Ougenioxylon chinjiensis sp. nov., a New Fossil Species of the Family Leguminosae from Chinji Formation Salt Range, Punjab Pakistan

Abstract

This work is comprised of anatomical study of fossil wood collected from Chnji formation (72°22'E, 32°41'N) of Miocene age exposed at Chinji National Reservoir. The material consists of a single piece of petrified wood dark brown in colour. The three dimensional sections were prepared by ground thin section technique. Microscopic examination of the characters was compared with modern and fossil wood and found comparable with the family Leguminosae. The closest resemblance of our fossil wood is with the wood of Ougenia. This fossil wood shows close resemblance in respect of vessels, fibers, parenchyma and xylem rays character. Therefore it is considered as new species and it is named Ougenioxylon chienjiensis sp. nov. The specific epithet refers to Chinji formation to which fossil wood belongs.