Well, that's exactly what I though made the peat which later became coal... The prehistoric landscape was quite similar to the rainforest, and of course when the plants (like ferns and trees) lost their leaves or died they would end up on the damp shady floor where they became peat. In summary, plant matter is placed in water with microbes and partialy decomposes in to peat, then after millions of years being compressed under layers of new plant matter it turns in to coal.

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:169754

The message m
from Bry contains these words:

Well, that's exactly what I though made the peat which later became
coal... The prehistoric landscape was quite similar to the rainforest,
and of course when the plants (like ferns and trees) lost their leaves
or died they would end up on the damp shady floor where they became
peat. In summary, plant matter is placed in water with microbes and
partialy decomposes in to peat, then after millions of years being
compressed under layers of new plant matter it turns in to coal.

They didn't become peat, which is made by the partial decomposition of
mainly green vegetation.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm