Pollen diagrams.

A major tool for dating more recent sediments if the study of the assemblage of pollen grains. Pollen grains are amazingly common and almost indestructible. The preparation of samples involves the use of hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and other dangerous chemicals, followed by the use of a high powered microscope - so it is really out of the reach of the amateur. Charts are often produced showing the percentage of tree and non-tree pollen in samples of differing depth (and therefore age). These usually give the Latin name of the plants - here is a list of them with their English names.

Abies - fir

Acer - maple

Alnus - alder

Betula - birch

Corylus - hazel

Cyperaceae - sedges

Fagus - beach

Fraxinus - ash

Juniperus - juniper

Picea - spruce

Pinus - pine

Poaceae - grasses

Quercus - oak

Salix - willow

Tilia - lime

Ulnus - elm