1991-92 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

BSIPin Mahanadi Valley in comparison to Damodar Valley during Upper Barakar.ArchanaTripathiProcessing of 25 samples of bore hole TCC-20 of Thlcher Coalfield, Orissa wasdone and slides of productive samples were prepared.Studies of the palynological assemblage from bore hole TCW-24 of ThlcherCoalfield, Orissa have revealed the presence of Barakar, Barren Measure andRaniganj sequence in this bore hole. The assemblage equivalent to Barakar assemblageof Damuda Series contains genera like Faunipollenites, Striatites,Scheu:ingipollenites, Paravesicaspora, Striatopodocarpites, etc. with a prominenceof the genus Scheuringipollenites. This assemblage was encountered at 265.45 mdepth onwards upto its last depth (532.30 m). The Barren Measure type of assemblagewas found at 223 m depth with a prominence of Scheuringipollenites­Striatopodocarpites. The palynological assemblage found upto 200.80 m depth ischaracterized by Striatites, Hindipollenites, Verticipollenites, Striatopodocarpitesalong with trilete genera like Cyclogranisporites, Lophotriletes, Horriditriletesand plicate forms. This assemblage has resemblance with Raniganj type of assemblageof Damuda Series.Palynological analysis of samples from bore-hole IBH-6 from Ib- RiverCoalfield has suggested the presence of assemblages equitable to Barakar, Kultiand Raniganj formations of the Damodar Graben. Similar studies in bore-holeRGP-7 from Raigarh Coalfield have revealed the presence of Kulti and Raniganjpalynofloras in this area.K.L.B.N.JanaMeenaProgramme 2.5Objective: Cuticles of Gondwana gymnosperms and ultrastructureof megaspores, seeds and in-situ pollen/spores: To make extensive and exhaustive collections ofleaf specimens of Gondwana gymnosperms, studytheir morphology, make cuticular preparations, establishrelationship between morphography and epidermalfeatures. Objectively identify each species,based on cuticles of extant gymnosperms, ultrastructureof in-situ pollen/spores for fine resolutiontaxonomy and affinitiesA new tripinnately branched fern-like foliage is reported from shales associatedwith Lalmatia Coal seam in the Hura Coalfield, Rajmahal Basin. The foliarshoot is thick and articulate. The ramification of foliage into flabelliform pinnulesof unequal size is seen at the nodes. The foliage is unlike anyone known so farfrom the Gondwana. It, however, does superficially resemble Dactylophyllum16