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INTRODUCTION
INDIAN STRATIGRAPHY
Stratigraphy is all about arranging rock layers of regions
into successions. Stratigraphical or historical geology has , as its
aim, the description and classification of rock layers. The
stratigraphic classification is to unders tand the geological processes
the region h a s experienced throughout geological time. A
classification of rocks into layers h a s to be based on attributes of
layers. Two attr ibutes are commonly used in stratigraphy.
1. Chronostratigraphy - Time of formation of rock layers.
2. Lithostratigraphy - Physical characteristic of rocks
Out of the three groups of rocks, sedimentary, igneous and
metamorphic, only sedimentary rocks are easily amenable to such
an arrangement, since they have been deposited bed to bed and
contain the remains of organisms which flourished while they were
formed.
Stratigraphic classification helps in defining the layers and
groups of layers also to the layers into sequences and matching
layers of different regions. This is known as stratigraphic
correlation. Stratigraphic correlation establishes within a region and
between different regions with the help of following criteria. Order of
superposition. Palaeontology, Geophysics, Structural geology and
Petrography.
The historical geology of Indian formation is some what
different than s tandard stratigraphical scale in such a sense that
1
divisions in the s tandard stratigraphical scale are based upon the
fossils. While in Indian stratigraphy, these are based on the
unconformities as majority of the Indian formation are azoic
(Archean system to Vindhyan system - Krishnan M.S., 1960)
Unconformities have been traditionally used in the
classification of rock layers into larger stratigraphic uni ts and their
correlation. This tool is more important in stratigraphic
classification than correlation.
A new aid to stratigraphy that h a s come with the discovery
of that Uranium and Thorium breakup into other elements through
atomic disintegration, producing as a final residium lead, the
change taking place at a definite and measurable rate, has placed in
the hands of the geologist a new weapon for the determination of the
age of that azoic Precambrian systems (Wadia, D. N., 1960).
Recently the radiometric methods of dating the rocks like
Potassium-Argon ratio method and Rubidium-Strontium ratio
method becomes indispensable tool in Precambrian stratigraphy.
Fossil contents
Despite geochronology and geophysical paleontology
remains a popular tool in stratigraphy. The phaenerozoic eon was
characterized by sedimentary rock formation with distinct
petrological characters and typical fossil assemblage. Biological
evolution is irreversible. Therefore life forms that existed once
during some geological time period evolve, but do not repeat
themselves.
Fossil groups are therefore characteristically associated
with geological time uni ts some groups may have existed during
2
longer time periods than others. Some groups have externally
restricted time period of occurrence. Such fossils, if found to occur
fairly commonly in rocks, are known as index fossils, as they
indicate the age of rock formations much more accurately than
others. As far as geology is concerned important use of fossil is in
correlation and classification of rocks geographically separated.
Besides, index fossil being rare, age is often inferred based on jus t
one or few index fossils which could be erroneous.
Therefore, total fossil assemblage of rock layers is
considered a s a better tool to assign relative ages. This eliminates
possibility of error in estimation a s ages determined from various
group of fossils can be checked.
Fossils also help in reconstructing geography and climate
of a region during pas t geologic period. Some fossils indicate more
details about the environment and also helps to interprete the
evolution of organic world.
Fossil assemblage of same age are not necessarily identical
for the species in them will depend on the condition of environment
and development in each area of sedimentation. Every rock layer
has characteristic geophysical signature. They have different values
for physical properties such as electrical resistivety, density,
radioactive emission, seismic, reflectivity, magnetism, etc. which are
used in their classification and correlation with other rocks.
Petrography is the first tool on defining a rock bed. Its use
can be extended in classification of layers in larger stratigraphic
uni ts and also in correlating layers of separated regions.
The Cretaceous period
The Cretaceous period of the Indian stratigraphy is the
most wide spread and at the same time lithologically most complex
period. It includes rock formations under entirely different
conditions during the some geological time and noticed in different
areas of India (Table 1, Plate 4 and 5).
Geological India is divided into three segments (Plate 3)
(Wadia, 1960).
1. Peninsula
2. Extra - Peninsula
3. Indo - Gauge tic Plain
1. Peninsula
Peninsula forms a triangular plateau in South of sub
continent jutt ing out in the Indian ocean. It includes Shillong
plateau of Assam at North-East and cutch-Kathiawar region at the
West (Dey-1968).
2. Eixtra-Peninsula
Extra-Peninsula includes the Himalayan mountainous
region and its offshoot on the north-west and north-east of
subcontinent.
3 . Indo-Gangetic Plain
Indo-Gangetic plain includes area between Peninsula and
the extra-Peninsula.
Table 1.
Era
Coenzoic
Mesozoic
Palaeozoic
Precambri-an or
Archaean or
Azoic
System or Period
Quaternary
Tertiary
Cretaceous
Jurass ic
Triassic
Permian
Carbonifero-- u s
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian
Series or Epoch
Holocene (Recent) Pleistocene
Pliocene
Miocene
Oligocene
Eocene
Palaeocene
Time scale beginning in million
year
1
3
25
40
60
70
135 '
180 nncz
Indian formation
Deccan Trap
270 |Gondwana
350
400 1
440
500
600
About 2000 or
more
'System
Dravidian
Era
Vindhyan system
Cuddapah system
Indian era
Aryan era
P u m a era
Eparchean
Unconformity —
Dharwar
Archaean system
system
Archaean era
GEOLOGY OF DECCAN TRAP OF INDIA
The Deccan Traps are one of the largest volcanic provinces
in the world. The term T>eccan Traps ' was first used by W H. Sykes
(1833). The term T)eccan' is derived from the vernacular "Dakshin'
meaning South. Medlicott (1873) applied a short term for basaltic
sedimentary rock as 'Trap'. Now more or less obsolete in geological
terminology has been retained partly in conformity with a old
custom and partly because it is peculiarly suitable for rock
responsible for the step or terrace like appearance which is
characteristic feature of these beds.
In India, volcanic rock formation occurred in late
Cretaceous or early Eocene period which is known as Deccan Traps.
It covers an area of 77,220 sq. kilometers. In the word of Prof. Sahni
"An Episode of Tertiary Era" Deccan Trap is the greatest volcanic
formation in Indian geology. It is thought that towards the end of
Cretaceous period subsequent to the deposition of Bagh and the
Lameta beds, a large par t of Peninsula was affected by stupendous
outburs t of the volcanic energy, resulting in the eruption of lava in
large quantity and associated pyroclastic materials (Pascoe, 1950).
This eruption proceeded from fissures and cracks in the surface of
earth, from which highly liquid lava come out intermittently, till a
thickness of some thousand feet of horizontal sheet of basalt of
igneous origin had resulted, obliterating all the previously existing
topography of the country and converted into large volcanic plateau.
This consists of a vast area, particularly Maharashtra (approx %
region), Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh (1/4 region).
6
This formation of basal ts is known as 'Deccan Traps' in Indian
geology. According to West (1959) the only comparable formation to
the DeccanTirap took place in 1787 in Iceland. Since then no fissure
eruption like Deccan'Erap is known till present time.
While according to Vredenburg (1910) Deccan t a p
formation is not entirely of basal ts . In some parts, the sheets of
basaltic lava are interbedded with great mass of tuft. During
intervals between the two successive volcanic eruption fresh water
lakes were formed in which sedimentation took place. These
sedimentary beds are known as Intertrappean beds which preserved
fossil flora and fauna.
Origin of volcanic eruption of Deccan Traps
It was discussed by various workers. Newbold (1848) held
a view of its sub-aqueous origin on the basis of following points. -
a) Absence of cones and craters and cones of elevation.
b) Compact nature of t raps .
c) Want of conformity of t raps with lowest level.
d) Occassional intercalation of marine beds.
Therefore, he held the view that Deccan "E-aps were
subaqueous in origin. Hislop (1853, 1854-55) and Blanford (1867)
gave the following explanation and supported the sub-aerial
eruption hypothesis.
a) Cones and craters might have vanished due to successive
denudation.
b) Rajahmundry is only an Intertrappean bed showing esturine
habitat and not marine.
c) Many sub aerial lavas are as compact as Deccan Traps.
U.S.A.
Scotland England
Miocene
d) Lava traveled a long distance of the eruptions were sub
marine, the lava flow might have cooled very rapidly.
Volcanic eruptions are reported in various par t s of world
as follows.
Columbia, snake river, plains of Washington, Oregaon and Idabo.
Keweenawan lava of Lake superior
Stromberg lava
Trap of New Jersy
Parana Basalt
West Australia
Scottish Basalt
U.S.A. Miocene
South Africa Jurass ic
U.S.A. Triassic
South America Triassic
West Australia Tertiary
Tertiary
Physical formation and vegetation
Deccan l r ap rocks are very hard, tough and compact. They
are, however, susceptible to weathering which commences on the
exposed surface and along joints and cracks. The black cotton soil
of Deccan and laterite deposits of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
are some of the usua l products of prolonged weathering of Deccan
Trap.
