Tertiary and Quaternary fossil wood from Kerguelen (southern Indian Ocean)

Kerguelen is now treeless but forest grew there during the Tertiary. Tertiary fossil wood is common there and was recorded and described by nineteenth century workers. Recently discovered wood from a Pleistocene moraine has shown that trees persisted into the Quaternary. A xylological study helps clarify the history and palaeoecology of the woody vegetation on Kerguelen.