Table 2. Percentage of palynomorphs found in each sample through Longling section

Its Late Pliocene palynoflora is of considerable interest, since the area represents a centre of biodiversity. Eighty-two palynomorphs belonging to 61 families were recovered from the lignite.

The palynoflora is dominated by angiosperms (68.3%), with ferns (24.4%), gymnosperms (4.9%) and algae (2.4%). Comparisons indicate that most of the palynoflora was derived from the Montane Humid Evergreen Broad-leaved Forest, with lesser contributions from the Tsuga dumosa Forest and Evergreen Coniferous Broad-leaved Mixed Forest, as well as the Montane Mossy Evergreen Broad-leaved Forest. This indicates that the Late Pliocene climate was cooler than that of the present.