On the Occurrence of Upper Gondwana Plant Beds near Chintalapudi, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh

Variegated clay-clast-bearing sandstones and purple claystones containing upper Gondwana plant fossils viz. Cladophlebis cf. denticulata, Ptilophyllum sp., Pterophyllum sp., Elatocladus conferta and Elatocladus cf. plana are recorded for the first time near Chintalapudi from the upper part of the 'Chintalapudi Sandstone' hitherto believed to be of lower Gondwana age. The present study has established that the newly identified upper Gondwana rock units belong to the Kota Formation overlying the 'Chintalapudi Sandstone' (= Karnthi Formation) with an unconformable contact.