The significance of a Permian flora from Irian Jaya (West New Guinea) containing elements related to coeval floras of Gondwanaland and Cathaysialand

Abstract

Previous authors have identified Permian floras from the southern side of Irian Jaya as being related to coeval floras of both Gondwanaland and Cathaysia land. Some of the identifications are revised. Many species of Glossopteris, including G. irianii sp. nov., as well as Vertebraria align the flora with Gondwanaland, whereas Gigantonoclea iriani sp. nov. and Fascipteris aidunae sp. nov. demonstrate a clear connection with Cathaysian floras.  Trizygia speciosa and Pecopteris spp. can occur in both floras. The endemic leaf species, Koraua bartonoi gen. et. sp. nov. is compared with genera from India and southern Africa. The spermophyta required direct land connection with both Gondwanaland and Cathaysialand in order to spread into the area. This is possible using Earth reconstructions based on Earth Expansion Theory, but not using reconstructions based on the Plate Tectonics Theory.