Palynostratigraphy and Palaeoecology of Early Eocene palynoflora of Rajpardi lignite, Bharuch District, Gujarat

Abstract

The palynoflora recovered from carbonaceous clay, shale and lignite samples of Rajpardi lignite mine is represented by angiospermic pollen belonging to palms and arborescent dicotyledons, pteridophytic spores and fungal fruiting bodies. In all, 35 genera and 46 species are recorded which are dominated by dicotyledonous pollen. The present assemblage also comprises some significant taxa, viz., Matanomadhiasulcites maximus, Retimonosulcites ovatus, Lakiapollis ovatus, Tribrevicolporites eocenicus, Tricolporopilites robustus, Dermatobrevicolporites dermatus, Laevigatopolycolpites rotatus and Lanagiopollis spp., etc., in which some of the palynotaxa have been assigned to various extant families. On the basis of similarity with modern taxa, it is envisaged that these fossil palynotaxa were the representative of tropical to subtropical vegetation belonging to swamp habitat. This assemblage is correlated with Naredi Formation, Kutch as well as other contemporaneous deposits of India and an Early Eocene age has been assigned. The stratigraphic significance and botanical affinity of the palynofloral have also been discussed.