Early Tertiary vegetational reconstructions around -Chhindwara and , central

M. 8. Bande & Shaila Chandra

Bande. M. B. & Chandra. Sluila 1990. Earll' Teniary vegetationJl reconstructions around Nagpur-Chhindwara and Mandla. central India. In: Jain. K. P. & Tiwari. R. S. leds )-Proc Symp. 'Vistas in Indian Palaeobotany'. I'alaeobutanist 38 : 196· 208.

The Deccan Intenrappean nora represents a stage in the vegetational histOry of India when majority of forms constituting the modern vegetation of this subcontinent had auained a stability in their morphological characters. Most of the information regarding this nora is derived from the assemblages from Nagpur-Chhinciwara region and MancHa District in central India. The Nagpur-Chhinclwara assemblage is constiruted by ta-xa representing all major groups of the Plant Kingdom belonging to marine. esruarine. fresh warer. marshy and terresrrial habitats. The Mandla assemblage. mainly comprising plall[ fossils from the localities around Shahpura. is exclUSively angiospennous constituted mostly by palms and arborescent c1icOlyledons Based on the available data of fossil plall[s from these areas, Early Tertiary \'egetational reconstructions have been auempred. The evidence of the Deccan Intenrappean plant fossils suggests the occurrence of evergreen to semi·evergreen forests in central India during Early Tertiary, similar ro the present day forests of Western Ghars.

Key-words-f)eccan Intenrappeans. Vegetational reconstructions. Nagpur·Chhindwara. Mandla. Early Teniary (India 1.

.l1. B. Hamle & 9'aila Chandra. HirbalSalmi InSlillite of Palaeobotany. 53 Uniuersity Road. L"cknow 226007. India.

rillT ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 'IIrof .q ~-~ ~ 1fr.IT ~ alm-trn

~~~~.~t:rr~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 'ltR'if

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ mq;n: q;r 'Fffif fu;m lfllT i 'ilm

THE Deccan Intertrappean flora occupies a unique representing all major plant groups. Leaving aside position in the vegetational history of India. The the stray reports of fossil plants from various flora, which has been assigned a Palaeocene-Eocene localities distributed all over the Deccan Trap age, represents a stage when majority of the forms COllntry, most of the information regarding this flora constituting the modern vegetation of this comes from the assemblages described from the subcontjnent had attained a stability in their Intertrappean beds exposed around Rajahmundry in morphological characters, at least at the generic Andhra Pradesh, Nagpur-Chhindwara in level. Embedded in the lacustrine and fluviatile Maharashtra/ and in the Mandla sediments, depOSited between the successive lava District of Madhya Pradesh (Map 1) Of these, the flows, the fossil flora is constituted by well Rajahmundry assemblage is characterized by the preserved woods, leaves, frUits, flowers, etc occurrence of marine algae and charophyric 196 BAj'WE & CHAJ'JDRA-EARLY TERTIARY VEGETATIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS 197

76° 80° 81.° A prerequisite for such reconstruction is to I I I

~--""""\.. collect as much data as possible regarding the habit ,., and habitat of the extant genera and species .' , ..:.:: represented in a fossil assemblage. The height of ,,/ individual trees (in case of arborescent ·forms), \ " BIHAR length and width of their clear boles, presence or _ 2,-° MADHYA PRADESH absence of buttresses, colour and characters of bark, • .SHAHPURA shape of the crowns, shape and size of the leaves, • MANDLA 1­ etc. are other important features which also need CHHI~DWARA ·-·...L....-.."t".i consideration. While preparing illustrations of the ., past vegetation around Nagpur-Chhindwara and I...... ·:> MAHARASHTRA < Mandla information concerning extant taxa ("':!--/:: 20° represented in these two assemblages was collected )...../ .."'