Geological structure of the Deccan I r a p s has marked
effects on its vegetation. Vegetation is conspicuous as compared to
the other formation. The difference is due to less rain fall and
texture of soil. Therefore vegetation includes long grass, rarely large
and deciduous trees except in the damp district near sea. Scarcity of
trees is due to boitic factors. During rainy season there is growth of
I Jammu and Kashmii ^J
^^-^ HinuehiV^ f \ Pr«ile«h I
y^Pni^ab i \ . 1 ^-v^
f^y^\^ f^ y^Uttaranchal^
/ * ^ Delhi 1 ^ ^ f
1 R^atthan S^^^~\ Dttai Pradejh
^•^^J* Oqjatat T^ MadhyaPiadeth \
\ J1 Va^~\ J—i^_^^-j^iCliatti»lnarh»
I Maharashtra /"̂ ^̂ ..̂ ^̂ \ ^ \
\ \ c^ Aadhra ftadeah j
Goa\ j ^ /"^^
N Kacnataka ( \
• * 1 ^ T Tamil If adu t
• \ \ f
MAP O F INDIA
^ Bihar ^ ^ ^ KZ—--3 r ^ -Aw(—-'1/ Ir liJ*'^'^
JharUiand /^ ) lYipnarl )
\ CS^tBo^ *J l ^ ^ y "
(Maa )
g
V
* >
Plate 1. Map of India
grasses with other weeds and this region becomes green. As the
ra ins are over there is beginning of diy season and soil becomes
bare.
Petrology and chemical composit ion
Deccan Trap in general belongs to the type called 'Plateau
basalt ' (Washington, 1922). It is commonly seen that the rock is
normal augite basalt. It shows variations in colour and texture from
place to place. H. S. Washington (1922) gave chemical composition
in terms of minerals a s norms DeccanTraps is a s follows.
Quartz
Orthoclase
Albite
Anorthite
Diopside
Hypersthene
Olivine
Magnetite
Ilmenite
Apatite
4.14
4.45
22.01
23.07
17.41
17.78
—
4.64
3.65
1.01
£ ^ e n t and distribution
The DeccanTraps of India cover a large area of Kutch,
Saurashtra , Gujrat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra
Pradesh (Plate 5). It comprises one of the largest volume covering an
area of 200,000 sq. miles (Krishnan, 1960; Wadia, 1961). It today
extends from near Belgaum (Lat 15°, 5 1 ' N) to Goona (Lat 24°,
30 ' N) and from Bombay (Long. 72°, 50 ' E) to Amarkantak (Long.
80°, 50 ' E) (Bianford, 1867) occupying an area about 52,000 sq.km.
The original extent of this might have been more than a million
square kilometer (Krishnan, 1968 and Wadia, 1966) as part of them
are submerged in Arabian sea towards the west of Bombay. Deccan
parts are detached along western southern coast due to weathering
and denudation. They are scattered near Kutch and Bhuj and some
near Rajahmundry and Tamirapat in Sirguja district. The lava flows
of Nagpur and Mohgaonkalan are considered as the earlier pourings
whereas the highest flow is recorded as Worli Malabar hills of
Bombay.
Oirigin
A very remarkable feature of the lavas of the Deccan
Traps, having an important bearing on question of its mode of
origin, it is persistant horizontality throughout its wide area
(Krishnan, 1960, Wadia, 1961). Recently, after a close observation it
ha s been noted in some par ts of Western Maharashtra that the
basalt flows show considerable irregular tops and bottoms, t hus
deviating from concept of horizontality (Agashe and Gupta, 1968).
A gentle folding of lava sheets is noticeable at Western
Satpuras, Khandesh and Rajpipla hills near Broach but these dips
are belived to be due to the effects of late disturbances of level due
to tectonic causes rather than to an original inclination of the flows.
Stratigraphic relations
The stratigraphic relation of Deccan traps among
themselves, with overlying and underl3dng rocks is given in the table
(Wadia, 1966).
10
Table 2 :
Nummulities of Surat and Broach Eocene of Kutch; latei ite
Unconformity
Upper Traps (450 m)
Of Bombay and Kathiawar. Lava flows with numerous ash-beds; sedimentary intertrappean beds of Bombay with large number of animal fossils i.e. vertebrata and moUuscan shells.
Middle Traps (1200 m)
Of Malwa and Central India. Lavas and ash-beds forming thickest part of the series. No fossiliferous interrappean beds
Of Madhya Pradesh, Narmada, Berar, etc. Lavas with few ash-beds. Fossiliferous intertrappeans numerous
Lower Traps (150 m)
S l ^ h t unconformity
Lameta or Infra-trappean series; Bagh beds, Jaba lpur
beds and older rocks.
Dykes
The Dykes have been known to occur in the D e c c a n t a p
area since the earliest days of Indian geology. According to Fermor
(1914) dykes are concentrated in Western India, Rewa, Sirguja and
according to King (1885) in Bilaspur and they are absent from other
par ts of DeccanTraps. Sahni (1940) believed that, volcanic eruption
took place simultaneously at many distinct places in the eastern
part and then migrated to the West. The lava of Nagpur and
Chhindwara districts were certainly among the earlier to be poured
out. While highest flows of series is seen in the Malabar hills and
Worli hills of Bombay. The dykes are found in the forms of
segregated system in which individual members are parallel to each
other or arranged radialy. Dykes of large size, massive irregular
intrusions and a sh beds are observed at number of places in the
neighbourhood of t rap area around its boundiy (West, 1959).
11
\ 2
m'̂ ^ 7 3
4
5 ( ( ^
2
6
1. 2. 3 . 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Himalayan Region Indo Gangetic Planes Central Highlands North Deccan South Deccan Eastern Plateaus Eastern Ghats East Coastal Planes Western Ghats West Coastal Planes
Plate 2. Physiographic sub-divisions of India
The questions of the origin of the Deccan Trap flows not to
be satisfactorily answered. Earlier Blanford (1867), Foote (1826),
Huges (1887) and Oldham (1893) stated the balance of dykes in
many par ts of Deccan Traps, later on it h a s been established that a
large number of dykes occur in Western Maharashtra . Auden (1949)
h a s remarked that the lavas of high plateau are free from the dykes.
West (1959) h a s reported that the there are no dykes in the 2 / 3
portion of the Deccan Traps. Agashe and Gupte (1971) has shown
that a large number of dykes oCcur in area, which formerly was
supposed to be dykes free.
Thickness of Deccan Traps
Deccan trap is 2000-3000 m thick along the west coast of
Bombay, 150 m thick at Amarkantak and Surguja, 90 m thick at
Chhindwara, 30-42 m at Mohgaonkalan and Palodon (Sahni and
Rode, 1937) and 45 m at Nagpur (Pande, Surynarayan and
Deshpande, 1969). While near Belgaum the southern limit of trap is
about 60 m thick. Sind h a s minimum thickness of 30-60 m.
According to Permor (1926) in Bhusaval region it shows 29 flows.
Each flow h a s 4-30 m thickness.
Magnetic nature
On the basis of magnetic na ture of Deccan Traps, a
possibility of northward movement of subcontinent is pointed out
(Clegg et al, 1956; Irwing, 1957; Deutsch et at, 1958 and Deutsch,
1959). This movement has taken place (Clegg et al, 1959)
sometimes in the late Cretaceous or early Eocene period. The
differences in mean magnetic direction may be due to some physical
phenomenon or partial magnetic stability. During Deccan Trap
12
formation in late Mesozoic or in early Coenozoic times, India was
about 34° south of equator and moved northward clockwise through
25°. This has resulted in a linear movement of 5000 kms.
Economic importance
The Deccan"E"ap basalt's are largely used in construction
of building and roads. Some are preferred because of colours as
semi-precious stones. They are also sources of good agricultural soil
formed by the decomposition of basalt containing calcium and
magnesium carbonates, potash, phosphates, etc. This soil is known
as 'Regur' and is used for the cultivation of cotton and wheat.
13
GEOLOGY OF THE DECCAN INTERTRAPPEAN FORMATION
The Deccan Intertrappean beds of India are the
sedimentary beds formed under water, separating the successive
lava flows. The sedimentary beds are fossiliferous containing flora
and fauna of that period. Regarding the formation of intertrappean
beds Hislop and Hunter (1884) suggested the presence of huge lake
in the central and western India in connection with the sea of
Rajahmundry. Hislop (1955) further added that the t rap layers lying
above and below the intertrappean beds were portions of one and
the same flow. This view was further supported by Newbold (1848).
However, Medlicott (1860) and Blanford (1867) were of the view that
there mus t have been small and shallow lakes because Lymnaea
and Physa, the pulmoniferous moUusca were preserved in which
sedimentation took place. According to Blanford (1867) in the many
small lakes shallow sedimentation occurred, with less degree of
lateral extension of intertrappean sedimentary beds. Medlicotts view
was also supported by Foote (1876).
At short intervals t raps are separated by sedimentary beds
of small vertical as well a s horizontal extent of lacustrine or fluviatile
deposition on the irregular surface during eruptive intervals, which
are formed under water. These sedimentary beds are called as
Infratrappeans or Inter t rappean beds (Wadia, 1966). These are
fossiliferous, marine or fresh water and are valuable for providing
histor>' of periods of eruptive quiescence that intervened between
14
the successive outburs ts and of flora and fauna that migrated again
and again to quite centres. The plants and animals got accumulated
at the bottom in the silt which formed the sedimentary bed. The
second eruption of lava took place covering the sedimentary beds
and underlying rocks and thus the sedimentary beds got
intercalated between the two flows of basal ts . According to Medlicot
(1860) and Blanford (1867) the intruding lava between two existing
strata could not have travelled to such a long distances covering the
whole of Deccan Traps. Further this would have shifted the whole
overlying mass which is again impossibility. However, such a
intrusion might occur locally travelling for few meters only
(Blanford, 1867).
