Plant Remains

Uncarbonized organic remains are found in natural and anthropogenic sediments of waterlogged and dry environments. In well-preserved deposits, the anatomy of the plant remains can still be observed. Specific characteristicsof organic remains allow their identification, thus providing information on the nature of the analysed sediments and further augmenting the taphonomic information inherent in the organics themselves. In this chapter, morphological characteristics of wood, wood bark and twigs, tree and shrub leaves, conifer needles, grasses, seeds, roots and mosses are presented.