Palynological studies in the Lower Siwalik sediments of Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, India

Mahesh Prasad; E.G. Khare; K. Ambwani; Sanjai Kumar Singh

doi:10.54991/jop.2011.179

Authors

Mahesh Prasad Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007, India
E.G. Khare Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007, India
K. Ambwani Geology Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow 226 007, India
Sanjai Kumar Singh Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2011.179

Keywords:

Palynology, Lower Siwalik, Middle Miocene, Palaeoecology, Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The present study highlights for the first time recovery of the Lower Siwalik palynoassemblage comprising algal, fungal, pteridophytic spores, gymnosperms and angiosperm pollen from an exposed section on Nahan-Ponta Saheb Road, Himachal Pradesh. The qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed that the algal and fungal spores are dominated by angiosperms, followed by pteridophytes and gymnosperms. The angiosperms show their maximum percentage in the total assemblage. Algal remains are feeble in number. The important taxa recovered are: Psiloschizosporis microreticulatus sp. nov., Notothyrites sp., Lacrimasporonites barrelicus sp. nov, Lygodiumsporites lakiensis Saxena, Polypodiisporites perverrucatus Nandi, Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveni Germeraad et al., Todisporites kutchensis Sah & Kar, Pinuspollenites crestus Kar, Araucariacites sp., Podocarpidites ruminatus sp. nov., Palmaepollenites kutchensis Venkatachala & Kar, Palmidites naviculus Kar & Saxena, Palaeomalvaceaepollis mammilatus Kar, Retimonosulcites circularis sp. nov., Retitribrevicolporites nahanensis sp. nov., Ligulifloraedites pilatus Kar, Pseudonothofagidites kutchensis Kar, Meliapollis quadrangularis (Ramanujam) Sah & Kar. On the basis of their affinities with modern equivalents, a humid tropical to subtropical climate has been indicated encompassing some fresh water bodies during the deposition of these sediments in this area. The gymnospermous taxa (cf. Pinus, Podocarpus and Araucaria) were possibly derived from uplands of nearby area.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Banerjee D 1968. Siwalik microflora from Punjab (India). Review of Palaeobotany & Palynology 6: 171-176.

Clarke RT 1965. Fungal spores from Vermejo Formation coal beds (Upper Cretaceous) of Central Colorado. Mountain Geologist 2: 85- 93.

Cookson IC 1947. Plant microfossils from the lignites of Kergueten Archipelago Report of B.A.N.Z. Antarctica Research Expedation 1929-1931, Research Series A, 2: 127-142.

Croizat L 1952. Manual of Phytogeography. Uitgeveri –Junk, The Hague.

Couper RA 1953. Distribution of Proteaceae, Fagaceae and Podocarpaceae in some southern hemisphere Cretaceous and Tertiary beds. New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Sect. B 35: 247-250.

Couper RA 1958. British Mesozoic microspores and pollen grains. A systematic and stratigraphic study. Palaeontographica 103B: 75- 119.

Dutta SK & Sah SCD 1970. Palynostratigraphy of the Tertiary sedimentary formations of Assam: 5 Stratigraphy and Palynology of South Shillong Plateau. Palaeontographica 131 B: 1-62.

Elsik WC 1968. Palynology of Palaeocene Roekdale Lignite Milam Country Texas. Transaction of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies 19: 509-528.

Germeraad JH, Hopping CA & Muller J 1968. Palynology of Tertiary sediments from tropical areas. Review of Palaeobotany & Palynology 6: 189-348.

Hutchinson J 1973. The families of flowering plant. Oxford: 1-968.

Jain RK 1968. Middle Triassic pollen grain and spores from Minas De Petroleo beds of the Cacheuta Formation (Upper Gondwana), Argentina. Palaeontographica B122: 1-47.

Kar RK 1969. Palynology of the North Karanpura Basin, Bihar, India- 4. Sub surface palynology of the bore hole no. K-5. Palaeobotanist 17: 9-21.

Kar RK 1979. Palynological fossils from the Oligocene sediments and their biostratigraphy in the district of Kutch, western India. Palaeobotanist 26: 16-49.

Kar RK 1985. The fossil flora of Kachchh IV Tertiary Palynostratigraphy. Palaeobotanist 34: 1-280.

Kar RK & Saxena R 1976. Algal and fungal microfossils from Matanomadh Formation (Palaeocene), Kutch, India. Palaeobotanist 23: 1-15.

Kar RK & Saxena RK 1981. Palynological investigation of bore core near Rataria, Southern Kutch, Gujarat. Geophytology 11: 103-124.

Mandaokar BD 1991. Palynology of Miocene rocks around Maibong, Assam. Geophytology 20: 293-309.

Nandi B 1972. Some observation on the microflora of Middle Siwalik sediments of Mohand (East) field, Himachal Pradesh. Proceeding of Seminar, Palaeopalynology Indian Stratigraphy Calcutta: 375-383.

