Revision of the genus Gondwanoxylon Saksena with critical remarks on the fossil woods of Ailanthoxylon Prakash

Abstract

The two fossil dicotyledonous woods, Gondwanoxylon kathotiai (Saksena, 1963) and G. ghiarii (Saksena, l.c.). have been re-investigated here from their type slides. On re-description they have been found to resemble the genus Ailanthus of the family Simaroubaceae, and therefore referred to the genus Ailanthoxylon Prakash (1959). The species, Gondwanoxylon kathotiensel, is found to be identical to the already described Ailanthoxylon indicum Prakash whereas G. ghiarense1, an entirely new species of Ailanthoxylon, is re-described under the revised name Ailanthoxylon ghiarense (Saksena) comb. nov. In the later part is given a critical review of the hitherto described species of the genus AilanthoxyIon. Because of no essential differences the species A. scantiporosum Ramanujam (1960). A. mahurzariense1 Shallom (1961) and A. pondicherriense Navale (1964) have been united here under the name Ailanthoxylon indicum Prakash (1959), which has priority over the rest.