...... --j by studying them in their natural habitat and also I" , , N ,\ from various published data (Beddome, 1978; I Blatter, 1926; Brandis, 1971; Blasco, 1975; Champion ('ANDHRA PRADESH / \;? & Seth, 1968; de Wit, 1967; Everett, 1969; Florin, ..,; .J 1 '--- -JI ' , 1963; Hora, 1981; McCurrach, 1960; Pearson & 81.0 BOO Brown, 1932) This information has been provided 2. Map 1 in Table 1 and fructifications, in the Nagpur·Chhindwara assemblage all the major plant groups are Table I-Significant extant taxa (Gymnosperms & Angios­ perms) in the Deccan Intertrappean fiora of Nagpur­ represented, while the Mandla assemblage is Chhindwara with their habit, habitat and distribution exclusively angiospermous where dicotyledons and palms are frequent. EXlant Taxa Habi1, Habilal & Comparable It is now established that majority of Tertiary Disrribulion Fossil Taxa plant fossils are assignable to extant genera and (j) (2) (3) species. This being the case with the Deccan Araucariaceae Intenrappean fossils also, the evidence of fossil plants from the Nagpur-Chhindwara area and the Araucaria Trees, dislribuled in different cOllnlries of lhe has already been analysed to southern hemisphere. reconstruct the palaeoclimate and palaeogeography Some species grow in 1he in central India during the Early Tertiary. It has been 1emperale condilions postulated that at the time of the Deccan In New Caledonia lhe Intenrappean sedimentation this area was covered genus occurs in moisl foreslS from sea Mohgaoslrobus by forests similar to the extant evergreen to semi­ shore up 10 an elevalionsabnii evergreen forests of Western Ghats and northeast of 2,600 m Prakash 1956 India (Lakhanpal, 1970; Prakash, 1973; Bande & Araucarioxylon sp. Prakash, 1982; Bande et al., 1988). The area enjoyed Agalhis Up 10 75 m lall foresl Lakhanpal, Prakash rrees growing al & Bande 1977 a humid tropical climate with almost uniform medium 10 heigh alli· temperature throughout the year and annual rainfall 1udes in lropical and above 2,000 mm per year and a long rainy season. sub'lropical regions in The occurrence of this type of climate has been New Zealand, 1he coaSl attributed to an equatorial position of peninsular of Queensland, AUSlralia, India at that time, presence of sea in near- vicinity New Caledonia, Vanua1u, Sallla Cruz, and probable absence of Western Ghats as barrier in Islands, and Fiji, the path of the southwest monsoon (Bande & Soloman Islands and Prakash, 1982). Taking into account the evidence of New Guinea 10 1he fossil plants, an attempt has been made in the Philippines as well present paper to reconstruct Deccan Intertrappean as Suma1ra and lhe Malay Peninsula. vegetation around Nagpur-Chhindwara (Plate 1) and AI1iwdinai range Mandla (Plate 2) 0·2100 m. Contd 198 THE PALAEOBOTANIST

Podocarpaceae Phoenix Stem 3.5 to 6 m, dia· Palmoxylon cf robusta meter 30·40 cm, Phoenix Mahabale Podocarpus Shrubs or large trees. tessellated with per· 1959 Two species in India sistent rhomboidal leaf P. nerifolia-A tall bases. Western Ghats, tree, branches whorled. gregarious on the flat Nepal, Sikkim, ever· tOP trap hills. green forests of the outer hills ascending Nlpa fruticans From a Sahni to about 900 m. stout·branching Nipa & Assam, Khasi hills, rhizome creeping either Rode 1937 Cachar, Chinagong in underground or along BangIa Desh, Andamans the surface spring tufts Rhizopalmoxylon at the bottom of the of huge pinnate leaves indicum Sahni 1938 valleys. not on the hills, Podocmpoxylon 3 to 7 5 m long, leaflets often gregarious. deccanensis numerous, 60 120 cm Trivedi & long. Found in estuaries P wallicbianus·large Srivastava 1989 or rivers and tidal trees. Khasi hills, swamps, Sunderbans, Cachar, Martaban and Andamans. Chittagong Tenasserim. Tinnevelli in Bangia Desh',' Burma ghats, 10 to over coast, Sri Lanka, 1500 m, Malaysian Malaysian Peninsula and Peninsula. Java. Archipelago. Australia. Musaceae Nymphaeaceae Musa sp. Tree like herbs with iVlusa cardiosperma thick stems composed Jain 1964 Nymphaea sp. Aquatic perennial herbs Nymphaeocaulon of convolute leaf Musocaulon with long petioled intertrappeum sheaths. A genus of the indicum Jain 1964 floating leaves and Trivedi & Ambwani Old world tropics. In /vlusopbyllum creeping rootstocks. 1971 India occurring in indicum Prakash, Flowers of various Western Ghats, Bihar, Bande & Ambwani colours. Common Assam, Meghalaya, 1979 throughout warmer Mizoram, Arunachal, parts of India and many Nagaland, Eastern other countries. Himalaya, also in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma. Tiliaceae Malaysia. G,'ewia A small to medium G,'ewioxylon Palmae laev/gata sized tree with a stem mabu rzariense Cocos nUCljera Unarmed monoecious Palmoxylon sun· about 60·90 cms in Prakash & Dayal palms. Cultivated in the dm'am Sahni var girth and 4 m bole. 1965 hot damp regions of uidarbbai Rao & Found in the outer India, Burma and Sri Menon 1964, Himalaya, from the Lanka especially near Cocos inte,'trap· Jamuna eastwards the sea peansis Pati! & ascending to over Upadhye 1984 900 m in both the peninsula. Phoenix Trees. trunk 4 to 6 m rupicola high, 20 to 25 cm in Grewia Moderate to large tree, Grewioxylon diameter The entire liliaefolia straight, fairly cylindri· indicum Prakash & stem closely covered by cal stem, 1 to 1.5 m in Dayal 1965 the more or less girth, 4.5 to 6 m bole, in rhomboidal bases of central India. On the petioles. Occurs in west coast, Karnataka, Sikkim on steep cliffs Coorg, etc. Large trees near the Tista and 2 m and over in girth, Mahanadi rivers. 9 m bole. Comd

