Ancient Plants Being a Simple Account of the past Vegetation of the Earth and of the Recent Important Discoveries Made in This Realm of Nature

"Ancient Plants" by Marie Carmichael Stopes is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. This work serves as a comprehensive introduction to fossil botany, aimed at a general audience rather than specialists, making complex concepts accessible to those with only a basic understanding of science. The book discusses the intricacies of past plant life, emphasizing the significance of recent discoveries in the field and fostering a greater appreciation for the evolution of plants over vast geological periods. The opening of the book outlines the importance of studying ancient plants and emphasizes that the remnants of past vegetation, though often fragmented and seemingly unremarkable, hold the potential to reveal fascinating insights into the history of life on Earth. Stopes notes the transformations in the study of fossil botany, illustrating how recent advances in the field have made it possible to glean more information about ancient ecosystems. She underscores the connection between modern and ancient plant life, inviting readers to explore the intricate relationships between different plant species through the lens of their fossilized remains, which reflect the evolutionary journey of flora over time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Marie Charlotte Carmichael Stopes was a British author, palaeobotanist and campaigner for eugenics and women's rights. She made significant contributions to plant paleontology and coal classification, and was the first female academic on the faculty of the University of Manchester. With her second husband, Humphrey Verdon Roe, Stopes founded the first birth control clinic in Britain. Stopes edited the newsletter Birth Control News, which gave explicit practical advice. Her sex manual Married Love (1918) was controversial and influential, and brought the subject of birth control into wide public discourse. Stopes publicly opposed abortion, arguing that the prevention of conception was all that was needed, though her actions in private were at odds with her public pronouncements.