The recognition of the base of the Westphalian D Stage in Britain

Abstract

AbstractThe I.U.G.S. Subcommission on Carboniferous Stratigraphy recommends that the base of the Westphalian D is best recognized using plant macrofossils. In Britain, however, South Wales is the only coalfield where the distribution of the plants is sufficiently well known for them to be used to locate this boundary. Elsewhere in Britain other criteria have been used, particularly non-marine bivalves and plant microfossils, but these must be regarded with considerable caution.