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OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

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impression of floristic impoverishment is valid or merely due to cursory examination of the<br />

material. If the former then it is probable that conditions within the Bass Basin were as wet<br />

(perhumid) but cooler (upper microtherm) than in the Gippsland Basin.<br />

2. North-west Coast<br />

Diverse microfloras are preserved in mudstones at Wilsons Creek in the lower Mersey Valley<br />

in northwestern Tasmania, and a rafted clast of estuarine mud deposited in offshore marls at<br />

Fossil Bluff at Wynyard (Macphail 1996a, M.K. Macphail unpubl. results).<br />

The Wilsons Creek microfloras lack Cyatheacidites annulatus but include two rare taxa<br />

(Mutisiaepollis patersonii, Tricolpites stylidioides) that first appear in the earliest<br />

Oligocene/latest Eocene Lemonthyme Creek and Wilmot Dam sections (Macphail and Hill<br />

1994) and are likely to be no older than Early Oligocene. Dominance is shared between<br />

Lagarostrobos (24%), Podosporites-Prumnopitys (21%) and Nothofagus (Brassospora) spp.<br />

(15%), with lower relative abundances of Nothofagus (Nothofagus) sp. (9%), N. (Fuscospora)<br />

spp. (3%), Osmundaceae (2%), Araucaria (3%), Dacrycarpus (3%), Casuarinaceae (4%),<br />

Proteaceae (3%), Trimeniaceae (3%) and unidentified tricolporates (2%). Rare taxa include<br />

Sphagnum, Cyathea, Dicksonia, a possible pteridosperm (Alisporites simplis), Araucariaceae<br />

(Agathis/Wollemia), Podocarpaceae (Dacrydium, Microstrobos, Phyllocladus), Cyperaceae,<br />

Droseraceae, Ericales, Euphorbiaceae (Austrobuxus-type, Croton-type), Loranthaceae,<br />

Menyanthaceae, Myrtaceae and Sapotaceae.<br />

Foraminiferal evidence indicates that the Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone microflora from<br />

Fossil Bluff was deposited during the earliest Miocene Foram Zone N5. Nothofagus<br />

(Brassospora) spp. are abundant (34%). Frequent to common taxa are Cyathea (10%),<br />

Dicksoniaceae (10%), Osmundaceae (2%), Araucaria (9%), Dacrydium (5%), Lagarostrobos<br />

(3%), Podocarpus-Prumnopitys (7%), Nothofagus (Lophozonia) spp. (4%) and N.<br />

(Fuscospora) spp. (2%). Rare taxa include Lophosoria, Cupressaceae-Taxodiaceae,<br />

Podocarpaceae (Dacrycarpus, Halocarpus, Microcachrys, Microstrobos, Phyllocladus,<br />

Podosporites), Apocynaceae (Alyxia), Chenopodiaceae-Amarathaceae, Ascarina, Ericales,<br />

Euphorbiaceae (Amperea), Ilex, Myrtaceae (Austromyrtus-type, Eucalyptus), Proteaceae<br />

(Agastachys-type, Beauprea, Embothrium, Xylomelum occidentale-type), Quintinia,<br />

Sapindaceae (Dodonaea ericifolia-type, D. triquetra-type) and Winteraceae.<br />

The microfloras represent floristically complex evergreen rainforest lining coastal rivers and<br />

possible strandline communities (Fossil Bluff). Although the cryptogam and gymnosperm<br />

components are relatively diverse, the number of angiosperms is lower than in co-eval<br />

rainforest stands in mainland south-east Australia.<br />

Inferred climate<br />

Conditions are likely to have been cool (microtherm range) and uniformly wet to very wet<br />

(perhumid).<br />

3. North-east<br />

Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone lignites at Pioneer preserve rich microfossil assemblages as<br />

well as macrofossils including tree trunks (Harris 1964b, 1965c, Hill and Macphail 1983).<br />

Dominant taxa are Nothofagus (Brassospora) spp. (49-64%) associated with lower numbers<br />

of Blechnaceae (2-3%), trilete types (1-3%), Dacrydium (2-4%), Nothofagus (Lophozonia)<br />

spp. (up to 5%), Nothofagus (Fuscospora) spp. (up to 4%), Proteaceae (1-3%) and<br />

unidentified tricolporate types (2-3%). Cyathea (6%), Quintinia (2%) and Trimeniaceae (5%)<br />

are occasionally frequent. Osmundaceae, Casuarinaceae, Cunoniaceae, Myrtaceae and<br />

Restionaceae are present in low but significant numbers (~1%). Rare taxa include:<br />

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