Scanning electron microscope and light microscope study of selected palynomorphs from late Miocene sediments of Sofia Basin, Southwest Bulgaria

Abstract

This article is focused on pollen morphology of some of the most abundant fossil pollen types from late Miocene sediments in Sofia Basin (Southwest Bulgaria). The investigation includes detailed morphological characteristic of the pollen types using observations under light and scanning electron microscope. Materials from the C-14 core near the village of Katina are the subject of this study. The age was determined as middle and upper Pontian on the basis of molluscs and mammals. Three pollen types from gymnosperm plants (Glyptostrobus type, Pinus diploxylon type and Tsuga canadensis type) and ten pollen types from angiosperm plants (Alnus sp., Betula sp., Carpinus sp., Corylus sp., Quercus robur type, Ulmus sp., Liquidambar sp., Juglans sp., Carya sp., Chenopodiaceae gen. ind.) have been described.