New coniferous foliage shoot from the Lower Gondwana beds of India

Abstract

The morphological and cuticular features of new sterile, branched coniferous foliage shoot, Walkomiella sahnii sp. nov. collected from the carbonaceous shale samples of Karharbari Formation, Rajhara Colliery of Daltonganj Coalfield, Jharkhand State are described. New species is characterized by homomorphic leaves showing rhomboidal shape, acuminate apex, broad base, uninerved; cuticle is differentiated into thick abaxial and thin adaxial surfaces and stomata are irregularly distributed only on adaxial surface. Fertile structures are not known. Specimen represents the first report of Walkomiella as coalified compression in Lower Gondwana sediments of India. Earlier records of W. indica Surange & Singh 1951 and Walkomiella sp. are based on dispersed cuticles of leaf and seed bearing shoot recovered through maceration of samples.