The study provides the first comprehensive record of the plant megafossils mainly Glossopteris flora from the Barakar Formation, Rajmahal Open Cast Mine, Rajmahal Basin, Jharkhand. The assemblage is composed of pteridophytes and gymnosperms. The pteridophytes comprise Equisetalean axes (order Equisetales), whereas, gymnosperms include nine species of Glossopteris including Glossopteris communis , G . damudica , G . gigas , G . indica , G . lanceolatus , G . longicaulis , G . oldhamii , G . taenioides , G . tenuifolia along with Vertebraria indica and Noeggerathiopsis hislopi . The present investigation adds to the knowledge of the Glossopteris flora of India, especially that of the Rajmahal Basin from where the plant fossil records are sporadic. The area is a treasure for palaeobotanical studies as evinced by different fossil localities. However, the localities are degraded by mining activities performed by private companies and hence systematic investigation for such vegetation is vital to create a palaeobotanical database before their complete degradation. The floral assemblage compares with earlier known assemblages, recorded from the Barakar Formation of other Lower Gondwana basins of peninsular India.
Joshi, A. (2018) In Situ Occurrence of Vertebrariaindica from the Rajmahal Open Cast Mine, Rajmahal Basin, India: An Evidence for Coal Forming Vegetation. Journal of Terrestrial and Marine Research, 2, 12-16.
Lakhanpal, R.N., Maheshwari, H.K. and Awasthi, N. (1976) A Catalogue of Indian Fossil Plants. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow.
Chandra, S. and Tewari, R. (1991) A catalogue of Fossil Plants from India—B. Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Megafossils. Part 2, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow.
Srivastava, A.K. (1992) Plant Fossil Assemblages from the Barakar Formation of Raniganj Coalfield, India. Journal of Palaeosciences, 39, 281-302. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1990.1695
Singh, K.J. and Chandra, S. (1995) In Situ Preserved Vertebraria Axes in Ib River Coalfield, India. Current Science, 69, 228-229.
Singh, K.J., Saxena, A. and Goswami, S. (2016) In Situ Occurrence of Vertebraria Roots in the Raniganj Formation of Singrauli Coalfield and Its Palaeoecological Significance. Current Science, 110, 299-301.
Singh, K.J., Goswami, S. and Srivastava, G. (2011) Palaeodiversity in the Genus Glossopteris from the Lower Gondwana Rocks of the Korba Coalfield, Chhattisgarh State, India. Journal of Paleontological Society of India, 56, 45-64.
Srivastva, A.K. and Agnihotri, D. (2009) Palaeobotanical Perspectives of Satpura Gondwana Basin, Madhya Pradesh. Earth System Sciences, 2, 581-595.
Tewari, R., Pandita, S.K., Agnihotri, D, Pillai, S.S.K. and Bernardes-de-Oliveira, M.E.C. (2012) An Early Permian Glossopteris Flora from the Umrer Coalfield, Wardha Basin, Maharashtra, India. Alcheringa, 36, 355-371. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2012.648416
Joshi, A., Tewari, R. and Agnihotri, D. (2014) Plant Diversity in the Kamthi Formation of India: A Review. Journal of Palaeosciences, 63, 127-136. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2014.328
Tewari, R., Joshi, A. and Agnihotri, D. (2017) The Glossopteris Flora of Manuguru Area, Godavari Graben, Telangana, India. Journal of Palaeosciences, 66, 17-36. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2017.276
Joshi, A. (2016) The Glossopteris Flora of Manuguru Area, Godavari Graben: Palaeoecological Implications, Evolutionary Perspectives and Basinal Correlation. Ph.D. Thesis, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar.
Ball, V. (1877) Geology of Rajmahal Hills. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 13, 1-94.
Maheshwari, H.K. and Prakash, G. (1965) Studies in the Glossopteris Flora of India-21. Plant Megafossils from the Lower Gondwana Exposures along Bansloi River in Rajmahal Hills, Bihar. Journal of Palaeosciences, 13, 115-128. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1964.687
Prasad, B., Shukla, V.D. and Maithy, P.K. (1987) Megafossils of the Lower Gondwana Succession in Pachhwara Coalfield, Bihar. Gondwana Geological Magzine, 2, 17-29.
Maheshwari, H.K. and Bajpai, U. (1992) Ginkgophyte Leaves from the Permian Gondwana of Rajmahal Basin. Palaeontographica Abteilung B, 224, 131-149.
Lawrence, G.H.M. (1955) An Introduction to Plant Taxonomy. The Macmillan Company, New York, 179.
Melville, R. (1969) Leaf Venation Patterns and the Origin of the Angiosperms. Nature, 224, 121-125. https://doi.org/10.1038/224121a0
Chandra, S. and Surange, K.R. (1979) Revision of the Indian Species of Glossopteris. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow.
