An early Triassic palynomorph assemblage has been recorded in a shallow core representing the deposits of a narrow seismic unit subcropping between the Caledonian basement and the Jurassic sediments of the continental shelf off Helgeland, mid-Norway. The palynomorph assemblage is completely dominated by cavate, trilete spores assigned mostly to Densoisporites, Kraeuselisporites and Lundbladispora. Sporadic foraminifera test-linings suggest occasional periods of marine inftuence during deposition of these rocks. An additional Lunatisporites assemblage with marine acritarchs is recorded in one subcrop sample, while another sample contains VittatiTUl spp., reftecting Permian evidence, and indicates that Permian to lowermost Griesbachian rocks are present in the seismic unit. The material accordingly supports the idea that the oldest Triassic of the mid-Norwegian Continental Shelf was deposited under conditions similar to those occurring in East Greenland at the same time.