1995-96 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

1995-96
PROJECT 6
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALYNOFAClES OF PETROLIFEROUS
BASINS OF EASTERN INDIA
Programme 6.1 Tertiary floral history of northeast India
Objective
To study morphotaxonomy of megafossils from the Palaeogene
and Neogene sediments of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal
Pradesh
To reconstruct Tertiary floral history, palaeoecology and phytogeography
A number of fossil leaves, fruits and seeds from Tirap and Baragolai collieries of
Makum Coalfield, Assam have been idcntificd with the cxtant taxa, viz., Chamaerops,
Meloeanna, Areca (monocotyledons); Garcinia, Sterculia, Holigarna, Bouea, Saraca, BlItea,
Millettia, Barringtonia, Bassia and Cinnamomum (dicotyledons). The monocotyledonous
taxa including Nipa provide further evidence of the deposition of coal and associated scdiments
in the coastal envirorunenl.
In order to build up Tertiary flora of the region for reconstruction of the
palaeoenvirorunent a large numbcr of plant fossils, viz., leaves, fruits, seeds and woods
were collected from different localities in the Garo Hills. l1,e localities covered wcrc Tura,
Damalgiri, Sorunati Kalai. Charpara, Garobadha and Nangwal.
N. Awasthi & R.C. Mchrotra
Programme 6.2
Objective
Palynostratigraphy of sedimentary rocks in Therriaghat
section and its correlation with Jaintia and Garo Hills sediments
To work Ollt palynostratigraphy of different Tertiary jimnalions
To palynologically differentiate Langpar (Early Palaeocene),
Langpar-Lakadong (Middle Palaeocene), Lakadong­
Umlatodoh-Prang (Early-Middle Eocene), Prang-Kopili (Late
Eocene) and Kopili Barail (Early Oligocene) sediments
To correlate the Therria Ghat assemblages
and Garo Hills
with those ofJaintia
Description ofimportant palynotaxa recovered from Bapung. Mookhep, Thangskai
and Wailynkhot (Meghalaya) was completed. Photography of significant palynotaxa finalized.
Quantitative analysis was also completed. The important palynotaxa are ('yathidites
minrJl; Dandoliaspora dilata, D. tetonata, D. plicala. Lycopodiumsporites specioslls,
Po/ypodiisporites repandlls, Neocollperipollis klltchensis. N. wodehousei,
Matanomadhiasulcites maximus, M kl/tchensis, Spinizonoco/pites echinatlls, Pmxaperlites
microreticlllatlls, Lakiapo/lis ovaills, Retitnbrevico/porites matanomadhensis. 7hangll/oriles
belllls, Trilatisporites kutchensis, etc.
R.K. Kar & Manisha Nanda
III