An Early to Middle Pleistocene Flora of Subalpine Affinities in Lowland Western Tasmania

Abstract

Macro- and micro-fossil plants are described from Early to Middle Pleistocene sediments at Regatta Point, western Tasmania. The sediments are floristically and lithologically distinct from other sediments at the same site, and contain a precursor to modern subalpine vegetation. The sediments contain foliage, characteristic of modern western Tasmanian subalpine and alpine rainforest species. Pollen and spores suggest the presence of open vegetation similar to modem subalpine heath and herbfield. A number of taxa are inconsistent with modem high altitude vegetation, which suggests re-assortment of plant associations during periods of climate change.