The genus Phyllanthus from the Tertiary of India with critical remarks on the nomenclature of fossil woods of Euphorbiaceae

Abstract

The paper deals with in detail the problem of nomenclature of fossil woods of the family Euphorbiaceae and describes two fossil woods showing a close similarity with the modern woods of Phyllanthus emblica from the Tertiary of India. While one of them belongs to the Tipam sandstones of Assam, the other was collected from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Nawargaon in the Wardha District of Maharashtra. The present findings thus indicate a continuous existence of the modern genus Phyllanthus in India from the early Tertiary till today. Speciation of fossil woods similar in structure and resembling the modern wood of Phyllanthus emblica, from widely separated continents belonging to different ages, has also been discussed.