Occurrence and extent
Intertrappean beds are well exposed in the Deccan Trap
area as small patches and are t reasures of fossil flora and fauna.
Intertrappean beds are sandwiched between upper and lower t raps
while they are totally absent from the middle traps. These beds
occur a s broken outcrops, contouring the hills, to the extent of 3 m
in thickness and about 4-7 km in lateral extent. An exception is
seen in the east of Jaba lpur where the Intertrappeans are traced to
30 kms. These beds are found in the form of compact cherts of
brown and black colour.
Intertrappean beds are well exposed in Madhya Pradesh
prominently at Mohgaonkalan, Keria, Saucer, etc. in Chhindwara
district, near Sagar in Sagar district; Samnapur and Parapani in
Mandla district. In Maharashtra at Mahurzari, Bharatwada, Phutala
tank and Takli in Napgur district; Nawargaon in Wardha district;
15
Buldhana in Buldhana district, Sibla and Jhargad localities in
Yeotmal district and Worli and Malabar hills near Bombay. In
Andhra Pradesh in Rajahmundry area, the lower trap contains a
fossiliferous intertrappean bed which extends over 16 kms and
ranges 1 to 4 km in thickness. Intertrappean beds occur below and
above the Deccan Traps. Deccan t raps are underlined by Bagh beds
in Narmada Valley.
Near Nagpur the Intertrappean rocks are exposed near
Jaitala, Sitabuldi, 7\mbazari quarries, Laxmi Narayan Technological
Institute, Phutala hills, Seminary hills, Borgaon and Takli gitti
Khadan (Patil G. V., 1971).
Petrology and chemical nature of Intertraps
The Intertraps are compact, irregular in distribution and
composed of black cherty lydite, stratified volcanic detritus, clays
and impure limestones. They also show fossiliferous flora and fauna
at places.
Average chemical analysis of black and brown chert of
Deccan Intertrappean beds is given by Nambudiri (1967) as well as
for Deccan Intertrappean chert of Nagpur by Patil (1971).
Table 3 :
Sr. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Compound
Silica Si02
Alumina AI2O3
Ferric Oxide FeaOs
Ferrous oxide FeO
Titanium oxide TiOa
Mohgaonkalan
% in black chert
93.51
1.26
0.37
0.30
Nil
% in brown chert
94.93
1.29
0.57
0.15
Nil
Nagpur
73.00
9.45
6.80
N.D.
N.D.
16
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Calcium oxide CaO
Magnesium oxide MgO
Sodium oxide Na20
Sulphur txioxide SO3
Sulphur S
Phosphorus pentaoxide P2O5
Phosphrous P
Loss on Ignition
Potassium oxide K2O
Quantity analyzed
0.53
Trace
0.94
0.03
0.12
0.06
0.027
2.99
Nil
110 gms
0.65
Trace
094
0.03
012
0.09
0.38
1.36
Nil
58 gms
1.30
0.05
0.02
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
N.D.
8.90
Traces
50 gms
N.D. - Not determined
From this chemical analysis it appears that with higher
percentage of iron oxide the preservation is proportionately poor.
The Lameta beds
The Lameta beds or Intertrappean beds are named after
the Lameta Ghats of Narmada above Bagh beds (Medlicott and
Blanford, 1879). They are found as narrow fringe around the trap
country particularly in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Hyderabad,
along Godavari valley to Bhopal and Indore and western parts of
Narmada valley (Krishnan, 1968).
They vary in thickness from 7-30 m and composed of
small groups of limestones, sandstones and clays. Fossils found in
these beds are mostly MoUusa, Fishes and Dinosaurs.
A t3T3e-section through a portion of the basal ts illustrate
the relation of t raps with sedimentary intercalations as well as to
the Infra-trappean Lametas.
1. Bedded basalts , thick, Individual flows often marked on lower
and upper surfaces by steam holes.
17
Plate 3. Three Segments of India
2. Cherty beds, Lydite with Unio, Paludina, Cypris and Fossil
woods, 1.5 m.
3. Bedded basalts, very thick.
4. Impure limestone, stratified tufts etc., with Cypris, Physca and
broken shells, 2 m.
5. Bedded basalts; thick.
6. Siliceous limestones with sandstone (Lametas) with a few shell
fragments, 6 m.
Fossiliferous localities of Deccan Intertrappean series of India
Mahurzari
Deccan Intertrappean beds are exposed near a small
village Mahurzai (Lat. 21°, 13 ' 11" N' Long. 79° 0' E) in Nagpur
district. This locality lies 3 km east at Phetri which is bus stop on
Nagpur-Katol road. Number of plant fossils, mostly dicotyledonous
and monocotylendonous woods and some animal fossils, molluscan
shells are seen lying scattered in the fields at the foot of hills. Some
woods and roots are still seen in situ. Bharatwada is also other
locality lying 1 km to the east of Mahurzari.
TakU
Takli Gitti Khadan (Lat. 21°, 11 ' N; Long. 79° 0 ' 4" E) is the
another locality where sedimentary beds are clearly exposed.
Sausar
These beds are located in Chhindwara district and gave
algae, fungi, Reridophytes, mostly Azolla intertrappea, etc. fossils.
18
Rajahmundry
It is situated (Lat. 17° 5 ' N, Long. 81°, 8 5 ' E) on the East-
West coast of Andhra Pradesh. The sedimentary beds, exposed here
are estuarine and yielded important plant fossils belonging to Algae
and many other woods.
Worli
It lies near Bombay. From this locality Sukeshwala (1954)
described animal and plant fossils.
Other Intertrappean fossiliferous beds are Keria (Prakash,
1957), Maragaur near Wardha (Sahni, 1964), near Jabalpur (Sahni,
1964), Nawargaon (Shukla, 1949), near Parapani (Bande, 1973), in
Mandla district; Ramakona (Mahabale, 1953), Samnapur (Ingle,
1973) in Mandla district, Saugar (Mahabale and Deshpande, 1963;
Sahni, 1964), Seoni (Sahni, 1943; Shukla, 1946), Sindhi Vihira near
Saugar (Sahni, 1964), Sitabuldi (Sahni, 1964), Sitapuri (Sahni,
1949) Takli (Sahni, 1931); Buldhana (Mahabale and Kulkami),
Umaria (Rode, 1935); Vikarabad (Mahadevan and Sarma, 1984),
Yavatmal (Yawale, 1977; Dahegaonkar, 2001). (The approximate
distribution of the Deccan Intertrappean fossiliferous localities of
India shown in Plate 6).
19
PALAEOCLIBfATIC AND PALAEOECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION OF DECCAN TRAPS
The major objective of the Palaeobotanical studies is to
unders tand the vegetation pat tern of the entire geological time scale.
Since vegetation of a particular time and space is directly governed
by the climate and local environmental conditions, a better
unders tanding of the subject can provide important information on
Palaeoclimate and depositional environmental conditions of the
associated rock and sediments.
Palaeoenvironment deals with the environmental, climatic
and ecological conditions of the geological past . Environment is the
surrounding condition by which contemporaneous plants and
animals are influenced and subjected to modifications in their
growth and development. Environment of a particular region is thus
controlled by climate.
There are several factors to be considered to reconstruct
the palaeoenvironment of particular region. The possibility of
reconstructing pas t environment depends on the accurate
identification of diverse fossil assemblage. In order to infer the
climate of Deccanfraps a critical analysis of the flora of Deccan"&ap
has been made (Uttam-Prakash, 1973). His attention is confined to
spermatophytes including Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Other
mega and micro-fossil have also been taken into consideration.
Palaeoclimates are evaluated on the basis of the presence
of characteristics plants, the composition of communities and by
20
Earn ^ H Periti
En ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 1
PHANEROZOIC
• PREC'.\MBRl!tN
Cenoioic
Mesozaic
Quarternaiy
Tertiary
NMfeite
PalteofM
CretacefNis
Jurassic
triassic
Palaeozak
Prcterozok
Archaean
F>ermlan
Carboniferous
Dewotiian
saurian Ordcvician
Cambrian
NeoprotBrozoic Mesoprotarozolc Palaeoproterozoic
Eladcait
Urut: Ma (Mega atunnn)
1 Ma" 10* years ago
O: OMa 1.5-0.0 Ma
Holocetie Fleistocaiie
. , - „ „ JS-Uftfa (PBDcen* iMiocene
M «5-26Ma {Oligocane {Eocene iPakaocene
230 - 65 Ma 136-65 Ma
Late(Seniordan} Eailj^Neocomiaii)
190-136 Ma La1e(Maim) MidiiMDogpi) Earl3rtL4as;
230-190 Ma Lat* Middk Ea:^
: iij - 2X1 IvLs 380-230 Ma
M« iMiddk
M r 345 - 2S0 Ma
Lata(F«]iH}rtraiuaDn) EaTly(Mississipian)
395 - 345 Ma Late Middk fx&y
430 - 395 Ma 500-430 Ma
M« M r
570-500 Ma
Me iMiddk
M r ^etxi-yjir.
