Neocouperipollis - A new name for Couperipollis Venkatachala & Kar

Abstract

Venkatachala and Kar instituted Couperipollis in 1969 selecting Monosulcites perspinosus Couper (1953) as the type species. Couper did not provide photograph for this species but instead gave a line drawing showing an oval shape, well-developed colpus and spines with a bulbous base and pointed tip. Later workers could not locate this or any other specimen from the slides made by Couper as per his diagram. Location of pollen as per illustration of Couper from other localities of the same formation was also not fruitful and only polyporate forms comparable to extant Asteraceae or Malvaceae could be found Couperipollis recorded from Palaeocene-Eocene of India are monocolpate and spinose and are not related to Asteraceae or Malvaceae, so a new genus, viz., Neocoupenpollis is proposed here to accommodate them.