Palynology of the Quilon beds of Kerala State in South India II - Pollen of Dicotyledons and discussion

Abstract

This contribution deals with a systematic account of the dicotyledonous pollen recovered from the carbonaceous and calcareous clays of the Quilon Formation of Kerala and a critical analysis of the entire palynological data of this formation. In all, 54 genera encompassing 62 species have been recorded in this paper; of these 7 genera and 44 species are new. The genera abundantly represented are Verrucosisporites, Polypodiisporites, Retipilonapites, Couperipollis, Clavapalmaedites, Paravuripollis, Longapertites, Quilonipollenites, Palmaepollenites, Dicolpopollis, Retitricolpites, Retirescolpites, Foveotricolpites, Ctenolophonidites, Zonocostites, Heterocolpites, Marginipollis, Hippocrateaceaedites, Margocolporites, Sapotaceoidaepollenites, Talisiipites, Verrutriporites, Maculoporites, Myrcipites, Anacolosidites, Clavaperiporites and Ornatetradites.

The abundant occurrence of Polypodiisporites, coupled with Pteridacidites, intrabaculisporis and Eximospora and in conjunction with Dicolpopollis (abundant), Cauveripollis, Maculoporites, Compositoipollenites, Hippocrateaceaedites, pollen-types of Caesalpiniaceae, Sapotaceae and Droseraceae supports Lower to Middle Miocene age assigned to these beds on faunal evidence.

The palynoassemblage indicates a tropical humid type climate with plenty of rainfall. The presence of pollen types related to Barringtonia, Rhizophora, Lumnitzera, Nipa, lriartea, Calamus, Metroxylon, Araliaceae, Sapindaceae, Meliaceae and Droseraceae and the spores of Polypodiaceae and Schizaeaceae testifies to the prevalence of brackish water mangrove swamps along the coastal belt of Kerala.