The upper Miocene Namyang flora of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: preliminary implication for palaeoclimatic interpretation

The Namyang flora and the initial palaeoenvironmental implications of the Late Miocene Kocham Formation in North Hamgyong Province, northern DPRK, are discussed based on gross morphology. The Namyang megafossil beds are tuffaceous lacustrine deposits consisting mainly of diatomites intercalating with eruptive deposits. The Namyang fossil plant assemblage consists of 31 taxa belonging to 12 families and 20 genera, which was dominated by deciduous angiosperms. The dominant taxa were Zelkova, Fagus, Betula, Tilia, Juglans, Carpinus, and Acer. Spores and pollen data resemble the vegetation type as reflected by macrofossils, though differences exist between macrofossils and pollen records. The Namyang flora is comparable with the modern mixed mesophytic formation in a warm temperate climatic condition from the paleobotanic data. The upper Miocene Namyang flora represents a major resource for Cenozoic continental paleoclimatic interpretations.