The plant of Neomariopteris hughesii (Zeiller) Maithy

Abstract

An attempt has been made to reconstruct the plant of Neomariopteris hughesii based on fifty-five hand specimens collected from the Barakar Formation exposed near Brijraj Nagar Railway Station in the Ib-River Coalfield, Orissa. The limitations of this reconstruction have been realised by the authors as the main trunk of the plant and the fertile structures are not recorded from this very location, however, combined evidence put together from other sources as well suggests that this fern plant could be a small tree based on branched stems of considerable length and width rather than a usual prostrate fern habit. An up-to-date list of all the specimens recorded under the genus Neomariopteris and its six species by various workers from different localities and formations or India has also been given.