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Department of Biology, King’s College London (KQC), University of London, Kensington Campus, Campden Hill Road, London W8 7 AH, England
Department of Geology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, England
Two broad categories of peat-forming environments, those dominated by arborescent lycopsids (Carboniferous) and those dominated by taxodiaceous conifers (Cretaceous to Recent) are used to compare some features of plant biology and plant association which would influence peat formation. Significant differences between the two categories indicate that modern analogues for ancient coal-forming environments should always take account of such plant features. Some of the more obvious implications for interpretation of coal-forming environments are discussed. A fuller appreciation of these implications requires greater understanding of the ancient plants and plant communities involved. In particular, both the individual plants and plant assemblages should be taken into account when making environmental interpretations of coal petrological studies and in the calculation of peat to coal compression ratios.
Key Words: peat • coal • Carboniferous • Tertiary • petrology • palaeobotany • palynology • palaeoenvironment • conifers • lycopsids
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