Holocene pollen and phytolith data from the Xinglong site in the Bashang Grassland, northern China

The data were systematically collected from a 340 cm sediment profile (TG1E) containing well-stratified deposits from the Paleolithic-Neolithic transition to mid-Neolithic period. 70 contiguous samples were taken in 5 cm interval for multi-proxy analyses. The raw pollen data show a total of 29,447 grains of spore and pollen were identified and counted in the profile, with a total concentration of approximately 51,457 grains/g, including 27,729 grains of angiosperm pollen, 1622 grains of fern spores, 76 grains of algae, 20 grains of bryophyte spores, and an average of approximately 421 grains per sample.

In general, sixty-six taxa were identified, including sixteen woody species, forty one herbaceous plants, seven fern types, one algae, and one bryophyte. Arboreal taxa mainly included Pinus, Picea, Betula, Carpinus, Quercus, Ulmus, Tilia, Acer, Tamarix, Hippophae, Nitraria, Ilex, Spiraea, Ephedra, Pyrolaceae and Elaeagnaceae. Terrestrial herbaceous vegetation featured Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia, Chrysanthemum, Saussurea, Asteraceae, Taraxacum, Aster, Urticaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Brassicaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Campanulaceae, Rosaceae, Sanguisorba, Potentilla, Leguminosae, Polygonum, Labiatae, Thalictrum, Ranunculus, Ranunculaceae, Macleaya, Valerianaceae, Umbelliferae, Papaveracea, Convolvulaceae, Galium, Geranium, Liliaceae, Solanaceae, Saxifraga, Xanthium, Rubiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Crassulaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Humulus and Cyperaceae.