FIFTY YEARS OF PALEOBOTANY, 1906-1956

Abstract

ALTHOUGH FOSSIL PLANTS have been known and recognized as such since the days of antiquity, their scientific study began less than 150 years ago. This comparatively short span of time can be divided into three roughly equal periods. The first of these was the formative period during which the classic works of Sternberg, Schlotheim, Brongniart, Witham, Corda, Unger, and others appeared. The second period may be called the period of exploration-at least as far as the United States are concerned-during which Dawson, Lesquereux, Newberry, Macbride, and Ward did their pioneer work: The third period coincides approximately with the life of the Botanical Society of America. The outstanding events in paleobotany in 1906 were the publication of the first volume of American Fossil Cycads by Wieland and the establishment by the Federal Government of the Petrified Forest National Monument in Arizona. A few years before, at the turn of the century, the seedferns were recognized as such and described in great detail. Since then paleobotanical research has greatlv expanded in scope and now encompasses the whole world, ranging from studies on permafrost in Arctic North America to the petrified forests of Patagonia, and from the coal fields of Korea to the Karroo beds of South Africa, over the whole plant kingdom and all fossiliferous horizons of the geological column. New or improved techniques (providing 50-100 serial sections in place of a single thin section and enabling us to see the other side of the fence) , and new or revitalized interest in paleobotany in many countries outside of Europe have greatly aided this progress and expansion. In short, the last fifty years in paleobotany have been the most productive and influential, as definite outward signs attest. The first and oldest organization of paleobotanists is represented by the Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America. Membership in this Section does not depend upon membership in the parental society. During the Eighth International Botanical Congress in Paris in 1954 an international paleobotanical organization was formed and affiliated with the International Association for Plant Taxonomy. An institute devoted solely to paleobotanical research was founded by the late Professor Birbal Sahni in Lucknow, India. The Palynological Laboratories, Pennsylvania State University, will soon occupy a separate building. Two scientific journals carrying only paleobotanical contributions are currently being published, Palaeonto-