Molecular features of fossil organic matter in remains of the Lower Cretaceous fern Weichselia reticulata from Przenosza basem

Przenosza (Western Carpathians, Poland) is an important palaeobotanical Cretaceous basement with morphologically well-preserved plant remains. Both the morphology of the macroremains and the microscopic examination of isolated plant cuticles correspond to typical species of coastal swampy palaeoenvironments, mainly the fern Weichselia reticulata (Stokes & Webb). After isolation of the plant remains, the preliminary characterisation of the fossil organic matter was carried out by cross polarization, magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR) spectroscopy and Curie-point analytical pyrolysis. The 13 C NMR suggested a III-type kerogen from predominantly terrestrial material subjected to intense diaand catagenetic transformations. The prominent signal ~130 ppm, indicates Cor H-substituted aromatic structures, and the weak shoulder ~153