Brongniart, A. (1828) Histoire des vegetaux fossils, ou, recherches botaniques sur les vegetaux renfermes dans les diverses couches du globe. Paris, 1, 136 p. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.60992
Feistmantel, O. (1876) Notes on the Age of some Fossil Floras in India—VII. Flora of the Jabalpur Group in South Rewah, Near Jabalpur, and in the Satpura Basin. Records of the Geological Survey of India, 9, 125-129.
Feistmantel, O. (1879) The Fossil Flora of Lower Gondwana—The Flora of Talchir–Karharbari Beds. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 12, 1-48.
Feistmantel, O. (1882) The Fossil Flora of the Gondwana System in India—1. The Fossil Flora of the South Rewah Gondwana Basin. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 12, 3(4), 52 p.
Feistmantel, O. (1880) The Fossil Flora of Gondwana System (Lower Gondwana). II. The Flora of Damuda-Panchet Division. Memoirs of Geological Survey of India: Palaeotonlogia Indica, 12, 77.
Pant, D.D. and Singh, K.B. (1971) Cuticular Structure of Some Indian Lower Gondwana Species of Glossopteris Brongniart Part III. Palaeontographica Abteilung B, 135, 1-40.
Tewari, R. (2007) The Glossopteris Flora from the Kamptee Coalfield, Wardha Basin, Maharashtra, India. Palaeontographica Abteilung B, 277, 43-64. https://doi.org/10.1127/palb/277/2007/43
Schimper, W.P. (1869) Traité de paléontologie végétale. Vol. 1, J.B. Bailliere et Fils, Paris, 738.
Tewari, R. and Srivastava, A.K. (2000a) Plant Fossils Assemblage from the Talchir Formation, Auranga Coalfield, Bihar, India. Journal of Palaeosciences, 49, 23-30. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2000.129
Tewari, R. (2008) The Genus Glossopteris Brongniart from the Kamthi Formation of Camp IV Area, Wardha Valley Coalfield, Wardha Basin, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Palaeontological Society of India, 53, 19-30.
Tewari, R. and Srivastava, A.K. (2000b) Plant Fossils from Bhareli Formation of Arunachal Pradesh, North-East Himalaya, India. Journal of Palaeosciences, 49, 209-218. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2000.142
Pant, D.D. and Singh, R.S. (1974) On the Stem attacHment of Glossopteris and Gangamopteris Leaves, Part 2, Structural Features. Palaeontographica Abteilung B, 147, 42-73.
Pant, D.D. and Gupta, K.L. (1968) Cuticular Structure of Some Indian Lower Gondwana Species of Glossopteris Brongniart. Part 1. Palaeontographica Abteilung B, 124, 45-81.
McCoy, F. (1847) On the Fossil Botany and Zoology of Rocks Associated with the Coal of Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 20, 298-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/037454809496054
Royle, J.F. (1833-1839) Illustrations of the Botany and Other Branches of Natural History of the Himalayan Mountains, and of the Flora of Cashmere. Wm. H. Allen, London. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.449
Feistmantel, O. (1877) Notes on Fossil Floras in India XI. Note on Plant Fossils from Barakar District (Barakar Group). Records of Geological Survey of India, 10, 73-74.
Srivastava, A.K. (1995) Nature and Preservation of Vertebraria Axes in the Lower Gondwana Beds of India. Acta Palaeobotanica, 35, 189-193.
Joshi, A., Tewari, R., Agnihotri, D., Pillai, S.S.K. and Jain, R.K. (2015) Occurrence of Vertebraria indica (Unger) Feistmantel, 1877—an Evidence for Coal-Forming Vegetation in Kothagudem Area, Godavari Graben, Telangana. Current Science, 108, 330-333.
Maithy, P.K. (1965) Studies in the Glossopteris Flora of India 20. Noeggerathiopsis and Allied Remains from the Karharbari Beds, Giridih Coalfield, India. Journal of Palaeobotanist, 13, 94-100. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1964.684
Srivastava, A.K. and Tewari, R. (2002) Morphological and Cuticular Studies of Permain Noeggerathiopsis-Leaves. Geophytology, 32, 83-89.
Chandra, S. and Chandra, A. (1988) Vegetational Changes and Their Climatic Implications in Coal-Bearing Gondwana. Journal of Palaeosciences, 36, 74-86. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1987.1563
Joshi A. (2020) Dispersed Permian Megaspores from Rajmahal Basin, Jharkhand. Species, 21, 281-285.
Joshi, A. and Priya, R.K. (2021) First Report of Gangamopteris rajaensis from Rajmahal Gondwana Basin, Jharkhand, India. Geological Bulletin of Turkey, 64, 267-276.