1000-570 Ma 1800 -1000 Ma 2500 -1800 Ma
4(300 - 3iOCi Ma
Plate 4. Geological Time Scale
morpho-anatomical characters which may change their climatic
affinity with time.
It is difficult for palaeobotanist to say how warm or cold,
dry or humid the climate was in quantitative terms, or to indicate
annua l average for temperature and precipitation. It is possible
though to state the t rends of climatic changes, periods of warming
u p or cooling off, oxidization of humidification, increase or decrease
seasonality of climate (Meyan, 1987).
The botanicals components of the fossil flora have been
classified into
i) Extant genera
ii) Exotic genera and
iii) Those which are not assigned to any living genus and can be
regarded a s extinct or botanically unidentified.
Out of the three categories of generic groups, the exotic
genera are more significant than the other two with respect to floral
changes and the plant migration during the geological time. The
exotic types give u s a better estimate of pas t environment because
they reflect a different climate than that of native group near the
locality.
Our present knowledge of fossil plants is incomplete and
any of these are yet to be recognized in terms of modem genera and
species, especially those belonging to Palmae. Therefore, the present
interpretations are only generalized and would be supported by
further investigations.
21
From the fossil studies done so far it seems that the flora
of India during Tertiary was predominantly tropical and sub-tropical
in nature ; the conifers and some other forms (Sparganium) might be
growing on the u p lands.
According to C. G. K. Ramanujam the dawn of the Tertiary
period in India witnessed a sudden slump in gjminospermous
vegetation. The decline of Indian Gjntnnosperms started during the
later par t of the Cretaceous period which appears due to extremely
unsui table conditions created by physical and climatical
cataclysms, the Indian subcontinent experienced during that age.
The only gymnosperms recorded from the Tertiary deposits of India
belong to Conifers. From Deccan Intertrappean series, considered to
Lower Eocene (Palaeocene) a few petrified cones and woods have
been recorded, particularly from outcrops around the Nagpur area
by S a h n i i n 1931.
Considering the flora of Deccan Intertrappean series, it
h a s been noticed tha t only some of the fossils have reliably been
assigned to modem genera, while others are described without any
proper generic affinities. The modem distribution of the living
comparable forms of the Deccan Intertrappean flora, wherever
possible, would indicate a different picture of environment than
what we see today in Nagpur - Chhindwara region of the Trap from
where most of the petrified flowering plants are known.
The presence of Elaeocarpoxylon antiqum, AUanthoxylon
ghiarense, Barringtonioxylon deccanense, B. eopterocarpum,
Tetrameleoxylon prenudiflora, Aeschynomene tertiara, Creiuioxylon
mahurzariense, Palmoxylon cf. Phoenix, Musa cardiosperma,
22
Heliconiaites mohgaoensis (Trivedi and Verma, 1971b, 1972) and
Cannaites intertrappea (Trivedi and Verma, 1971c) comparable to
modem Blaeocarpus fessuquineus, Ailanthus grandis, Barringtonia
acutangula, B. pterocarpa, Tetrameles nudiflora, Aeschynomene sp.,
Greivia laevigata, Phoenix robusta, P. rupicota, Musa sp., Heliconia
sp. and Canna indica respectively indicates a more humid climate
for the Deccan Trap than that of present day. Most of these plants
are presently growing in moist place like Western Ghats, Ceylon,
Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Bruma and Thailand. Some
of these comparable forms like Barringtonia acxitangula and Gregia
laevigata are generally found in damp places along streams or sea
shores. The presence of sea shore in Nagpur-Chhindwara region has
already been indicated by the discovery of coastal forms like Nypa,
Sonneratia and Coccus from Mohgaonkalan and Saugar. These
s u r e s t the presence of estuarine conditions there during the
Deccan Trap formation either due to presence of Tethys sea or an
arm of sea from the gulf of cambay and probably this might explain
presence of moisture loving forms in some ever green to semi-
evergreen or monsoon forests, close to the area. The dry deciduous
comparable from of fossils like Maliotus phillipinensis, BoswelUa
serrata, Greuna tiWaefoUa, Terminalia tomentosa and Leea indica
would appear to occupy low dry hills of the Deccan Trap further
away from the watershed. With the rise of Himalayas and
disappearance of Tethys sea, desication followed in the Deccan Trap
country, due to which moisture loving members of evergreen to
semi-evergreen forests were pushed into more favourable climatic
regions like nearby Western Ghats where similar moist conditions
still exist, while the dry deciduous types like Mailotus philippinensis,
23
Paleocene-Cretaceous
Gondwana
Early Palaeozoic
Late Proterozoic
Early Proterozoic
Archaean
Plate 5. Geological Map of India
Boswellia serrata, TerminaUa tomentosa and Grewia tiliaefolia
remained on the plateau. This has a cumulative effect with the
shifting of the Indian sub-continent to the present position from
that of the South of the equator during that period where obviously
there was atmospheric precipitation. Because of the presence of
Palmoxylon in the Intertrappean period, the occurrence of humid
and warm condition in the Eocene period of the Deccan Traps is
strengthened.
The existance of extant angiosperm species in the Eocene
is very unusua l and may be attributable in this case to slow
evolutionary rates and u n u s u a l evolutionary properties associated
with hydrophily in the genus Ceratophyllum (Patrick et at, 1990).
In Palaeocene with the ability of Cocos to float the evolving
coconut became independent of plate tectonics for its dispersal
whereas other palms, become notoriously endemic.
The presence of more humid and warm conditions during
the period of Deccan Trap formation is further strengthened by the
fact that the Intertrappean beds which had Palmioxylon are now
relatively poor in palms. Rodeites, a hydropteridian sporocarp has
been compared with Regnellidium, a water fern of Brazil and
Cyclanthodendron found in the Deccan Intertrappean beds, has
been compared with the tropical American genus Cyclanthus. These
forms provide a link between the flora of the Deccan and modem
flora of tropical America. In the past, these groups had a wide
distribution but becamie scanty in recent times.
On the basis of Palaeobotanical evidences, Lakhanpal
(1970) reconstructed Palaeogeography of India during Tertiary
24
period According to him, the Tethys sea began to recede at the end
of Cretaceous and in its stead started the elevation of chain of
mountains . India started acquiring its present position with the rise
of Himalayas and recession of the seas during the Miocene time.
Sparganium is another important temperate genus.
Sparganium ramosum and S. simplex are the only two species
occurring in Indian region. Their disappearance from the Trap
country might be due to some tectonic movements which changed
the topography of plateau and the environment due to which these
plants could not survive there and moved north wards to suitable
places. The occurrence of this temperate genus a s well as the South
Amierican tropical elements in the Deccan flora during the early
Tertiary of India is quote enigmatic and needs further check u p with
modem plants before a true picture of their systematic position is
known (Uttam-Prakash, 1973).
In addition to the above mentioned forms, some fossil
Algae and Fungi are also described from the Deccan Intertrappean
beds of India. From the study of fossil algae, it seems that the semi-
tropical rain forest type of climate was prevailing at tha t time in the
Deccan Trap areas. Some of the Algae were found in reproductive
stages viz., Mougeotiates deccani and Spirogyrites deccanii described
by Barlinge and Paradkar (1979). The fact that these fossils
occuring in the reproductive stages confirms the findings of Prof.
Sahni, tha t process of fossilization took place in au tumn as
evidenced by the reproductive structures of Azolla intertrappea.
Deccan Intertrappean exposures have revealed a number
of Fungi (Jain, 1974) that grew luxuriandy. These varied fungal
25
1*1
• I ? f
31* 2*8
• 18
2 I f
2 S » 7 ^
( 1 ^ 2. S 3.
J ^• 1 ^•
\ 6. J 7.
/* 8. \ f 9. N - ^ 10
11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
Bombay Sagar Jabalpur Ramakona Sausar Chhindwara Umaria-Isra Paladon Palatwara M ohgaonkalan Jhiria Keria Seoni TaMi Mahurzari Nagpur
17. 18. 19. 20 . 2 1 . 22. 2 3 . 24. 25 . 26 . 27. 28 . 29. 30 . 3 1 .
Wardha Vikarabad Sitapuri Kateru Rajahmundry Gowripattam Dudulcur Pangidi Parapani Samnapur Buldhana Nawargaon Slither Maragsur Yavatmal
Plate 6. Approximate distribution of the Deccan Intertrappean localities of India
fonns indicate a warm and humid palaeoclimate for the Deccan
Intertrappean period in which these cherts were formed.
Chitaley (1974), Prakash (1974), Lakhanpal (1974) have
published excellent review on fossil plants of Deccan Intertrappean
beds. Fungal spores and microfossils have been recovered from oil-
bearing sediments. Palaeoecological studies of fungi mus t deal
interaction with the biotic environm^ent provided by plants and
animals. The interaction of fungi with higher plants with reference
to palaeobotanical evidences need to be documented in appropriate
manner by exploring more fossil fungi and chemical and geological
aspects.
It is, therefore, clear that with well preserved material we
can learn much about the climate of the past, as well as rates of
evolution and factors regulating the appearance of major group of
kingdom fungi (Stewart, 1985).
The Early Teritary outcrops exposed at Mohgaonkalan,
Mandala, Sagar (M.P.), Nawargaon, Maragsur, Mahuzarl
(Maharashtra), Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh), Kutch (Gujrat),
Kapurdi, Banner (Rajasthan) Subathu sediments in Simla hills
(Himachal Pradesh), Bengal Basin and Assam have yielded
mangroove and other coastal plants. Fossil mangroove and other
coastal plants discovered so far from these beds have been reviewed
and attempted by S. D. Bonde (1991).
