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A new species of Indian kino tree from the Early Eocene forests of northwestern India


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) 246 174, India, India
2 Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723 104, India, India
 

Two impressed leaflet remains described here as a new species Pterocarpus emarginaticus Patel, Rana and Khan sp. nov., showing close resemblance with the extant leaflets of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Fabaceae), commonly known as the Indian kino tree, have been recorded from the Early Cenozoic sedimentary sequences of the Gurha opencast lignite mine (Early Eocene, Palana Formation), Rajasthan, northwestern India. The diagnostic macromorphological characteristics of the fossil leaflets are elliptical to obovate shape, microphyll size, acute base, characteristic emarginate apex, pulvinate petiolule, entire margin, brochidodromous secondary veins, presence of thin intersecondary veins and reticulate tertiary veins. This is reliable fossil evidence of leaflets similar to modern P. marsupium from India and abroad. The occurrence of this species and the earlier reported angio­sperm, including Fabaceae taxa from the same forma­tion, suggest the existence of a tropical, warm and humid climate during deposition

Keywords

Fossil leaflets, opencast mine, Pterocarpus emarginaticus, Pterocarpus marsupium, sedimentary sequen-ces.
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  • A new species of Indian kino tree from the Early Eocene forests of northwestern India

Abstract Views: 287  |  PDF Views: 151

Authors

Raman Patel
Department of Geology, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) 246 174, India, India
Rajendra Singh Rana
Department of Geology, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) 246 174, India, India
Taposhi Hazra
Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723 104, India, India
Mahasin Ali Khan
Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723 104, India, India

Abstract


Two impressed leaflet remains described here as a new species Pterocarpus emarginaticus Patel, Rana and Khan sp. nov., showing close resemblance with the extant leaflets of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Fabaceae), commonly known as the Indian kino tree, have been recorded from the Early Cenozoic sedimentary sequences of the Gurha opencast lignite mine (Early Eocene, Palana Formation), Rajasthan, northwestern India. The diagnostic macromorphological characteristics of the fossil leaflets are elliptical to obovate shape, microphyll size, acute base, characteristic emarginate apex, pulvinate petiolule, entire margin, brochidodromous secondary veins, presence of thin intersecondary veins and reticulate tertiary veins. This is reliable fossil evidence of leaflets similar to modern P. marsupium from India and abroad. The occurrence of this species and the earlier reported angio­sperm, including Fabaceae taxa from the same forma­tion, suggest the existence of a tropical, warm and humid climate during deposition

Keywords


Fossil leaflets, opencast mine, Pterocarpus emarginaticus, Pterocarpus marsupium, sedimentary sequen-ces.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi10%2F1264-1268