A petrified fossil leaf of Hydrocharitaceae from Deccan Intertrappean exposures of central India

Abstract

The paper deals with the anatomical description of a fossil leaf collected from the Deccan Basalt Intertrappean Sequence of Singhpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. However, petrified Elodea leaves showing mature and young condition are studied for anatomical details for the first time from this exposure. The anatomical details were studied by taking peel sections. The leaf is isobilateral with central midrib and lateral lamina. Mesophyll is undifferentiated and its cells are large and contain air cavity. Vascular bundle of midrib is collateral and closed. The comparison is made with the recorded fossil leaves from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of India as well as living modern taxa, like Typhaceae, Pandanaceae, Sparganiaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Alismaceae and Hydrocharitaceae. The fossil leaf shows affinity to the family Hydrocharitaceae, specially with Elodea and named as Elodeophyllum deccanii gen. et sp. nov., the specific name after the Deccan trap. The finding indicates tropical conditions during the Deccan Intertrappean episode.