Palynology of the Neogene Quilon beds of Kerala state in South India I - Spores of pteridophytes and pollen of monocotyledons

Abstract

The paper constitutes the first part of a detailed palynological investigation of the Quilon beds outcropped at Padappakkara, Ec1avai and Paravur in Kerala State. The aim of the investigation was (i) to provide a comprehensive account of the spores and pollen grains of these Neogene sediments of Kerala, (ii) to find out the botanical affinities of the palynofossils recovered in order to interpret the ecological conditions prevalent at the time of the deposition of these sediments, and (iii) to assess the geo- logical age of these beds based on their palynological assemblage. This part deals with the spores of pteridophytes and pollen of monocotyledons. The pteridophytes are represented by Lycopodiaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Schizaeaceae, Dicksoniaceae and Polypodiaceae, of which Polypodiaceae constitutes the most predominant taxon. Polypodiisporites possessing heavily sculptured (verrucate) spores represents the most abundant member of the pteridophytes. On the whole, the pteridophytic spores of the Quilon microflora are represented by 14 genera and 20 species, of which 10 species constitute new taxa.
 Among the monocotyledons, the pollen grains referable to Palmae, Potamogetonaceae, Aroidae, Liliaceae, Lemnaceae and Gramineae have been recovered. Of these, Palmae is the predominant taxon consisting of as many as 10 genera, viz., Palmaepollenites, Arecipites, Couperipollis, Quilonipollenites, Longapertites, Verrumonocolpites, Spinizonocolpites, Paravuripollis, Clavapalmaedites and Dicolpopollis. The fossil pollen grains exhibit particularly significant resemblances with the pollen of Cocos, Hyphaene, Pinanga, Iriartia, Lepidocaryum, Nipa, Calamus and Metroxylon. On the whole, the monocotyledons of the Quilon microflora consist of 17 genera and 27 species, of which 4 genera and 20 species represent new taxa. Among the pollen grains of the monocotyledons, spinascent monosulcate or zonosulcate grains are quite abundant, followed by reticulate monosulcate and disulcate grains.