pleistocene lowstand terrestrial communities in that region.

The ultrastructure of the sporoderm of three genera of the Family Cyatheaceae was studied in detail, with the aim to elucidate its constituent elements. While the perispore of Alsophila and Sphaeropteris is thick and complex, that of Cyathea is reduced and with a different structure; nevertheless, their basic elements seem to be similar. We found that the substructural components are threads with a diameter of 50–100 nm and that each one is composed of an inner channel, around which there are several smaller coiled units. The channels are interconnected and form a complex system, which is continuous within the exospore and in a similar pattern. This network of threads could be related to the transfer of substances between the outer and inner parts of the spores during their development.

The fungal spore Annella capitata Srivastava is recorded for the first time in Argentina, within the continental Jurassic strata of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Cañadón Asfalto Basin, Patagonia. It is identified on pollen grains belonging to the Cheirolepideaceae, Araucariaceae and Podocarpaceae. This paper contrasts A. capitata with ubisch bodies (small sporopollenin spherules attached to the exine). A. capitata has the same characteristics in the different pollen taxa, while the ubish bodies exhibit taxon-dependent differences in ultrastructure, size and morphology. The presence of hyphae and spore germlings reinforces a fungal origin of A. capitata. The degree and type of deterioration associated with these fungal microfossils are presented. Based upon the ecological requirements of the plant families recognized in the Cañadón Asfalto palynoflora, it is inferred that A. capitata Srivastava thrived in low-energy environments under warm-temperate and humid conditions.

Although abundant palaeontological discoveries have been documented in the Daohugou area in Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China, no record of the palynoflora has been reported previously. We collected palynological samples from the same level as megafossil plants, and conducted a detailed taxonomic analysis of the pollen and spores in order to augment the megafossil record, to extend documentation of the Middle Jurassic palynoflora, and to examine implications for palaeogeography, palaeoecology and palaeoclimate in north China during the Jurassic. Forty-four genera and 87 species of palynomorphs were identified. Pollen of gymnosperms dominates numerically, followed by spores of pteridophytes. Most taxa, including bisaccate pollen of conifers, monosulcate pollen of Cycadales, Bennettitales or Ginkgoales, along with Cyathidites, Deltoidospora, Granulatisporites, Osmundacidites and Classopollis, are common elements known elsewhere during the Jurassic. Based on comparisons with similar palyno-assemblages in the Jurassic of China, the age of the Daohugou locality is interpreted to be late Middle Jurassic. According to the palaeobotanical and palaeopalynological information, the Daohugou flora is attributed to the warm-temperate to medium temperate zone with seasonal change. By studying the ecological and climatic preferences of the main plant groups, five types of palaeolandscape in the Jurassic of Daohugou are proposed: (1) mesic upland (Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, Czekanowskiales and Bennettitales), (2) mesic lowland (Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, Ginkgoales, Czekanowskiales and Cycadales, together with some hygrophilous bryophytes, lycophytes and ferns), (3) dry upland (Czekanowskiales), (4) dry lowland (Czekanowskiales and Cheirolepidiaceae) and (5) waterside (plants growing along streams or near lakes, including bryophytes, lycophytes, ferns and probably some pteridosperms). According to the plant assemblage, the Daohugou flora corresponds to that of the Middle Jurassic Northern Floristic Province of China, which experienced a transition from a humid, warm climate to a hotter climate with seasonal drought.