Re: the P-T boundary

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@ix.netcom.com>]

At 05:55 PM 7/4/97 -0400, Ron Dass wrote:
>and conifers, once major players, took a back seat to angiosperms.

This was well underway *prior* to the K-T extinction.  I have made a
considerable study of the Late Maastrictian floras of the US and Canada,
and they have a distinctly modern flavor.  And virtually identical floras
are known (at least at the generic level) from as late as the Eocene.  I
think only a botanist would be able to tell the difference just from
walking around in the woods of the latest Cretaceous.

In fact the most "unusual" feature of the floras that I can think of is the
presence of palms in what are otherwise warm temperate floras. And they are
angiosperms.

The most common conifer was _Sequoia_, then occupying niches similar to
those its close relative, the bald cypress, occupies today.

--------------
May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com
                                          sfriesen@netlock.com