Nandi B 1975. Palynostatigraphy of the Siwalik Group of Punjab. Himalayan Geology. 5: 11-423.

Navale CGK 1961. Pollen grains and spores from Neyveli Lignite, south India. Palaeobotanist 10: 87-90.

Potonié R 1934. Zur Microbotanik Des Oecanen Humodils des Geihatall (in zur microbotanik der kohlen und ihrer Werwandton). Preubischen. Geologischen Landesabstalt 4: 55-125.

Potonié R 1951. Die bedeutung der Sporomorphen fur die Gesellschaftsgeschichte Compte Rendu 3 Congres de Stratigraphische et de Geologie du Carbonifere: 501-506.

Potonié R 1956. Synopsis der Gattungen der sporae dispersae 1. Teil: Sporites, Beihefte Zum Geologischen Jahrbuch 23: 1-103.

Potonié R 1958. Synopsis der Gattungen der sporae dispersae, Aletes, Praecolpates, Monocolpates. Beihefte Zum Geologischen Jahrbuch. 31: 1-114.

Potonié R & Sah SCD 1960. Sporae dispersae of the lignites from Cannanore beach on the Malabar Coast of India. Palaeobotanist 7: 121–135.

Potonié R, Thomson PW & Thiergart F 1950. Zur Nomenklatur und Klassification der Neogenen Sporomorphae (pollen und sporen). Zur Geologie der rheinischen Braunkhhle 65: 35-70.

Ramanujam CGK 1966. Palynology of the Miocene Lignite from South Arcot District, Madras, India. Pollen et Spores 8: 149-203.

Ramanujam CGK 1966-67. Pteridophytic spores from the Miocene lignite of South Arcot District, Madras. Palynology Bulletin 2-3: 29-40.

Ramanujam CGK & Rao KP 1973. On some microthyriaceous fungi from a Tertiary lignite of south India. Palaeobotanist 20: 203-209.

Ramanujam CGK, Mallesham C & Ramakrishna H 1987. Some significant palynomorphs from the subsurface Miocene sediments of Eastern Coast of Southern India. Proceeding of 5 th All India Symposium of Palynology, Nagpur: 27-30.

Raatz GV 1973. Mikrobotanisch-stratigraphische untersuchung der Braunkohle des muskauer Bogens. Abhandlungen der. Preuvischen. Geologie Landesanstalt 183: 1-48.

Raiverman V, Kunte SV & Mukerjee A 1983. Basin geometry, Cenozoic sedimentation and hydrocarbon prospects in north western Himalaya and Indo-gangatic plains. In: Bhandari LL et al. (Editors)— Petroliferous Basin of India. Petrolium Asian Journal 6: 67-92.

Rao MR 2000. Palynological investigation of Kherapara Formation near Kherapara, West Garo Hills District, Meghalaya, India. Palaeobotanist 49: 293-309.

Sah SCD & Kar RK 1969. Pteridophytic spores from the Laki series of Kutch, Gujarat, India. Journal of Sen Memorial Volume: 109-121.

Sah SCD & Kar RK 1970. Palynology of the Laki sediments in Kutch- 3. Pollen from the boreholes around Jhulari, Baranda and Panandhro. Palaeobotanist 18: 127-142.

Sah SCD & Kar RK 1974. Palynology of the Tertiary sediments of Palana, Rajasthan. Palaeobotanist 21: 163-188.

Sah SCD & Singh RY 1974. Palynological biostratigraphy of the Tura Formation in type area; Symposium on Stratigraphical Palynology, Special Publication 3, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow: 76-98.

Sarkar S, Bhattacharyya AP & Singh HP 1994. Palynology of Middle Siwalik sediments (Late Miocene) from Bagh Rao, Uttar Pradesh. Palaeobotanist 42: 199-209.

Saxena RK 1978. Palynology of the Matanomadh Formation in type area, north-western Kutch, India (Part-1). Systematic description of pteridophytic spores. Palaeobotanist 25: 448-456.

Singh HP & Saxena RK 1981. Palynology of the Upper Siwalik sediments in the Una District, Himachal Pradesh. Geophytology 11: 171-179.

Singh HP & Sarkar S 1990. Vegetational dynamic of Tertiary Himalaya. Palaeobotanist 38: 333-334.

Singh HP, Saxena RK & Rao MR 1986. Palynology of Barail (Oligocene) and Surma (Lower Miocene) sediments exposed along Sonapur-Badapur Road section, Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya and Cachar (Assam) Part II - Fungal remains. Palaeobotanist 35: 93-102.

Venkatachala BS & Kar RK 1969. Palynology of the Tertiary sediments of Kutch-1 Spores and pollen from Borehole 14. Palaeobotanist 17: 157-178.

Wolfe JA 1975. Some aspects of plant geography of the northern hemisphere during the Late Cretaceous and Tertiary. Annals of Missouri Botanical Garden 62: 264-279.