The Palaeobotanical evidences are in favour of a tropical to
sub-tropical climate throughout the Tertiary era in Indian region.
The fossil plants are suggestive of evergreen, estuarine forests in
parts of peninsular and extrapeninsular region. The forests could
26
grow luxuriantly and thrived for a considerable length of time
because of the favourable climate (Bonde, 1991).
Occurrence of Acrostichum along the coastal palms,
mangrooves and marsh plants described earlier from Deccan
Intertrappean beds of India suggests that it was linked to the
equatorial ocean (South Western Tethys Sea) probably through
Narmada Valley during the deposition of Intertrapean sediments.
Acrostichum is hydropterid fern occurring in marsh swamp
environment or on mud flats of back water areas of the coastal
environment which can be referred to a s a component of mangroove
ecosystem for all ecological consideration. So presence of
Acrostichum a t Nawargaon is an indication of deposition at the sea
level. Its occurrence in the Intertrappeans is ph5rtogeographicaIly
significant and also implies a considerable coastal advance during
Late Cretaceous. Thus, the occurrence of Acrostichum signals the
existence of mangroove ecosystem and prevalence of a humid
tropical climate, when the peninsular India occupied an equatorial
position during Late Cretaceous (Bonde and Kumaran, 2002).
From the above discussion it is clear that most of the
megafossils occurring in the Deccan Interrappean flora had a warm
humid tropical or sub-tropical climate for the Deccan Traps. In
addition to megafossils, survey of microfossils referable to or
affiliated with m o d e m taxa also helps in determining the possible
palaeoclimatic or palaeoenvironmental pattern of the Deccan Traps
(Ramanujam, 1974). Microfossils are not reliable because in most
cases pollen and spores described from the Deccan Intertrappean
27
beds of India have been classified artificially and their relationship
with the modem plants is not yet certain (Uttam Prakash, 1973).
Some of the microfossils still deserve special mention in
this regard. The occurrence of pollen grains referable to Palmae,
Caesalpiniaceae, Myrsinaceae, Sapotaceae, Araliaiceae,
Santalaceae, Hippocrataceae, Meliaceae, Symplocaceae and
Thymeliaceae in the South Arcot lignite (Ramanujam, 1966)
indicates a moist-humid-tropical to sub-tropical climate during the
Upper Tertiary of South India along the east coast. Occurrence of
poUen grains related to Palmae, Barringtonia, Rhizophora, Sonneratia
and Pelliceraia in Eocene of Kutch, clearly indicates a warm-humid-
coastal swamny environment (Venkatachala and Kar, 1968; Sah and
Kar, 1969). Fossil records helps to draw at least roughly the
coastline of old Tethyan sea and accordingly, an arm which mus t
have washed the northern shores of the Deccan. The older marine
beds of Narmada valley confirm existence of the sea arm in and
around Central India prior to the initiation of Deccan volcanism
(Acharya and Lahari, 1991).
Now a days Palaeoecology and Palaeoclimate have been
studied by using Palynology as a tool. The mangroove vegetation
produces large quantity of pollen grains, which are small and with
highly resistant exine, these are abundant plant remains in the
sediments. On the basis of this vegetation the reconstruction of past
vegetation and changes in environmental conditions can be studied
(Kumaran, 2005). According to K.P.N. Kumaran (2005) mangroove
deposits can be excellent indicators of Palaeoclimatic events such as
rainfall variations. Anjum Farooqi (2005) is also of opinion that
28
fossil pollen assemblage of mangrooves can be used to reconstruct
past environment by the use of transfer functions, which relate
present day environment to present day pollen assemblages.
Singh (2005) stated tha t during late Cretaceous due to the
Deccan Volcanism warmer conditions reappeared, eliminating some
plants including few angiosperm groups and introducing new or
more diverse angiosperms. Many angiosperms modified their floral
structure to facilitate pollination by insects.
Rashmi Srivastava (2005) is of opinion that some of the
anatomical features are influenced by ecological conditions and
such characters always do not depict evolutionary trends. Since,
Indian Cretaceous Palaeocene flora is distinctly tropical, growth
rings and ring porosity are absent due to non-seasonality. Likewise
according to her some characteristic features of dicotyledonous
woods of trees from Decan Intertrappean beds suggests that these
woods are of trees of tropical evergreen to semi-evergreen forest.
The Deccan Intertrappean flora is unique in the sense that
it includes a large number of plant fossils, representing almost all
groups of plant kingdom. This flora can be considered as the
parental stock of the m o d e m Indian flora. The recorded fossil flora
was inhabitant of tropical forests a s most of the genera exist in the
evergreen to semi-evergreen forest of Western Ghats - North-East
India. The abundance of palms and plants such as Barringtorda,
Calophyllum, Cocos, Nypa, Sonneratia along with other moist
tropical taxa indicating swampy, littoral, tropical condition with
close proximity of sea (Guleria, 2005).
29
The fossil record to Deccan Intertrappean beds helps to
infer strongly that Palaeoposition of Indian landmass during the
deposition of these beds was within the equatorial zone south of the
equator (Guleria, 2005).
It can be inferred that the Deccan Trap beds are enjoying a
warm, humid, tropical or subtropical climate.
30
AGE OF DECCAN TRAPS
The Deccan Traps are one of the largest volcanic provinces
in the world. The Deccan Trap formation was a remarkable event of
the geological past . Regarding the age of the Deccan Traps
information is some what vague and inconclusive but there are
indications and certain amount of fossil evidences that disturbances
persisted for a protracted period.
The different views regarding the age of Deccan Traps
formation putforth by different workers are a s follows.
1. Cretaceous origin of entire Deccan"&aps.
2. Deccan Traps belonging to Tertiary period.
3 . Deccan "Eraps formed towards the Late Cretaceous period and
continued till Early Eocene.
The study of fossils from Deccan Traps dates back to 19*
century when H. H. Voysey (1819) reported some land shells at
Sagar. Malcolmson assisted by Sowerby (1837) described some land
shells and several species of Cypridae and Chara from Nagpur and
Hyderabad. However, he first expressed the opinion on the age of
the Deccan Traps considering them as belonging to Tertiary epoch
(period).
Malcolmson (1837) expressed the view that, the Deccan
Traps were of Tertiaiy age of Chara, Physca, Lymnea reported from
the Intertrappean beds were not found in any deposits older than
Tertiary.
31
Carter (1857) described fossils from Bombay Intertrappean
and Rajmahal Intertrappean beds. After comparing the flora with
that of India coal-fields he expressed the view that the Deccan
Intertrappean flora was of younger age.
Hislop and Hunter (1855) and Oldham (1871) were also
the supporters of early Tertiary age of Deccan Traps. Hislop
described some fossil shells from Rajahmundiy some of which were
of fresh water and estuarine. Hislop and Hunter (1855) described
flora and fauna associated with the trap in Central provinces (now
Madhya Pradesh). Hislop considered Deccan "frap flora similar to
Eocene flora of London clay described by Bowerbank (1840).
Blanford (1851) firmly pointed out slight unconformity at
Bagh (reported by Keatings, 1856) and a well-marked Intertrappean
dipping below the Eocene (Middle Nummulitic). He concluded that
the Lower Traps differ less in age from the Cretaceous beds of Bagh
than the highest Trap do from the Lower Eocene formation of Surat.
He further states, a par t atleast of the Trap is of Upper Cretaceous
age.
Blandford and Medlicot (1879) expressed Cretaceous age
for the Deccan Traps, a view later supported by R. D. Oldham.
Blanford (1879) described Fedden's discovery of Traps at Bor-hill in
Western Sindh and considered the Deccan Trap flows as mid-
Cretaceous.
King (1880) described marine and estuarine forms from
fossiliferous localities near Rajahmundry of Infratrappeans and
Intertrappeans, respectively. He favoured a Late Cretaceous age for
both.
32
Smith Woodward (1906) described some fossil fishes from
Dongargaon and suggested a Tertiary age for the Intertrappeans.
Bonnema (1859) considered these to be more allied to the Tertiary
than to Cretaceous forms since ostracod remains occurred in the
neighbourhood of Nagpur (Sahni, 1940). In 1921, Matiey published
his report on the stratigraphy, fossils and geological relationships of
Lameta beds of Jaba lpur . Jaba lpur Lametas are, however, of
Maastrichtian (Cretaceous) age according to Huene and Matiey
(1921). Wadia (1926), Holland (1926) considered that the
intertrappeans, as a whole are Cretaceous on the basis of presence
of BuUinus (Physa) prinsepii in Maastrichtian of Baluchistan.
Hemchandra Das Gupta (1933) described Cordita beumonti
from Infratrappeans of Rajahmundiy and fixed their age very high in
the Cretaceous. Sahni (1934, 1937), on the basis of palaeobotanical
evidences firmly suggested Tertiary age for the Deccan Traps. The
fossil evidences cited by him are.
1. Presence of large number of palms.
2. Presence of AzoHo.
3. Occurrence of Rodeites, Gyrogonites and Chara.
4. Acicularia and essentially Tertiary genus of algae.
However, he considered the earliest Deccan Traps flows
ushered during Eocene, in India and there is no reliable evidence
available as to how long the volcanic activities lasted.