PLATE 1 - Reconstruction of vegetation around Nagpur·Chhindwara area during Early Tertiary. "/'"

/ < u 200 Till': I'ALAEOBOTAN1ST

Elaeocarpaceae Leguminosae

Elaeocarpus sp. A large genus of medium Elaeocarpoxylon Aeschynomene The lndian species Aeschynomene [Q large evergreen amiqum Prakash & Aeschynomene asperel is lerliara Prakash trees. majority of the Dayal 1964 a tall, erect water plant 1962 species distributed in of marshy habitat, attain­ the lndo-Malayan region. ing up to 3.5 m. Occurs Nearest comparable in Bengal, rare in the species F:laeocarpus western peninsula. ferrugineous is moderate Myrtaceae sized tree, about 12 01, height with a clear bole S)zygium Medium to large-sized Syzygioxylon of .3 01, and about 90­ cumini evergreen tree occurr­ chhindwarense 120 COl girth. Occurs in ing throughout India Patil & Singh 1974 Western Ghats, Nilgiris, usually along water Anamalais, Pulney courses. hills as well as high hills of Travancore. Lecythidaceae Another anatomically BarringlOnia A middle·sized ever· Barringlonioxylon similar species E lubeI" aClllanglila green tree found in deccanense culalus is a large tree sub Himalayan tract Prakash & Dayal 2 01 in girth and 25 01 from the Ganges 1965 high. Buttressed. Found eastwards, Bengal and in Karnataka southwards central India, the through the Western peninsula and Burma. Ghats, Coorg, Mysore, chiefly on the banks Travancore, common in of streams and in evergreen forests of moist places. Garisoppah of Karnataka. BarringlOnia An evergreen tree found BarringlOnioxylon plerocarpa in Pegu and Martaban eoplerocarpul11 Simaroubaceae in Burma Prakash & Dayal Ailamhus A lofty tree With tall Ailamhoxylon 1965 malabarica cylindrical trunk, found indicum Prakash Sonneratiaceae in the evergreen forests 1959 of Western Ghats from Sonneralia Glabrous trees. Sunder­ Sahnianlbus the Konkan-southwards, acida & bans and along the parijae Shukla from the coast to about 5 apelala coastal and tidal waters 1944 900 m. of peninsular India Emgmocarpon parijae Sahni 1934 Burseraceae

Boswe//ia A deciduous middle· Boswellioxylon Datiscaceae se,-rata sized tree \yith a indicum Dayal Telrameles A very tall fast groWing Telrameleoxylon spreading flat crown, ]966 nlldljlora deciduous tree. Trunk prel1l1dijlora bole up to 35 to 45 m, straight 30 [Q 40 01 to Lakhanpal & Verma girth 1 to 15 m. Found the first branch, 9 01 1966 in the sub-Himalayan in girth, often much tracts, from Sutlej east· buttressed Terai and wards and throughout outer hills, Darjeeling the drier parts of the District, ascending [Q western Peninsula to 900 01, Andamans, Western within 10- 20 km of Ghats and Nilgiris in the Western Ghats. Often Sholas and evergreen gregarious, forming forests. Evergreen open forests. to semi-evergreen and Ampelidaceae low lying plain forests and Burma Leea Large herbs or erect Leeoxylon shrubs, stems and mulliserialum Euphorbiaceae branches generally Prakash & Dayal Mallollts A large shrub or a MallOlOxylon furrowed. Different ]96'1 phiilppensis small to moderate keriense species distributed in sized tree, branching Lakhanpal & Dayal Sikkim. Assam, Manipur, low with a shon, 1964 Andamans, Bengal, west sometimes fluted or peninsula, Konkan, Chotanagpur etc. C(Jllld BANDE & CHANDRA-EARLY TERTlARY VEGETATIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS 201

ot herwise irregularly Assam. Chi[[agong hill shaped stem 60 to 90 cm [racks in Bangia Desh in girth. Found in the and Burma. sub·Himalayan tract frol11 Pu njab eastwards, ascen· Flacourtiaceae ding to over 1,300 m A large tree up [0 2.7 111 in Bengal, central India, Homa/ium girth with a I') 111 both the peninsulas. tomenlOsum cylindrical straight stem Found in rhe deciduous forest frol11 Chi[[agong in Bangia Desh to Table 2-Significant extant taxa in the Deccan Intertrap­ lVlanaban in Burma, pean flora of Mandla District with their habit, habitat and Ganjam. distribution Homa/ium A 10111'tree found in the Extant taxa Habit, Habitat & Comparable Fossi I zeylanicum Western Ghats from Homalioxylon Distribution Taxa North Karnalaka south mandlaense Bande (I) (2) (3) wards in evergreen 1974 forests Palmae Hydnocarpus A tall straight tree Hypbaene Branched palm distri· Hypbaeneocarpon U'lgbliana common along the indica buted all along the indicum Bande, Western Ghats from western coast up to Prakash & Ambwani Konkan southwards Goa. 1982 ascending to over Chrysaly· Abou( 7.5 m (all palm Palm oxylon 600 m, also below the Hydnocarpoxylon docarpus with unarmed stem and ghuguensis Ghats in Malabar and indicum Bande & lutescens pinnate leaves found in Ambwani & Prakash Karnataka. Khatri 1980 Malagassy. 