08.06.2013 Views

OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

types (M.K. Macphail unpubl. data). Rare taxa include Blechnaceae, Cyathea,<br />

Gleicheniaceae, Schizaeaceae (Lygodium), Araucariaceae (Araucaria), Podocarpaceae<br />

(Dacrydium, Dacrycarpus, Podocarpus-Prumnopitys), Palmae (Longapertites),<br />

Anacardiaceae (Simpsonipollis), Euphorbiaceae (Austrobuxus-type, Mallotus-type), Ascarina,<br />

Convolvulaceae (Merremia-type), Ilex, Myrtaceae (including Eucalyptus), Sapindaceae<br />

(Dodonaea), and a mangrove (Rhizophoraceae).<br />

A much more diverse Middle-Late Eocene microflora is preserved at 582 m depth in<br />

Jacaranda-1 (M.K. Macphail unpubl. results). These appear to represent coastal swamp<br />

communities dominated by Cyperaceae (Cyperaceaepollis neogenicus), Restionaceae<br />

(Milfordia homeopunctata), Casuarinaceae and/or Euphorbiaceae (Austrobuxus-type). Rare<br />

taxa include Isoetes, Blechnaceae, Cyathea, Gleicheniaceae, Schizaeaceae (Lygodium),<br />

Araucariaceae (Araucaria, Agathis/Wollemia), Palmae (Nupharipollis), Caesalpinaceae<br />

(Margocolporites vanwijhi), Cunoniaceae, Didymelaceae, Droseraceae, cf. Elaeocarpaceae,<br />

Euphorbiaceae (Micrantheum, Mallotus-type), Gunnera, Ilex, Myrtaceae (including<br />

Austromyrtus-type, Eugenia, Leptospermum), Nypa, Poaceae, Polygonaceae (Glencopollis),<br />

Proteaceae, Rubiaceae (Guettarda), Sparganiaceae (Aglaoreidia) and Ulmaceae (cf. Celtis).<br />

Inferred Climate<br />

The presence of the subtropical-tropical family Rhizophoraceae and at least three palms<br />

(Longapertites, Nypa, Nupharipollis) indicates climates the Bonaparte Basin were very warm<br />

to hot (megatherm) and seasonally wet (humid) during Middle and possible Late Eocene.<br />

3.2.2 North-East Australia<br />

Microfloras with confirmed or probable Middle to Late Eocene ages are preserved in halfgraben<br />

basins on the central and north-east coast of Queensland., e.g. the Yaamba, Capricorn<br />

and Duaringa Basins (Hekel 1972, McMinn 1980, Foster 1982, Dudgeon 1983), and on the<br />

Northern Tablelands in New South Wales.<br />

1. Duaringa Basin<br />

Microfloras preserved in oil shale deposits are dominated by Botryococcus but include low to<br />

trace numbers of ferns (cf. Blechnaceae, Cyatheaceae), Podocarpaceae (Microcachrys,<br />

Podocarpus-Prumnopitys), Cupanieae, Euphorbiaceae, Nothofagus (Brassospora) spp.,<br />

Proteaceae and Santalum.<br />

2. Yaamba Basin<br />

Middle-Late Eocene microfloras are dominated by Araucariaceae (Araucaria<br />

Agathis/Wollemia), Casuarinaceae, and, sporadically, by, Podocarpaceae (Dacrydium,<br />

Podocarpus-Prumnopitys), Palmae (Arecipites): Myrtaceae, Proteaceae and Nothofagus are<br />

infrequent (

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!