A New addition to Paleobiodiversity from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of Singhpur, M.P., India

Abstract

Intertrapppean flora is rich in fossil angiosperm. There is record of large number of angiospermic fruits. The present fossil differs from all reported fruits in having its own unique hydrophytic character. The anatomical details were studied by etching the chert with hydrofluoric acid and peel sections were prepared without grinding the material. The fruit is bilocular, sessile oval to elliptical in shape, pericarp undifferentiated parenchymatous cells present, poor vascularature due to its hydrophytic nature. One fertile locule with single seed and other sterile with arenchymatous chamber. Fruit measures 1 mm in length and 375 μ m in breadth. The fruit wall measures 75 μ m in thickness. The fruit is compared with the reported fruits from the intertrappendeds, butTits differs from all of them, comparision is also drawn with modern living hydrophytic families such as Nymphaecea, Trapaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Typhacea, Allismataceae, Potomogetonaceae, PortulacaceaeElatinaceae, Onagraceae, scrophulariceae, Pontedariaceae.Howeverit could not be comparable to any genus of these families. Hence new generic name is proposed to accommodate this fruit as Hydrocarponsinghpuriigen et Sp. Nov. The generic nameis after its peculiar character and specific name after the locality from where it was collected. The discovery of these new genus will add to the diversity of Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India.