Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 88. (Budapest 1996)

Bajzáth, J.: Plant macrofossils from Hungarian Pleistocene II. Angiospermatophyta in Győrújfalu, West Hungary

Hippuridaceae Hippuris vulgaris LINNAEUS, 1753 Description: The elliptic fruit is 1.6 mm x 0.8 mm in size. On the ventral side the funiculus-line is seen. Discussion: It appeared together with the former species from the Pliocene. It occurs most often in the Pleistocene deposits chiefly among the temperate fades in Europe. Urn belli ferae Oenanthe aquatica (LINNAEUS) POIRET, 1797 (Figs 10-11) Description: 2-3 mm x 1.1-1.6 mm. The shape of the mericarpium is drop like (Figs 10-11). Discussion: This species is a characteristically interglacial plant in Europe. Labiatae Stachys palustris LINNAEUS, 1753 (Figs 8-9) Description: The measure is 1.78-2.25 mm x 1.25-1.5 mm. The shape is rounded oval. The diameter is rounded triangulate (Figs 8-9). Discussion: It is another interglacial species, but occurred from the Pliocene in Europe. THE INTERGLACIAL FLORA Thirty-eight species from 22 genera of angiosperms have been identified. Only three fossils could not be determined on the species level (Table 1). This interglacial flora, including the Characeae and the gymnosperms seems to be very similar to the modern flora of the temperate zone. Some species have a longer history going back to Pliocene; these survived the glacial periods (Stratiotes aloides, Lemna trisulca, Butomus umbellalus etc.). There are no characteristic Tertiary elements in this interglacial layer. Temperature, humidity and acidity values show the ecological requirements of plants (Figs 21-23). PLANT COMMUNITIES AND THE PAST ENVIRONMENT From the seed-flora in GyŐrújfalu various plant communities were reconstructed (Table 2). These différent communities represent a diversity of habitats around the Danube in the catchment area. As we know the fluvial sand and gravel continuously change and move so these fossils can not form an autochthonous assemblage. This locality must have been an old and broad bed of a branch of the Danube. Considering the great quantity of clay lens and tree trunks I can infer frequent and heavy floods at that time (RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA & STARREL 1988). The contents of the clay boulders were very similar so I can suppose that the examined macrofossils (in clay) originated from one