S. L. Hora (1937) reported fossil fishes from Takli, and
supported a Tertiary age for the Deccan Traps.
33
According to Ramarao (1937) the Deccan Trap eruptions
began at the close of Cretaceous and continued not only throughout
the Eocene but probably extended even to the later periods. His
statement is based on the palaeobotanical discoveries in the
Inter trappeans of Nagpur, Chhindwara and Rajahmundiy areas.
Dubey (1937) examined the rocks from Deccan Traps in
Western India at Cutch and Kathiawar. The Helium ratios give
Lower Tertiary age to the basal ts . West (1937), said that the age of
atleast, the greater par t of the Deccan Trap, mus t be assigned to
early Tertiary.
Wadia (1949) is not very decisive about this problem and
proposed that from the external evidence, it is quite apparent that
the Deccan Trap can not be older than the Upper Cretaceous
whereas, from internal evidences of fossil fishes, palms, etc., they
could not be m u c h younger than the Eocene.
Ramarao (1950) reported about the problems of
Cretaceous-Eocene boundry. In most par ts of the world the dividing
line between the Cretaceous and Eocene is clearly indicated by
stratigraphical and Paleontological break in the succession revealing
an unconformity and there is no difficulty here in defining where
one system ends and the other begins. But there are some beds
which cover the Cretaceous-Eocene transition period with rapidly
varying lithological and ecological facies. There is thus much
difficulty in defining their classification and assigning the beds as
Cretaceous or Eocene. These transitional beds are grouped in
Danian and the Montian. These passage beds are clubed together as
composite group to which the term Creocene may be applied.
34
Pascoe (1950) in its publication states that the
Intertrappean fauna throws no definite light on the age of beds, but
the flora, however, h a s distinct Tertiary affinities. He expressed the
view that the older t raps are classed as upper Cretaceous but the
latest may be Lower Eocene age, the rest and probably, the bulk,
belong to Palaeocene.
Sukeshwala (1954) from the studies on the radioactive
properties of lava flows, suggested that the Deccan Traps range in
age from Upper Cretaceous to Oligocene.
Rama (1968) made five K-Ar age-determinations on
Deccan Trap flows and dykes. A basalt from Mount Pavagarh and
trachyte flow from near Bombay gave 43 , 45 , 42 million years and
60 + 3 million years age respectively.
WeUman and McElhinny (1970) made four K-Ar age
determinations on samples were from critical localities (supplied by
Verma). The samples were from Mount Pavagarh near the base
(basalt) and near the top (rhyolite) and from the top of Mount Gimar
(diorite). They used the method as described by Cooper (1963) and
Mc Dougall (1964, 1966) and concluded that the age ranges between
59 and 64 million year. The Mount Pavagarh near Baroda (Gujrat)
has rhyodacite and rhyolite rocks. The basal basalts measured 62 +
2 m y in age compared with 65 + 5 m y measured by Rama (1968).
The upper rhyolite gave 61 + 1 m y compared to 43 + 2 m y
measured by Rama. They described this younger age of loss of
radioactive Argon. The Gimar Hills gave on age of 64 + 1 m y .
Heirtzler et at (1968) extrapolated geomagnetic time scale
with polarity reversals for last 70 m y based on the study of data
35
Moliadeo ^ Hills S
^ 0
D £ S
A. Section A-A Across t h e district roughly W.N.W.-E.S.E. Passing through Chhindwara Town Umria Isra and Mohgaonkalan
Horizontal Scale 1" = 16 miles Vertical Scale 1" = 4 ,000 Ft.
z CO
^
» , « ' > ' > « A ' > A A / > A A A A / . A A A * « A A A A A
A « < « A » » , > ^ ^ A A A A A A A > A ) S A / « ( > A » A ^
W A A A A A A A A A .& & A & . A . . ^
1 _ . _ ^ _ • ~ ' ' ' ^ ^ ' ^ ' ^ ^ ^ f ' f ^ | | ^ A ^ A A » A •» • • • • • • • » + -» + 4 - t t » + 4 - * *
• • • • • » * 4- • • • * • • • + + t • * * * * ^ *. ^ ^^ * * * * + • + 4 4 • • • 4 4 4 + 4 4 4 * * * * * * ^
• 4 4 4 4 4 4 t ^ 4 4 . 4 - 4 - . > 4 4 4 4 4 4 » » 4 » 4 » »
* A *
B. Section B-B of the Hills near Umaria Isra
Horizontal Scale 1" = 1 miles Vertical Scale 1" = 400 Ft. l l n t e r t r a p p e a n B e d s
b '
C. Section C-C Roughly N.W.N.-S.E.S Through Mohgaonkalan
Horizontal Scale 1" = 1 miles Vertical Scale 1" = 400 Ft.
E3 t^ f = j m
INDEX Deccan traps
Upper Gondwanas
Lower Gondwanas
Pre-Cambrian Metamorphics
Plate 10. Stratigraphic Map of Mohgaonkalan and Umaria isra Intertrappean Beds (After Sahni and Rode, 1937)
from magnetic anomaly pat terns in the oceans and supposedly
constant spreading rates of oceanic crust.
Study of fossil p lants from the Deccan Intertrappean beds
of India was done under the valuable guidance of Dr. (Mrs.) Chitaley
(1975). She suggested tha t the Deccan Trap flora, on the whole, is
not comparable in toto with the modem plants. It is unique having
many characters not comiparable to any known plants, fossil and
living. This would mean that the age of Deccan Traps, particularly in
Central India, may not be Tertiary Eocene-Lower Eocene, but it is
very likely that these flows in Central India were poured in
Cretaceous, may be the Uppermost Cretaceous, a view already
propounded by Medlicot and Blanford.
According to Hemmady (1977) unless the study of Deccan
t raps is modernized by Palaeomagnetic approach and radiometric
dating, we are apt to gather j u s t a little more than what is already
but role of lithological mapping and we will have to be content with
streching this little more into expertise. The geophysical studies of
Courtillor et al. (1986), Venkatesan et at (1993, 1996) of the Deccan
Trap associated sedimentary rocks also favour of Late Cretaceous
rather than Eocene age. Kar and Srinivasan (1998) recovered
assemblage of palynofossils from Deccan Intertrappean beds of
Mohgaonkalan, M.P. suggested its Late Cretaceous age.
Khubalkar (1982) supported Chitaley's view of Upper
Cretaceous age, for atleast, Central Indian flow of Deccan Traps, on
the basis of his critical palaeobotanical studies on MarsUea and
Azolla from Deccan Intertrappean beds of Mohgaonkalan. He firmly
criticised Sahni's view about no report of Azolla from the beds older
36
than tertiary, on the basis of his discovery of Azolla intertrappean
supraspore with single float, which is character of many Upper
Cretaceous species reported from other par ts of the world.
Bajpai and Prasad (2000) reported that fossil assemblage
occurring between middle and upper Ir levels is indicative of Late
cretaceous, probably Maastrichtian age. Several additional Ostracod
taxa described recently from the shales also favour Maastrichtian
age.
Morphological and anatomical features of fossil fern
reveals tha t Acrostichum which grows in niarsh swamp environment
or coastal environment prevailing in tropical humid climate when
the Deccan region was almost at an equatorial position during the
Late Cretaceous period (Bonde and Kumaran, 2002).
The Deccan Intertrappean flora h a s largely been
considered to be basal Tertiary (Late Maastrichtian - early
Palaeocene) and is well preserved from Intertrappean beds of
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujrat and Andhra Pradesh
(Guleria, 2005).
West (1937) is of the opinion that major part of the Deccan
t rap mus t be assigned to early Teritary. Wadia (1949) is not very
decisive about this problem and proposed that from the
experimental evidences it is clear that the Deccan trap can not be
older than the upper cretaceous whereas, from internal evidences of
fossil fishes, palms, etc. they could not be younger than the Eocene.
Pascoe (1950) in the publication of geological survey of India,
expressed the view that the oldest t raps were Cretaceous, the
37
youngest as lower Eocene and the rest of which constitute the most
part of the Deccan traps were assignable to Palaeocene period.
Study of fossil plants from the Deccan intertrappean beds
of India was done under the valuable guidance of Dr.(Mrs.) Chitaley
(1975). She suggested that the Deccan trap flora, on the whole, is
not comparable in toto with the modem plants. It is unique having
many characters not comparable to any known plants, fossil and
living. This would mean that the age of Deccan Traps particularly in
central India, may not be Tertiary Eocene-Lower Eocene but it is
very likely that these flows in Central India were poured in
cretaceous, may be uppermost Cretaceous, a view already
propounded by Medlicot and Blanford.
At the end with the above discussion I feel personally that
the subject is still vague and controversial and needs a modernized
deliberation both in geological and paleobotanical sapeota for its
conclusion.
38
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT DECCAN INTERTRAPPEAN BEDS OF MOHGAONKALAN
I have visited the Deccan Intertrappean exposures of
village Mohgaonkalan which is unique one and its surrounding
areas many times. This village is located in Chhindwara district of
Madhyapradesh (Lat. 21 "31 ' - 20''50' N an Long. 78° 15' - 79°20'E).
