Language: English
Land vascular plants originated in the Late Silurian and Early Devonian, about 400 million years ago. In the evolution of plant kingdom, vascular plants have been developing very well in adaptation to the terrestrial environment by the change in their configurations. Most historical plants have been extinct. New and important data of anatomical structures of fossil plants from the Silurian to the Tertiary have been accumulated in China in the last two decades. Anatomical structures of fossil plants, including 54 species of ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms in China, are described and illustrated in this Atlas. Delicate photographs of flight and scanning electron microscope show the details of epidermal cuticle, ground tissues and vascular structures of leaves, stems, roots, sporangia, and seeds.
1. Preface
2. Introduction
3. Systematics
4. Illustrations
5. Index of Plants
6. Contributors and References
7. Map of Plant Distribution
8. Geological Time Scale
9. Glossary of Terms