Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 90. (Budapest 1998)

Bajzáth, J.: Plant macrofossils from the Hungarian Pleistocene III. Palaeobotanical study of Győrújfalu, Western Hungary

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 90. Budapest, 1998 pp. 17-26. Plant macrofossils from the Hungarian Pleistocene III. Palaeobotanical study of Győrújfalu, Western Hungary J. BAJZÁTH Department of Education, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1088 Budapest, Ludovika tér 6., Hungary BAJZÁTH, J. (1998): Plant macrofossils from Hungarian Pleistocene III. Palaeobotanical study in Győrújfalu, Western Hungary. - Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 90: 17-26. Abstract - A gravel-pit near Győrújfalu yielded a large number of animal and plant fossils in the last ten years. The assemblage is precisely dated as Günz-Mindcl (Cromerian) interglacial using vertebrate and mollusc biostratigraphy. A complete macrofossil analysis was carried out on the palaeobotanical material. As many as 115 taxa of fossil plants, including Characeae, were identified from the assemblage. Azolla filiculoides, Salvinia nutans, Picea omorikoides, Ostrya carpinifolia, Najas tenuissima, Caldesia parnassifolia, Carex paucifloroides, C. elongatoicles are Tertiary relics in the fossil flora. Various habitats could be reconstructed from the rich fossil assemblage demonstrating a diverse local environment around the meandering river system of the ancient Danube. With 2 tables. INTRODUCTION In two previous papers (BAJZÁTH 1995, 1996) an important and unique Pleistocene locality was reported from Western Hungary. The palaeontological and palaeobotanical records confirmed the age of the site as Günz-Mindel or Cromerian interglacial. This is the first Hungarian locality where the Günz-Mindel interglacial is characterized by micro- and macrovertebrates, molluscs and plants. The first results of the palaeobotanical investigation (macrofossil analysis) were given in the previous publications (BAJZÁTH 1995, 1996). The study included the examination of fossil material obtained from different depths. Here follows a general report of macrofossils (spores, needles, fruits and seeds without wood remains) found in fluvial deposits at 20, 25, 28, 30, 33 m depth. The detailed description and discussion of each taxa is not given here. Only the stratigraphically important species will be mentioned in some detail. Győrújfalu is located in the Szigetköz area along the Danube in the western part of Hungary. During the Quaternary period the Győr Basin area was gradually filling in and eventually the largest alluvial fan of Central Europe (Szigetköz area) developed. The fluvial deposits are more than 400 m thick in the northern region and gradually becomes thin toward the south. Around the examined locality it is only 40 meters thick. According