Four geologic sections in central Alberta which span the contact between the Paskapoo and Edmonton Formations were measured, described, and sampled for their palynological content. Previous studies, mainly of plant megafossils, vertebrates, and nonmarine invertebrates from units slightly above and below the sampled interval, had confirmed a Tertiary age for the Paskapoo Formation and a Late Cretaceous age for the Edmonton Formation.

Many megaspores of the genus Azolla were recovered in every geologic section sampled. Nine species were recorded, eight of which are new and classified according to a new approach based mainly on the nature and structure of the megaspore wall and perispore lamellae. To date, in almost every palynological study, the nature of the "swimming apparatus" has been the primary basis for classification of Azolla megaspore species. The "swimming apparatus" is not well defined on every specimen, which limits the application of a classification based on it. Because the method of classification proposed in this study can be used to identify species from mere fragments of the perispore wall, it may prove to be of greater utility in establishing identifications than the system presently in use.

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