Tertiary plant Megafossils from the Himalaya - A review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1982.1453Keywords:
Megafloristics, Palaeoecology, Tertiary, Himalaya (India)Abstract
The paper presents a critical review of the Tertiary plant megafossils from the Himalayas falling within the Indian territory. The floral assemblages can be conveniently grouped into two: (i) the pre-Siwalik flora, and (ii) the Siwalik flora. The pre-Siwalik Tertiary plants are poorly preserved and comprise monocotyledonous leaf impressions assigned to the genera Sabalites (palm or palm-like leaves) and Poacites (grass-like leaves), and a few dicotyledonous leaves placed under the genus Dicotylophyllum. The Siwalik flora, so far known, consists of both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous leaf impressions, petrified woods, a few seeds and some freshwater algal remains belonging to Charophyta. The physical conditions around the area of deposition of the plants have been discussed briefly in light of the distribution of their modern equivalents. The scope and the importance of further studies of fossil plants of the Himalayas have been discussed.