ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 5144
Poster No. = 966


EARLY ANGIOSPERMS IN INDIA -AN EVASIVE FOSSIL RECORD


Rajanikanth. A., Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007 U.P India


Mesozoic Era witnessed significant evolutionary innovations. Appearance of flowering plants on the Indian continent has been a subject of speculation. The Gondwana and post-gondwana pre-angiosperm plant fossils represent a gymnosperm dominant vegetation. The time of angiosperm origin in India can be traced back to Aptian-Albian times on the evidences of pollen fossils. Authentic angiosperm megafossils are still to be recovered from the equivalent sediments. Recent reports of flowering plant fossils from the Jurassic- Early Cretaceous sediments of other parts of the world necessitates a vigorous search for similar fossils from the Indian sediments. Taphonomic constraints and local environmental factors severely affected non-recovery of such fossils. The Cretaceous lacustrine, fluvial, paralic and volcanic deposits distributed in various sedimentary basins hold the key for possible angiospems and their ancestors. Available and new data on fossil angiosperms has been analyzed for explaining delayed appearance of angiospems. Southern mid- latitudes probably were deprived of congenial conditions for early takeover. A relook on age assignments of Indian deposits containing rich flowering plant fossils are suggested in view of the data from other relevant disciplines.


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