Existence of the genus Shorea in the Himalayan foot-hills of India since 5600 year B.P.

Abstract

Fossil woods collected in situ for the first time from the Holocene sediments of Purniyagiri area near Tanakpur, Champawat District, Uttarakhand have been studied in detail. The anatomical features like, medium to large vessels, broad, heterogeneous rays and presence of gum canals in concentric rings and vasicentric tracheids indicate its affinity with the modern woods of Shorea Roxb. of the family Dipterocarpaceae. The presence of fossil wood of this taxon in the Holocene sediments is phytogeographically important.