New plant fossils from the umias of Saurashtra

Abstract

This paper deals with new plant fossils collected recently from the Umias of Saurashtra (Kathiawar Beds). They include two new species, viz., Elatocladus longifolia sp. novo and Brachyphyllum regularis sp. novo Our collection has also revealed the presence of Eqttisetum rajmahalensis (Oldham & Morris) Feistmantel, Gleichenia nordenskioldi Heer, Araucarites macropterus Feistmantel and Pagiophyllum cf. P. divaricatum (Bunbury) which were not so far known to occur in this region.

This series of Sandstones and Shales referred to as Kathiawar Beds by Oldham (1893) and Fox (1931), were placed by Fedden (1884) equivalent to Umias of Kutch and assigned Oolitic age. They are now generally regarded Wealden.

Rajnath's (1932) placing of the Bhuj stage (Umia Plant Beds of Kutch) in Middle Cretaceous would imply a similar position for these plant beds of Saurashtra, extending the time range of Matonidium goepperti (Etting.) into Middle Certaceous and perhaps also raising the Himmatnagar Sandstone to that level.

During our field work a new locality yielding an abundant and well preserved flora has been discovered near the famous temple of Tarnetar on Than-Dhrangadhra road.