The Deccan 'B"ap occupy about 70 per cent area of this district
(Plate 7). I reached this locality by hiked vehicle and the route was
Amravati - Morshi - Warud - P a n d u m a - Rajna - Sausar -
Chhindwara - Chaurai-Palatwada - Mohgaonkalan. The
Mohgaonkalan is about 12 kms from Chaurai. While on way to this
locality one hardly forgets to notice the brown cherts from the
bunding of fields which contains fossil shells and angiospermic
woods and at some places some fossils in situ (Plate 12). After
crossing the Palatwada village while on way to Mohgaonkalan
numerous brown cherts are seen strewn in the fields and at the
bottom of small hillocks (Plate 11). These cherts contain
angiospermic fossil fruits, wood and leaves.
The fossiliferous sedimentary beds are situated roughly
0.5 km west of the village Mohgaonkalan (79''11E : 22° ! N). The
samples of black cherts were collected from the dump dug out of
small creek flowing at the foot of a hills (Plate 11). During
observations of the inter trappean sediments some interesting facts
have been noticed tha t plants are found to be poorly preserved in a
brown chert while preservation is good in a black one. These are
39
'LiM.
a) Field near Mohgaonkalan showing number of
'^ fossiliferous cherts
b) Brown chert in situ near Mohgaonkalan
c) Brown cherts showing exposed fossil fruits
d) Brown chert showing exposed fossil wood
e) Counterparts of Tricoccites fruit observed after breaking the chert
11. Collect ion of Fossi l i ferous cherts fro Mohgaonkalan, Dist. Chhindwara, M.P., India
»
a) Exploration of the creek flowing nea r Mohgaonkalan
b) Dr. G. V. Patil in t h e creek flowing near Mohgaonkalan while exploration
c) Dr. B. V. Upadhye and Dr. M. B. Bobade while exploring the bunding of flelds on the way to Mohgaonkalan
d) P. S. Kokate in the fleld near Mohgaonkalan while exploration
Plate 12. Visit to Fossiliferous locality, Mohgaonkalan, Dist. Chhindwara, M.P., India
mostly the petrifactions, compressions and impressions and rarely
casts of plant and animal fossils. These fossiliferous intertrappean
exposures are discontinuous towards Keria, Jher ia and Paladum
side.
During my visit to Mohgaonkalan, renouned
Palaeobotanist and Ex-Vice Chancellor of Amravati University,
Dr. G. V. Patil and supervisor Dr. E. V. Upadhye were also with me.
Dr. G. V. Patil explained about sediments represented by Lameta
and Intertrappean beds. We also visited the creeke flowing near the
Mohgaonkalan (Plate 12). While observing the fossiliferous locality,
many fossiliferous brown cherts were found in situ (Plate 11). We
also came across the fossiliferous cherts exposed at Mohgaonkalan
showing pertified fructification like Tricxtcdtes, Enigmocarpon,
Sahniocarpon, etc. Many petrified woods were also observed during
visit (Plate 11).
We have also collected some leaf impressions, casts and
molds from the fossiliferous locality. The boundries of farm show the
rich fossil assemblage of flora and fauna. The presence of
Ostracodes, Gastropods, Shells of MoUusca were very common with
the fossil woods.
Our visit to rich fossiliferous locality Mohgaonkalan was
realy informative and helped u s to unders tand and interprete the
views regarding the formation of Deccan Intertrappean beds.
40
SURVEY OF LITERATURE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED ON FLORA OF THE DECCAN
INTERTRAPPEAN BEDS OF INDIA
Study of the Deccan Intertrappean flora started after the
collection of fossils by Hislop and Hunter, Malcolmson, Crookshank,
Oldham, Morris, Carter and other more than a century ago.
However, after a long gap, research work in Palaeobotany of these
beds was accelerated by Sahni (1931-1940). And 1929 onwards
many workers took interest in this branch of Botany and reported
the plants from Algae to Angiosperms.
Chitaley (1962) published a synopsis of literature
including the plants studied during 1928-1960. Prakash (1960,
1965a and 1972) h a s given the review of gymnospermous and
angiospermous flora of Deccan Intertrappean beds. Lakhanpal
(1973) reviewed the literature of the flora of Deccan trap country
from Algae to Angiosperms. Patil (1988) also reviewed
Angiospermous fruits and flowers reported from the Deccan
Intertrappean beds.
As I got the collection of fossils from G3annosperms and
Angiosperms, I have tried my best to give the upto date review of
concerned groups of plant remains in the Intertrappean beds of
Mohgaonkalan from 1928 to 2005. I have mentioned here the
concerned plant fossils worked out fromi different exposures of
Intertrappean beds by various authors and arranged them
groupwise.
41
GYMNOSPERMS
CONES
Authors Years Locality Name
Chitaley and Sheikh
Karanjekar
Prakash, U.
Sahni
Sahni
Sahni
Upadhye
1973
1982
1956, 1977
1931
1931
1931
1979
Mohgaonkalan Harrisostrobus intertrappea
Pinaceostrobilites triovulites
Mohgaonkalan Mohgaostrobus sahnii
Takli Takliostrobus alatus
Takli Pityostrobus crassitesta
Unknown locality Indostrobus bifidalepis
Mohgaonkalan Mohgaostrobus sahnii
OVULES
Authors
Ainapoore
Mistri
Paradkar
Patil and Upadhye
Sheikh and Kolhe
Shukla
Singh
Singhai
Yawale
Years
1994
1989
1976
1987
1978
1948
1977
1975
1975
Locality
—
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalem
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Dioouulites mexicani
Podocarpoaulties intertrappea
Gymnoimlites deccani
CycadovuUtes deccani
Podocarpoovulites chitaleyii
Gymnovulites
Podocarpoovulites triiuingatus
Cycadoxmlites mohgaoense
Coniferoomdites deccanii
42
ANGIOSPERMS
DICOTYLEDONS
FLOWBRS
Authors
Ainapore
Channe
Chitaley
Chitaley and Patel
Dixit
Kapgate
Kapgate
Kapgate
Paradkar
Paradkar and Senad
Prakash
Prakash and J a in
Shukla
Shukla
Shukla
Shukla and Verma
Verma
Yawale
Yawale
Years
1994
1998
1955
1974
1986
2001
2001
2001
1971
1984
1956
1963
1944
1950
1958
1956
1956
1977
1977
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Phutali
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Martynianthus intertrappea
Cochloanthus phutali
Sahnianthus parijai
Raoanthus intertrappea
Mohgaonthus deccanii
Sheikhanthus shuklai
Chenopodianthus mohgaonU
Hydnoanthus rodei
Chitaleypushpam mohgaoense
Sahnianthus parijai Shukla
Sahnipushpam glandulosum
Sahnipushpam shukla
Sahnianthus parijai
Sahniipushpam sps.
Sahnianthus dinectarium
Sahnipushpam intertrappea
Sahnipushapm shuklai
Chitaleypushpam dilecherii
Telianthus benasonii
43
FRUITS
Authors
Adhao
Adhao
Adhao
Ainapore
Barlinge
Barlinge
Bhowal Mausmi
Bhowal Mausmi
Bhowal Mausmi
Biradar and Mahabale
Channe
Channe
Channe
Chauhan
Chitaley
Chitaley and Kate
Chitaley and Kate
Chitaley and Kate
Chitaley and Nambudiri
Chitaley and Patil
Chitaley and Sheikh
Chitaley and Yawale
Chudiwale
Years
1986
1986
1986
1994
1977
1979
1998
1998
1998
1976
1998
1998
1998
1987
1977
1975
1977
1974
1973
1973
1973
1977
1990
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Singhpur
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Jhargad
Jhargad
Jhargad
Name
Burseraceocarpon ramanujami
Ceratocarpon spinosa
Juglanicarpon agashii
Martyniocarpon spinosi
Mohgaocarpon dicotylespemui
Juncaginocarpon mohgaonsis
Schizocarpon aliformi
Bicarpelocarpon singhpuri
Baccatocarpon sharmae
Enigmocarpon parijai Sahni
Agashocarpon intertrappea
Orygiocarpon jhargadi
Apricarpon jhargadi
Mohgaonkalan Mahabalecarpon deccanii
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Enigmocarpon parijai
Cremocarpon aquatica
Enigmocarpon sahnii
Kremocarpon aquatica
Harrisocarpon sahnii
Sahniocarpon harrisii
Daberocarpon gerhardii
Mohgaoncarpon eyedei
Gordonicorpon m.ohgaonse
Contd...