1983 Hydnocarpus Small to moderate·sized alpina tree, 90 to 120 cm girth Licuala peltala 2. ') to 4.') m, usually Palmoxylon 111bole. gregariOUS, marked sbabpu rensis with 6 [0 9 below with leaf scars, Ambwani 1983 Found in the NilgiriS leaves orbicular, up to nearly 1.800 m, Sri Lanka (low country). 0.9 to 1. ') m in diameter, peltate. Found in Guttiferae Sikkim, deep hot valleys near the Teesta River. Garcinia cowa A large tree with droop· Assam, Khasi Hills. ing branches found in Cachar, woody moun· Assam. Chota Nagpur, tainous country to the Nilgiris and else· coast and near Chi[[a· where in the pen insula. gong in Bangia Desh, and Chi[[agong in Garcinioxylon Burma in damp ravines Bangia Desh terliarum Bande & of Pegu Yoma and in Khatri 1980 Andaman islands G. xa12lbo· A moderate·sized tree Arenga sp. Tall stout palms. Palmoslroboxylon cbymus with dense dark green Indian species Arenga arengOidum shining foliage. Sikkil11 wigblii occurs in nonh Anlbwani 1984 ascending up to over Karnataka, evergreen forest 900 m, Assam, Khasi of the Western Ghats, hills, Andaillans, western very common near the peninsula in (he falls of Gairsoppah, Circars but chiefly in the Nilgiris and Travancore. evergreen forests along Western Ghats from Anonaceae north Karnataka south· Polyallhia An evergreen, (all, Polyallbioxylon wards, Chi[[agong hills simiarum rather slender tree up to parapaniense in Bangia Desh and 1.2 m in girth with a Bande 1973 Burma. tall cylindrical stem. Found in the moist Sterculiaceae forest of Orissa, Mayur. bhanj. in lower hill Sterculia A large deciduous tree forests in North Bengal, foetida found on the west coast COIlId. 202 THE PAiAEOBOTAJ'-J]ST

at low elevations from throughout hill forests 1978 Konkan southwards. Sri of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Lanka and Manaban in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Burma. Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Upper Burma. Sterculia A medium·sized tree gUlla/a found in the evergreen 5/erculioxylon Burseraceae forests of Western deccanensis Ghats to Travancore. Lakhanpal, Prakash Bursera A large evergreen tree ascending up to 600 & Bande 1978 & serra/a with a straight cylindrical m in Assam and Tenas· Stereulioxylon stem uptO 2 m in girth Burseroxylon serim in Burma. sbahpurensis Bande and 9-12 m clean bole. preserra/um Bande & Prakash 1980. Occurs in Assam, Cachar, & Prakash 1982 Chotanagpur, Orissa S/erculia A large deciduous tree extending Eastern campanulala uptO 30 to 40 m in to height with a smooth Ghats especially in cylindrical stem 2.5 to valleys and along Water 3 m in girth. Found in courses, also in Chitta· eastern Peninsula. slopes gong in Bangia Desh. of the Pegu Yoma and Canarium Medium·sized to large Canarioxylon Manaban in Burma. trees distributed in the shahpure nsis Nicobars, Malaysian evergreen forests of Trivedi & Srivastava Peninsula. Western Ghats, north 1985 S/erculia A small to medium sized Bengal and Assam anguSll! olia tree found in Lower extending up to Burma. Burma. C. strictum the south Indian species is a very Tlliaceae large tree, with a straight cylindrical stem Crewia A small to medium· sp. Crewioxylon up to 30 m in height, laeuiga/a sized tree with a in: Lakhanpal, 25m in girth. stem about 60·90 em Prakash & Bande in girth and 4.5 m 1978 bole found in the outer Meliaceae Himalaya from the Heynea A small tree or a Heyneoxy/on Jamuna eastward ascen· /rijuga shrub, up to 6-12 m /er/iarum Bande & ding to about 900 m in height, 90 cm girth Prakash 1982 in both the peninsulas. with 4.5 to 6 m clear bole. Found in sub· Elaeocarpaceae Himalayan tract from Ecbinocarpus A large tree growing in Kumaon eastwards to sigun Khasi hills and Burma. north Bengal, plain and hill forests of Assam, Ecbinocarpus A large tree occurring Elaeocarpoxylon Eastern Ghats, Western assamicus more or less gregari­ mandlaensis Ghats, etc. ously on river banks Lakhanpal, Prakash throughout Assam, & Bande 1979 Walsura glauca A tree up to 24 m in also in Sikkim. height occurring in South Tennasserim in Rutaceae Burma.

