What evidence shows that Fagales existed during the Late Cretaceous Period?

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Fagales European beech (*Fagus sylvatica*).

Evidence for the existence of the order Fagales during the Late Cretaceous Period is primarily derived from the fossil record of pollen and specific plant structures.1

Key evidence includes:

Pollen Specimens: The earliest known fossils attributed to the order are pollen specimens recovered from the Campanian Stage (approximately 84 million to 71 million years ago) of the Upper Cretaceous.1
Normapolles Similarity: The pollen of the families Fagaceae and Betulaceae bears a marked similarity to the Normapolles pollen group, which was present during the Cretaceous Period, suggesting a potential evolutionary origin within that assemblage.1
Betulaceae Records: Pollen characteristic of Alnus has been identified in Santonian (about 86 million to 84 million years ago) and Campanian stage deposits in North America and Japan, representing the earliest records for the family Betulaceae.1
Diversification: The Nothofagaceae family appears to have diversified prior to the final separation of Gondwana during the late Cretaceous.1