OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
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4.2.4 South-West Australia<br />
1. Yilgarn Craton<br />
A depauperate Oligo-Miocene (Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone Equivalent) microflora is<br />
preserved at ca. 50 m depth in Rollo's Bore near Norseman in south-west Western Australia<br />
(M.K. Macphail unpubl. results). Some reworking is evident in that the assemblage also<br />
includes the Early Jurassic species Exesipollnites tumulus. Otherwise the assemblage is<br />
wholly dominated by Nothofagus (Brassospora) spp. (74%) and Casuarinaceae (15%).<br />
Uncommon (< 3%) to rare taxa include lycopods (Foveotriletes balteus, Latrobosporites<br />
marginis), Gleicheniaceae (cf. Sticherus), Cyathea and related trilete spores (Cyathidites<br />
minor), Araucariaceae (cf. Agathis), Dacrydium, Lagarostrobos, Podocarpus-Prumnopitys,<br />
Microcachrys (Microcachrydites antarcticus, Podosporites microsaccatus), Ericales,<br />
Sparganiaceae (Aglaoreidia qualumis), Strasburgeriaceae, Trimeniaceae (Periporopollenites<br />
demarcatus), two Beauprea spp. (Beaupreaidites elegansiformis, B. verrucosus) and a<br />
distinctive but as yet unidentified tetracolporoidate species.<br />
The closest recorded analogues are Oligo-Miocene microfloras preserved in the Alice Springs<br />
District (Macphail 1997a). Frequent Nothofagidites falcatus demonstrates the microflora is<br />
no older than Middle Eocene. The minimum age is more difficult to determine since all<br />
species are long-ranging or (B. verrucosus) possibly have extended time distributions in<br />
south-west Western Australia. However, geological data (P. de Broekert, pers. comm.)<br />
indicate the unit is younger than palaeochannel deposits that preserve diverse Late Eocene,<br />
Middle N. asperus Zone Equivalent microfloras.<br />
Inferred climate<br />
The microflora appears to represent floristically impoverished Nothofagus rainforest or scrub<br />
growing around a freshwater reed swamp. Such a community is ecologically consistent with<br />
relatively cool (lower mesotherm) but uniformly wet (humid) conditions during the Eocene-<br />
Oligocene transition although similar conditions may have persisted into Early Miocene time.<br />
4.2.5 Central southern Australia<br />
1. St. Vincent Basin<br />
Probable Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone Equivalent and Canthiumidites bellus Zone<br />
Equivalent microfloras occur in marine facies in the Barossa Valley (Alley 1989) and St.<br />
Vincent Basin (Rowett 1993b), respectively. In both cases, the age determination is based on<br />
the absence or presence of species that first appear in the late Early Miocene in the Gippsland<br />
Basin, e.g. Canthiumidites bellus.<br />
Pollen dominance in the older (Barossa) microfloras is shared between Blechnaceae (7-13%),<br />
Lagarostrobos (4-36%), Casuarinaceae (5-27%) and Nothofagus (11-29%) associated with<br />
occasionally frequent to common Dacrydium (4-6%), Halocarpus (up to 13%), Proteaceae<br />
(up to 13%) and a possible Meliaceae (8%). A short sequence of three microfloras provide a<br />
broad-brush record of floristic and vegetation change during the late Early-Middle Miocene in<br />
the St. Vincents Basin. The lowermost assemblage is characterised by Lagarostrobos (9%),<br />
Podocarpus-Prumnopitys (6%), Casuarinaceae (13%) and Nothofagus (13%) associated with<br />
rare occurrences of Asteraceae (Tubuliflorae) and Sparganiaceae. The higher microfloras are<br />
characterised by higher values of Cyatheaceae, Podocarpaceae (Dacrydium, Podocarpus-<br />
Prumnopitys), Casuarinaceae, Myrtaceae (5-9%) and Restionaceae (Milfordia<br />
homeopunctata). Araucariaceae (Araucaria, Agathis/Wollemia) and Phyllocladus are<br />
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