A/alan/ia A small evergreen tree or W. piscida A middle-sized tree monophylla a glabrous shrub found up to 25 m in height and throughout the mountain 60 cm in diameter. region of south India, Found in Western Ghats Bihar, Orissa Assam and from North KarnatOlka Wa/sura Sri Lanka, extending to southwards to the deccanensis the Andamans and Burma Anamalais and Travan­ Mehrotra 1989 Limonia A small tree or a glabrous core; also in dry ever­ acidissima, shrub growing in the A/alan/ioxylon green forests of Mysore, sub-Himalayan tract indicum Lakhanpal, Andhra, Orissa and from Ravi eastwards Prakash & Bande Southern Bihar. Cuntd.

PLATE 2 Reconstruction of vegetation around Mandla during Early Tertiary. - ... ,

N

'L« SANDE & CHANDRA-EARLY TERTIARY VEGETATIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS 203

r-;-- ..._~

PLATE 2 204 THE PAIAEOBOTAi'J!ST

W ull/osa A moderate-sized tree Bengal and central India, 9 to 15 m in height the peninsula and Burma fairly common in chieny on banks of Upper and Lower Burma. streams and in moist places. Aglaia Tall evergreen trees Aglaioxylon andamanica found in the Andamans. mandlaense Trivedi Barring/onia An evergreen tree fou nd & Srivastava 1982 plerocarpa in Pegu and Martaban Barr/ngton/oxylon Icacinaceae in Burma mandlaensis Bande & Khatri Gomphandra A large shrub or a Compbandroxylon 1980 lelrandra small tree growing in samnapurensis the Western Ghats Bande & Khatri Sonneratiaceae from North Karnataka 1980 Sonneralia Glabrous trees. Sunder­ Sonneralloxylon southwards, Nilgiris bans and along the preapelalum and Aflamalais, also coastal and tidal water Awasthi 1969 in Sri l.

Lopbopelalum A large tree growing in Lophopetalumo· Biscbofia A large to very large Biscbofinium l1/lorale Pegu and Tenasserim xylon indicum javanica deciduous tree generally deccm-I/i Bande especially on low Mehrotra, Prakash with straight. cylindrical 1974 lands along rivers. & Bande 1984 up to 7.5 m bole and Anacardiaceae 35m girth. Found in the sub-':'imalayan forest Draconlomelum A tall handsome ever- Dracontomeillmo· and outer hills from manlS1ferum green tree, 15· 30 m xylon mang/fer· Jamuna eastwards high and 1.5 to 3 m in umo/des Bande & ascending to 4,000 ft. in girth, usually in damp Khatri 1980 ChOlanagpur, western places along the streams. peninsula, Assam, China· Distributed in Burma, gong in Bangia Desh, Andaman and Nicobar Upper and Lower Burma, Islands, Malaysian chiefly is shady ravines Peninsula. and on the banks of the Myrtaceae streams.

Syzigium A medium to large Syzyg/oxylon Drypeles Shrubs and trees mostly Euphorbiocarpon cum/nl sized evergreen tree mcmdlaense Ingle in Assam. D. venus/a drypeleo/des occurring throughout 1972 occurs in Western Ghats. Mehrotra, Prakash & India usually along Branches drooping. Bande 1983 water courses. PUlranJiva roxburghiana included under Drypeles A genus of medium to Eucalyplus Fucalyplus by many authors is a lofty trees mainly dis­ dharmendrae middle-sized evergreen tributed in Australia, Bande, Mehrotra & tree with hanging very variable in habitat. Prakash 1986 branches occuring Flourishing in areas throughout tropical with 300 to 3,000 mm India in damp evergreen annual rainfall and from forests and on the banks sea level up to the Snow of streams. line. Moraceae Trislan/a Evergreen trees or ta\I Trislanla confer· conferla shrubs found in North to/des Bande, Arlocarpus Large to very large Artocarpoxylon Australia, Queensland Mehrotra & be/eropbyl/us evergreen tree in the deccanens/s Mehrotra, Prakash and New South Wales Prakash 1986 dense forests along the Western Ghats. & Bande 1984 The genus as a whole is distributed in Malaysia, New Caledonia, While artempting such reconstructions, it is not Australia, Fiji and possible to depict all the known fossil taxa northeast part of described from any particular area. In addition to the India. limited number of taxa which can be accommodated Leeythidaceae in such reconstructions another constrain is that in Barrington/a A middle-sized evergreen many cases affinities of the fossil taxa are doubtful. aculangula tree found in sub· It, therefore, becomes unavoidable to base such Himalayan tract from reconstructions on the evidence of only those fossil the Ganges eastwards, taxa whose affinities are reasonably certain. 13A.i\!DL l:k CJ IA;\JDRA-FARLY TFRTIARY VLGFTAT10NAL Rl·:CONSTRUCTIONS 20')

