Annual Report 2011-2012 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

EBIRBAL SAHNI INSTITUT
Annual Report 2011-2012
1946
OF PALAEOBOTANY
Thrust Area:
Project 14.1:
FRONTIERS IN PALAEOBOTANICAL RESEARCH (Reconnaissance
Projects to aid in development of future research direction)
Carboniferous land plants in the Himalaya (Spiti): Phytogeographic and palaeogeographic
implications
The studied specimens from the Spiti area include
Asterophyllites sp., stems, trace fossils, conifer axes and
Psilophytes axes. The work carried out in this project is
being finalized for publication.
K.J. Singh [& S.K. Parcha (WIHG)]
Project 14.2: Megaflora and palynology of the Kargil Molasse
Compiled the palaeofloral (leaf impressions, sporespollen,
algal and fungal remains) and gyrogonites of
charophytes records recovered from the Kargil and
Tharumsa formations (Kargil Molasse Group) of northwest
Ladakh Himalaya.
R.C. Mehrotra, Madhav Kumar & AK Ghosh
[& Ashok Sahni (Chandigarh) & K. Kumar (WIHG)]
Project 14.3:
Chronology, palaeobotany and magnetostratigraphy of the Rajmahal volcano-sedimentary
succession
Compiled the palaeofloral records recovered from
the Intertrappean beds of the Rajmahal Basin. The
palynoflora from the bed at Moti Jhama yielded long
ranging taxa (Auracariacites, Callialsporites,
Podocarpidites) occur from Jurassic to Early
Cretaceous. No significant age marker taxa could be
observed. Hence precise age could not be defined.
Archana Tripathi (superannuated w.e.f. 31.07.2009) & B.N.
Jana (superannuated w.e.f. 30.06.2009) [& Kanchan Pande
(IITB) & G.V.R. Prasad (Jammu)]
Project 14.4: Neyveli lignites: Biostratigraphy and palaeoecology
Analysis of samples from Neyveli lignite mine,
Tamil Nadu revealed a diversified assemblage of algal
and fungal remains, pteridophytic spores and angiosperm
pollen. Significant palynotaxa in the assemblage are:
Proxapertites,
Monocolpopollenites,
Acanthotricolpites, Retipollenites, Tricolpites,
Marginipollis,
Pelliceroipollis,
Dermatobrevicolporites, Lanagiopollis,
Tribrevicolporites, Retitrescolpites, Meliapollis,
Palaeosantalaceaepites,
Rhoipites,
Dipterocarpuspollenites, Cruciferoipollenites,
Verrutricolpites, Ctenolophonidites, Jacobipollenites
and Clavaperiporites. Based on the present day
distribution of the families represented (Schizaeaceae,
Cyatheaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Arecaceae, Meliaceae,
Rhizophoraceae, Bombacaceae, Araliaceae and
Caesalpiniaceae), a tropical climate with plenty of rainfall
has been inferred during the sedimentation of Neyveli
lignite deposits. A good representation of tropical rain
forest elements belonging to Alangiaceae and
Ctenolophonaceae with good number of pteridophytic
spores indicates tropical climate with plenty of rainfall.
The environment of deposition has been deduced as
coastal, ranging from back-mangrove to mangrove with
a short transgressive phase before the deposition of lignite.
Rahul Garg (superannuated w.e.f. 30.11.2010) &
M.R. Rao & Poonam Verma [& Ashok Sahni (Chandigarh) &
R. Nagendra (Anna Univ, Chennai)]
www.bsip.res.in
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