Authors : Kapgate V.D.
Page Nos : 9-15
Description :
In the central India late Cretaceous or Tertiary system of volcanic rock formation is known as Deccan Traps. The
sedimentary layers sandwiched in between two lava flows or traps, known as Intertrappean Beds. In these beds, besides
to all groups of plants, Ostracodes, Molluscus, fishes & other vertebrates flourished. The important fossiliferous localities
of Maharashtra (vidharbha region) and Madhya Pradesh (Chhindwara region) are considered for this work. The fossil
flora reported from algae to angiosperms from vidharbha and Chhindwara region but only angiosperm woods reported
from Mandla-Dindori region of M.P. So the flora has been broadly considered under following two assemblages:-
(i) Fossil Assemblage from Nagpur- Chhindwara region, (ii) Fossil Assemblage from Mandla district. An analysis of the
floral assemblage with respect to the forest type reveals that the flora was dominated by evergreen forest followed by
moist deciduous forest. A few taxa among them still occur in Central India presently. Most of the equivalents modern
species of Deccan Intertrappean flora of Vidarbha and other adjoing area are distributed in the tropical evergreen to
moist deciduous forest of western Ghats, Andaman Islands and north-east region.