Irrespective of the area to which a wet tropical taxa, Peyssonnelia antiqua and Disticboplax have evergreen forest (tropical rain forest) may belong or been described from Mohgaonkalan. Recently, the taxa which might constitute the forest, there are Mehrotra (1989) has described yet another marine certain characteristic common features of these alga Solenopora from these beds. forests all over the world. These have been The fungi are mostly known as dispersed spores. discussed in detail by Richards (1981) and briefly The records of bryophytes are meagre and consist of mentioned by Champion and Seth (1968, p. 57) in a capsule assignable to Anthocerotaceae and a specific relation to the southern tropical evergreen thallus, similar to Riccia. forests of India. A characteristic feature of such The e;"'1ant pteridophytic genera identified in forests is the dominance of tall evergreen trees up to this assemblage are water ferns, Azolla, Marsilea and 45 m or more in height. Some of these trees Saluinia. Another genus Rodeites possesses probable occupying the top storey may be with clear boles 30 affinities with the South American aquatic fern m long and 5 m or more in girth and may be briefly Regnellidium. A strobilus resembling that of deciduous without affecting the evergreen nature of Selaginella has also been recognized. the forest. The canopy is extremely dense and, apart The gymnosperms are represented both by from the scattered giants projecting well above the cones as well as woods. The twO families which can general canopy the differentiation into definite be identified with certainty are Araucariaceae canopy layers probably does not exist. Epiphytes, (Araucaria/Agatbis) and Podocarpaceae like aroids ferns, mosses and orchids are common (Podocmpus ). but climbers are more frequent in the semi­ Amongst angiosperms, both monocotyledons evergreen forest. The ground vegetation may be and dicotyledons are recorded. Palms are of frequent totally absent or it may consists of a carpet of occurrence and the most important genera are : (i) Strobilantbes or Selaginella or ferns; grasses are Nipa-the characteristic floral element of estuarine absent. The undergrowth consists of canes, creeping habitat, and (ii) Cocos-a form of coastal bamboo and palms. The trees are usually with long environment. Yet another palm Phoenix has also cylindrical boles with thin smooth bark but plank been recorded. The other important monocot genus buttresses are frequent_ The leaves are thick and of this assemblage is Musa whose fruit, petiole as glossy and often white or pink when young. well as leaf have been described from Cauliflory may be relatively common. It was found Mohgaonkalan_ profitable to keep in mind these characteristic The dicotyledonous element is represented by a features of the southern evergreen forests of India number of flowers, fruits and woods. The affinities while attempting these reconstructions. of the flower Sahnianthus parijae and the fruit Enigmocarpon parijae have been traced to the PALAEOVEGETATIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS mangrove genus Sonneratia. Fossil woods shoWing affinities with this genus have also been recorded Nagpur-Chhindwara area from this area. Some other genera recognized are Ailanthus, Boswellia, Bridelia, Mallotus, Tetrameles, The important fossiliferous localities of this area Elaeocalpus, Leea, Syzygium, Barringtonia, etc. are Mohgaonkalan and Keria situated near Aeschynomene, a plant of marshy habitat, has also Chhindwara and , Mahurzari and Takli near been reported from Mohgaonkalan. A peduncle Nagpur. Many fossil taxa are common to these showing affinities with Nymphaeaceae is also localities. A complete list of plant fossils known described (for a detailed review of the flora see from these localities has recently been furnished by Bande et at., 1988). Bande et at. (1988). Although in many cases the The Nagpur-Chhindwara assemblage is typically affinities of the fossil taxa are not known, the tropical in character. FollOWing ecological facies, important recognizable extant taxa in this however, can be distinctly marked in this assemblage are as follows: assemblage: Amongst algae, the fresh water element is represented by Spirogyrites, Oedogonites, etc. from (i) Marine -as indicated by Disticho­ Mohgaonkalan and Ulotbrix-Iike filaments from plax, Peyssonnelia, So/eno­ Sausar. Chara sausari, the only fossil record of a pora gyrogonite of Cbara with attached vegetative (i i) Mangrove -Sonneratia, Nipa filament, has been described from Sausar. (iii) Coastal -Cocos Charophytic gyrogonites have also been recorded (iv) Fresh-water -fresh water algae, water from Gitti Khadan near Nagpur. Two marine algal lakes, ponds, ferns, aquatic angios- 2()6 TIll I'-\I.\FOI\OT\'.I"T

PLATE 3

Present day lopograplw around Nagpur-Chhlndwara ) Pre,ent day [opography around Shahpura. Mandla District, (from Sahni & Rao. 1943) Madhva I'rade,h

streams and perms, Barn Jlgtull /(1. level (Florin, 1963). The habit, habitat and present marshes Syzygium, Aeschy­ day distribution of the modern equivalents of the nomene fossil taxa of this assemblage have been presented in (v) Terrestrial and -Araucariaceae, Podocar· Table 1 To get a better idea of the composition of , upland paceae, oth er arbore­ this assemblage, it should be interesting to examine scent angiosperms their distribution in various forest types of India. Although occurrence of conifers is usually taken Champion and Seth (1968) have classified the to be indicative of high a][itude, the Podocarpaceae lndian forests into - (i) wet-evergreen forest, and Araucariaceae show a remarkable range of (ii) semi-evergreen forest. (iii) moist deciduous vertical distribution and may as well grow at the sea forest, (iv) littoral or swamp fore,,!. (v) (bv BAl'1DE &. CHANDRA-EARLY TERTIARY VEGETATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION~ 20" deciduous forest, (\'i) thorn forest, and (\'ii) dry Area around Mandla evergreen forest. The wet evergreen forl'sts are composed of During the past 15 years, significant almost entirel\- c\'l::rgreen species, in the semi­ contributions have been made on the Deccan evergreen forests the dominant elements include Intertrappean flora of this area. The fossiliferous deciduous species also, but thc e\'ergreens localities are Parapani, Samnapu(, and predominate, The comparable modern taxa of this Umaria and Ghughua near Shahpura, The last rwo fossil assemblage (Table J) are distributed in the localities are especially rich in fossils providing follOWing forest t~'Pes: major information A list of the plant taxa so far described from all these localities has recently been Evergreen to published by Sande et at. (988) Although silicified semi-evergreen -Araucan'a/Agathis, Podo­ woods are of common occurrence, fruits shOWing forest carpus, Musa, Cocos, affinities with those of Drypetes and the branched Elaeocarpus, Ailanthus palm Hyphaene have also been described, malabarica, Leea sp" Compared to the Nagpur-Chhind<;\'ara Tetrameles nudijlora assemblage, the Mandla assemblage is more uniform in nature dominated by arborescent species, The Dry deciduous '-Phoenix, Grewia, Boswellia assemblage is exclUSively angiospennous where forest serrata, Mallotus palms and dicotyledons occur in equal frequency, pbillipensis, The modern genera which have been identified in Of the remaining forms. S)'Zlgillili cumini and the assemblage are Hyphaene, ChrysaLidocmpus, Barringtonia are e\'ergreen trees usually found on Licuala, Arenga, Po!yaLtbia, Homalium, the banks of the streams and SOl/ilerulia and Nipa Hydnocarpus, Garcinia, Sterculia, Grewia, are the genera of mangrove habitat. In addition, Ecbinocarpus, Atalantia-Limonia, Bursera, Aeschynomene, a genus of fresh Water swamps, and Canarium, Gomphandra syn, Stemonurus, Heynea, aquatic angiosperms (Nymphaeaceae) can also be Aglaia, Walsura, Dracontomelum, Lophopetalum, recognized in the assemblage. An overview of the SyzygillJn, Eucalyptus, Tristania, Sonneratia, assemblage indicates a depOSitional site at the Bischojia, Drypetes syn Putranjiva and Artocmpus, mourh of a river (delta) in the near viciniry of sea. The extant species of most of these genera 'The assemblage is dominated by evergreen forms comparable to the fossil taxa of this assemblage are with some dry deciduous elements which might found in the evergreen to semi-evergreen forests of have been growing on the upland area, India (Table 2), The comparable species of With this background, the scene depicted in Lophopeta!un1, Syzygilln1, Bischojia and Plate 1 shows a portion of the vegetation near the Barringtonia are evergreen trees usually groWing on mouth of a river just before merging with the sea, the banks of the streams, The assemblage is Taking into account the saliniry tolerance of various dominated by evergreen to semi·evergreen species, mangrove taxa, Sonneratia has been shown nearest An analysis of the habit and habitat of the to the sea followed by Nzpa and Barringtonia modern eqUivalents of this assemblage (Table 2) Syzygium cumini which usually prefers water indicates that the forest was constituted by water­ courses, has been shown accordingly, A cluster of loving forms, like Syzygium, Drypetes/Putranjiua the coastal palm Cocos can be recognized near the and Barringtonia, low trees or shrubs like Garcinia, sea shore and Phoenix on the dry upland, Towards Gomphandra, Grewia, Heynea, Ata!antia-Limonia, the left side of the picture a portion of a pond with Tristania, Polyaltbia, etc., moderate to large-si zed Nymphaeaceae has been shown with a thicket of trees, like Bischojia, Bursera, Dracontome!um, Musa nearby, Such ponds must have prOVided Hydnocmpus, AgLaia and WaLsura and some very suitable environment for the growth of fresh water large trees, like Artocarpus, Canarillm, algae, water ferns and other aquatic angiosperms, Lophopetalum and Sterculia with their crowns The arborescent forms which can be identified in projecting up in the sky through the main forest the illustration are the giant tree Tretrameles canopy. While most of the palms, e,g., nudlflora with plank buttresses, Ailanthus which is a Chrysalidocalpus, Licuala and Arenga must have medium·sized tree with dropping compound leaves constituted the understOrey of the forest, the and Boswellia on the dry upland. Podocarpus and branched palm Hypbaene must have occupied an Araucariaceae have been shown in the left upper open area at the forest boundary. The presence of corner at some distance from the mouth of the river. Sonneratia in the assemblage is indicative of 208 THE PA.LAEOBOTANIST brackish water conditions, may be at some distance oil paintings of reconstructions depicted in Plate 1 from the main forest. and 2. They are thankful to Dr B. S Venkatachala for Plate 2 shows a portion of the forest near its making available his collection of slides of modern edge with a portion of sea at a distance in the left plant taxa to the authors and for many