The geomorphological dynamics of the Barranco de Taburiente gorge, in La Palma (Canary Islands), has exposed sub-fossil organic layers in its riverbanks and margins, in which a large number of woody remains have been recovered. Samples have been located along ~3 km of the river and are clustered in three sites. Radiocarbon dating of the remains indicates that the recovered samples date from the late Holocene and have been identified as Pinus canariensis, a pine species that may have long been dominant and stable in the landscapes of the Caldera. The deposition of the remains could be explained by a single geomorphic event related to a humid (and probably torrential) episode. The factors that would explain the persistence of these pinewoods are discussed.
