A synthetic palaeofloristic study of the Palaeogene plant assemblages of two regions of mid-latitude Eurasia – Sikhote-Alin' (Russia) and Bohemian Massif (Central Europe) brings into focus the influence of volcanic activity and various taphonomical settings on the composition, diversity and relative frequencies of plant elements. The potential importance for the reconstruction of vegetation, environment and palaeoclimatic events during the Palaeogene is discussed on the basis of studies of two distant and floristically diverse parts of Eurasia.