useful upper corner. The palm in the foreground forming suggestions. M. B. Bande expresses his gratitude to two thickets with characteristic palmate leaves is Dr R. N. Lakhanpal for taking keen interest in the Licuala. A few plants of Chrysalidocarpus can be work and for critically going through the manuscript. seen on the left and also in the centre. A single plant of Arenga with large pinnate leaves has been shown growing near a large tree of Sterculia. A few plants of REFERENCES Hyphaene with characteristic dichotomous branching and palmate leaves can easily be marked Bande. i\1. B. & Prakash, U. 1982. Palaeoclimate and palaeogeo­ out in the picture. The tree on the right hand with graphy of central India during the Early Teniar)'. Ceopbyto large fruits attached on its stem is obviously logy 12 (2) : 152-165 Artocarpus. Some other trees which can well be Bande, M. B., Chandra, A., Venkatachala, B. S. & Mehrorra, R. C. 1988. Deccan Intertrappean floristics and its stratigraphie recognized are PO~)ialthia,Syzygium and Drypetes. implica,ions In: Maheshwari, H. K. (Ed.)-Palaeocene of The ground vegetation has been shown mostly India, pp. 83- 123, Indian Association of Palynostratigraphers, constituted by a variety of palms. Lucknow. Beddorne. R. H. 1978. Flora Sylvatica for southern India. Vols. CONCLUDING REMARKS I, II & III. Naaz Offset \XIorks, Delhi. Blasco, F. 1975. The Mangroves of India. Institute Francais de Reconstruction of past vegetation around any Pondicherry Travaux de la section SCientifique et Technique, particular area, as attempted in this paper, provides 14 (1) an opportunity to study the present day ecology and Blauer, E. 1926. Palms of Britisb India and Ceylon. Oxford plant cover of that area in comparison to the Un iv. Press, Oxford. environmental conditions of the past and to ponder Brandis, D. 1971. Indian trees (5th edn), Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh. Dehradun. over the reasons for the change in environment that Champion, H_ G_ & Seth. S_ K. 1968. Tbe forest types of India. took place. Testimony of the intertrappean fossils Gov!. of India Press, Delhi. has clearly indicated in central India (around de \XIiI. H. C. D. 1967. Plants of tbe u'orld-Tbe bigher plants II. Nagpur-Chhindwara and Mandla) the existence of a Thames & Hudson, London. Everett. T. H. 1969 Living trees of the world Thames & Hudson, humid tropical climate with a uniform temperature London. throughout the year and annual rainfall above 2,000 Florin, R. 1963. The distribution of conifer and t3.Xad genera in mm per anum distributed over a prolong rainy time and space. Acla Hort. Bergiani 20 (4) : 121-312. season during the Palaeocene-Eocene period (Bande Hora, B. 1981. The Oxford encyclopedia of tress of Ihe world. & Prakash, 1982). Compared to this, there is a Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford. Lakhanpal, R. N. 1970. Tertiary floras of India and their bearing on variation in range considerable the present annual of the historical geology of the region. Taxon 19 (5) : 675­ daily maximum and minimum temperatures at 694 Mandla, Chhindwara and Nagpur and the annual Lakhanpal, R. N., Prakash, U_ & Bande, M. B. 1977 An araucarian rainfall is also not more than 1,400 mm. Today, the fossil wood from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Mohgaon· area is covered by dry deciduous to moist deciduous kalan. Palaeobotanrst 24 (2) 125-131 forest unlike the evergreen to semi-evergreen forest Lakhanpal, R. N, Prakash, U. & Bande, M. B. 1978. Fossil dicory­ ledonous woods from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of of the past. The factors suggested to be responsible MancJla District in Madhya Pradesh Palaeobolanisl 25: for the occurrence of a much different type of 190204 climate and plant cover during the Early Tertiary McCurrach, .J. C. 1960. Palms of Ibe world Harper Brothers, New period were (i) position of the Indian Plate at the York. equator, (ii) presence of sea in the vicinity, and (iii) Mehrotra. R. C. 1989. Occurrence of solenoporoid alga in the probable absence of Western Ghats as barriers in the Deccan Intenrappean beds of Mohgaonkalan, , Madhya Pradesh Palaeobolanisl 37(2) : 185·188. path of the southwest monsoon currents. In due Pearson, R. S & Brown, H. P. 1932. Commercial limbers of India, course of time the Indian Plate drifted toward the vols. 1 & 2, Gov!. of India, Central Publication Branch, north, regression of sea occurred from central India CaIcuna. and the, Western Ghats came into existence cutting Prakash, U. 1973. Palaeoenvironmental analysis of the Indian off the Deccan Plateau from the main onslaught of Tertiary floras. Ceopbylology 2 (2) : 178-205. Richards, P W. 1981. Tbe Iropical rain forest. Cambridge Univ. the monsoon currents (Bande & Prakash, 1982). Press, Cambridge. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sahni, B. & Rao, H. S. 1943. A silicified flora from the Inter· trappean cherts around Sausar in the Deccan. Proc. naln. The authors express their sincere thanks to Mr P. Acad Sci. India 13 (l) : 36- 75. K. Bajpai and Mr Pradeep Mohan for preparing the