Palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographical implications of fossil seeds and charophytes from the Lameta Formation (Late Cretaceous), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

A Late Cretaceous fossil flora composed of five fossil seed genera and two charophyte genera was discovered and reported here from the siltstone and green marl band of the Lameta Formation at the Chui Hill section and the Chhota Simla Hill section in the Jabalpur area. On the basis of comparative studies, including thin-section and XRD analysis, the palaeoenvironment is deduced to be arid to semi-arid fluvial-lacustrine. The recovered flora suggests Laurasian palaeobiogeographic affinity and shows the dispersal route from Europe to India via Africa.