Palmostroboxylon arengoidum sp. nov.: A fossil Palm Peduncle resembling Arenga from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Shahpura, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

A fossil palm peduncle, Palmostroboxylon recovered from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of the village Ghugua in Shahpura, Madhya Pradesh, has been described. The fossil specimen closely compares with the peduncle of the extant genus Arenga, a member of Caryotoidae. It is characterised by the presence of fibrovascular bundles with Lunaria-type sclerenchymatous dorsal sheath, two metaxylem vessels associated with 2-4 protoxylem vessels and fused fibrovascular bundles.