A new species of petrified palm stem from the Deccan Intertrappean Series

Abstract

A silicified palm stem with roots attached to it collected from Mohgaon Kalan, Madhya Pradesh, is described here in detail. The anatomy of the stem shows that it does not fully agree with any of the Indian species of palm stems described so far, although in minor features it shows some resemblances with Palmoxylon sclerodermurm Sahni (1943), P. surangei Lakhanpal (1955) and P. raoi Menon (MS). However, it also differs from these in important characters like the frequency, dimensions, form and structure of the fibrovascular bundles and in some other minor features. It has, therefore, been described under a new specific name, Palmoxylon kraeuselii. The specimen can be referred to the Cocos-like palms according to the classification given by Sahni (1943).