European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference 2026

The Late Pliocene (Brunssumian – Reuverian) lignite-bearing deposits of the Wölfersheim Formation in the Wetterau region (Hesse, Germany), have long been known for their abundant and diverse macrofloral (i.e., carpological remains) and palynofloral assemblages. Although the (in some layers massive) occurrence of charcoal has been repeatedly reported from these deposits since the middle of the 19th century, no in-depth studies of these remains have yet been undertaken. Charred wood remains from the former Wölfersheim open-pit mine, curated in the palaeobotanical collection of Senckenberg in Frankfurt, have been analysed by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy to investigate the anatomy and taxonomy of the wood that was part of vegetation affected by palaeo-wildfires during the time of deposition. All charcoal specimens analysed so far exhibit a similar wood anatomical pattern, comparable to that of the fossil-taxon Taxodioxylon. Traces of pre-charring microbial interactions within the wood (i.e., charred fungal hyphae and “shot-like” holes) occur in several specimens, indicating that at least part of the analysed charcoal assemblage most likely originated from logs or twigs of already dead and decaying wood that were subsequently affected by ground or surface fire consuming litter on the forest floor. However, one charcoal specimen displays a peculiar pattern of fungal colonisation, with hyphae forming mycelia within ray cells. This feature indicates colonisation of still living plants by specialised parasitic fungi prior to charring.