44
Authors
Chudiwale
Chudiwale
Dahegaokar and Kapgate
Dahegaokar and Sheikh
Dahegaonkor
Dhabarde, and Sheikh
Dixit
Dixit
Dixit
Dwivedi
Gedam, Kolhe and Kapgate
Ja in
Ja in and Dayal
June ja
Juneja and Sheikh
Kapgate
Kapgate
Kapgate
Kapgate
Kapgate
Kapgate, Patil and J a m k a r
Kapgate, Sheikh and Kapgate
Years
1990
1990
2003
2003
2002
2005
1984
1984
1984
1956
2003
1964
1966
1993
1993
2001
2001
2001
2001
2003
2005
2003
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Bharatwada
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Nicardocarpon ramanujami
Ficardocarpon ramanujami
Anacardwcarpon sahnii
Spinocarpon intertrappea
Hexaloculocarpon intertrappea
Singhpurocarpon sahnii
Harrisocarpon sahnii
Trilata malphigia
Tiliceocarpon intertrappea
Enigmocarpon parijai
Achenoarpon mohgaonii
Indocarpa intertrappea
CarpolUhus striatus
Nautiyalocarpon singhpurii
Triloculerocarpon singhpurii
Hydnocarpon sahnii
Podostemoncarpon mohgaonse
Loculocidocarpon intertrappea
Chitaleyocarpon intertrappea
Lytherocarpon mohgaonse
Rodeocarpon mohgaonse
Wingospermocarpon arilies
Contd
45
Authors
Karanjekar
Karanjekar
Karekar
Kate
Kate
Kate
Kubalkar
Kolhe
Kumar
Kumar
Mahabale and Deshpande
Mahajan
Mahajan
Mehrotra
Mistiy
Mistiy
Years
1982
1982
1990
1974
1974
1974
1982
1980
1985
1985
1957
1987
1987
1983
1989
1989
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Cremocarpon deccani
Utriculariocarpon chitaleyii
Mahabalecarpon interrappea
Uttamocarpon mohgaonse
Biloculaire intertrappea
Ribire intertrappea
Erythroxylocarpon intertrappeans
Mohgaonkalan Ranvanujamocarpon indicum
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Bharatwada
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Piperocrpon sps.
Chitalecarpon deccani
Enigmocarpon parijai
Papillinoarpon kajalei
Arilocarpon sheikhii
Euphorbiaceocarpon drypetecides
Singhpurocarpon biradarii
Gyrocarpsocarpon
Mistiy 1989
Nambudiri 1968
Paradkar 1975
Paradkar and Dbdt 1984
Paradkar and Patki 1987
Parveen and 2003 Narkhede
Qurashi and 2005 Narkhede
Sahni 1943
Sakundarwar 1987
Sakundarwar 1987
Sakundarwar 1987
intertrappea
PhyUanthocarpon singhpuri
Indocarpa mahabalei
Deccanocarpon amoldi
Gretuia mohgaonensis
Trapa mohgaonensis
Malvaceocarpon deccanii
Hydrocarpon mohgaonkalaense
Bharatwada Enigmocarpon parijai
Mohgaonkalan Mahabalecarpon deccani
Mohgaonkalan Carthemus deccani
Mohgaonkalan BUoculocarpon deccani
Contd....
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
46
Authors
Senad
Sheikh and Kapgate
Sheikh and Kapgate
Sheikh and Kubalkar
Sheikh and Mahajan
Sheikh, Saxena and Kapgate
Upadhye
Upadhye
Yawale
Yawale
Yawale
Yawale
Authors
Bonde
June ja
June ja
June ja
Juneja, Sheikh,
Kubalkar and Gupta
Kumar
Sheikh and Bhowal
Wazalkar
Years
1984
1980
1984
1982
1987
2003
1979
1979
1977
1979
1978
1979
Years
1993
1993
1993
1993
2003
1984
2003
1990
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
SEEDS
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Ramakona
Ramakona
Ramakona
Ramakona
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Chitaleycarpon paleocenum
Exospermocarpon mohgaoense
Wingospermocarpon mohgaoense
Centrospermocarpon chitaleyi
Oleaceocarpon nagpurensis
Capsulooarpon intertrappea
Euphorbiaceocarpon deccani
Kremocarpon indicum
Mohgaoncarpon eyedi
Leguminocarpon eocenum
Biloculacorpon mohgaoenese
Lomentocarpon eocenum
Name
Unonaspermum comeri
Ramakonaspermus chitaleyensis
Mahabalespermum. minutum
Deccanosperma arillata
Ramakonacarpus Chituleyensus Juneja
Clusiocarpus deccanii
Ramukonaspermus singhpurii
Clusiocarpus indicum
47
MONOCOTYLEDONS
LEAVES
Authors
Achutn
Bhowal and Sheikh
Chitaley and Patil
Dwivedi
Kate
Mahajan
Nambudiri
Paradkar
Patil
Patil and Singh
Patil and Upadhye
Patil and Upadhye
Prakash, Bande and Ambawani
Rode
Singh
Singh
Singh
Singh
Trivedi and Chandra
Trivedi and Verma
Trivedi and Verma
Upadhye and Bobade
Years
1968
2003
1977
1961
1974
1987
1966, 70
1975
1971
1978
1990
1990
1980
1935
1977
1977
1977
1977
1971
1972
1971
2005
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Palmophyllum dakshinense
CarexophyUum mohgaonse
AerophyUites intertrappea
Petrified monocot leaf
Mohgaonphyllum ramanujamu
CyperceophyUu m ramanujanii
Smiladtes mohgaonsensis
Culmites decxxxnensis
AerophyUites suranga
Eichhomia intertrappea
Crinum eocenum
Palaeophylloides acadea
Musophyllum indicum
Phyllites mohgaonse
Festucophyllites intertrappeansis
Achlyphilla mohgaonse
Elymus interrappeansis
AerophyUites mohgaonse
Palm leaf (Borossoid type)
HeUoconiaties mohgaonensis
Cannites intertrappea
Scitaminophylum indicum
48
Authors Years
FLOWERS
Locality Name
Bonde
Bonde and Kumaran
Carter
Chitaley and Kate
Chitaley and Patil
Kar, Ambawani Sahni, A., Sharma
Lakhanpal, Prakash and Bande
Verma
1996 Nawargaon Arecoideostrobus moarei
1993 Mandala Liliaceous inflorescence
1952 Worli, Malabar Stem and flower of Hill Bombay Scirpus
1974 Mohgaonkalan Deccardthus savitrii
1971 Mohgaonkalan Shuklanthus superbum.
Verma
2003 Mohgaonkalan Flosfema intertrappea
FlosouiruUs deccanensis
1982 Mohgaonkalan Monocotyledonous inflorescence
1958 Mohgaonkalan Shuklanthus superbum
Authors
Bonde
Bonde
Bonde
Bonde
Bonde et at.
Carter
Carter
Chitaley
Chitaley
Chitaley
Chitaley
Years
2000
1985
1990
1990
2005
1950
1854
1960
1954
1958
1956
FRUITS
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Umaria
Nawargaon
Nagpur
Takli
Mohgaonkalan
Takli
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Rhodosphathodendron tomlinsonii
Tricoccites trigonam
Arecoidocarpon kulkamii
Pandanusocarpon umariense
Arecoidocarpon nawargaoensis
Nypadaites
Nipadaites
Nypa spp.
Viracarpon hexaspermum
Viracarpon hexaspermum
Tricoccites trigonum
Contd....
49
Authors
Chitaley and Nambudiri
Chitaley and Patel
Chitaley and Patil
Chitaley and Sheikh
Chitaley, Shallom and Mehta
Chudiwale
Ja in
Ja in
Juneja
Kapgate
Karanjekar
Karekar
Kolhe
Mahabalae
Mahabale
Mahabale
Mahabale
Nambudiri
Paradkar and Barlinge
Patel
Patel
Patki
Patil
Patil
Patil and Singh
Years
1960
1974
1971
1971
1969
1990
1964
1960
1993
1988
1982
1990
1980
1950a
1950
1950
1953
1966
1980
1974
1971
1980
1972
1973
1978
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Takli
Mohgaonkalan
Mahurzari
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Singhpur
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Nipadaites compressum
Trilocularie lakhanpalii
Viracarpon elongatum
Graminocarpon mohgaonese
Viracarpon sahnii
Palmocarpon deccanti
Musa cardiosperma
Musa cuschiformis
Palmocarpon deccani
Trilocukxcarpon mahabalei
Palmocarpon intertrappea
Nipadaites mohgaonsis
Cocosccarpon mohgaonense
Floarl axis of Cyclathaceae
Palmocarpon insigne
Palmostrobus sps.
Sparganium sps.
Nypa spp.
Jucaginocarpon mohgaonsis
Tricoccites trigonum
Sparganium
Phoenix intertrappea
Viracarpon chitaleyi
Viracarpon sahnii
Nipa semizonate
Contd...
50
Authors
Patil and Upadhye
Prakash
Prakash
Prakash
Puranik and Kolhe
Rode
Sahni
Sahni
Sahni
Sahni
Sahni
Sahni and Rode
Sahni and Rode
Sahni and Surange
Sahni, Srivastava and Rao
Senad
Shete and Kulkami
Shukia
Trivedi and Chandra
Wazalwar
Years
1983
1960
1955
1960
2005
1933
1950
1934
1940
1934, 1944
1944
1937
1937
1953
1934
1983
1985
1950a
1971a
1990
Locality
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Takli
Takli
Takli
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Takli
Mohgaonkalan
Wrdha district
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Mohgaonkalan
Name
Cocos intertrappeansis
Palmocarpon indicum
Palmocarpon mohgaonse
Palmocarpon sulcatum
Borasseacarpon mohgaoens
Palmocarpon compressum
Cyclanthodedron
Palmocarpon bracteatum
Palmocarpon takliensis
Viracarpon hexaspermum
Viracarpon elongatum
Nipadaites Hindi
Tricoccites trigonum
Cyclanthodedron
Palmocarpon sps.
Areca intertrappea
Palmocarpon coryphoidum.
Tricoccites trigonum
Palmocarpon splendidum
Borasseocarpon mohgaoense
51
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