Organisational Structure - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany
Component 2: Floristics, biostratigraphy and sedimentological studies of Siwalik sediments
Carried out chemical processing of the samples
from the lower-middle Siwalik sediments of Dhangar
area (Bilaspur district) and Jwalamukhi-Ranital-
Kangra Road section (Kangra district) of Himachal
Pradesh and Morni hills, Haryana. Scanning and
photodocumentation of selected taxa have been
completed. Striatriletes, Lycopodiumsporites,
Inaperturopollenites, Pinjoriapollis and
Pinuspollenites mainly represent the assemblage
recovered from the Dhangar area. In this assemblage,
gymnosperm pollen are dominant over angiosperm
pollen followed by pteridophytic spores. The
palynoflora recorded from Jwalamukhi-Ranital-
Kangra Road section is represented by pteridophytic
spores— Pteridacidites (Pteris) and Striatriletes
(Ceratopteris), gymnospermous pollen—
Pinuspollenites (Pinus) and Abiespollenites (Abies),
angiospermous pollen— Pinjoriapollis (Magnolia),
Inaperturopollenites and Graminidites. The recovery
of palynofossils from Morni hills is poor and mainly
represented by Striatriletes, Pinuspollenites and
Pinjoriapollis A field work was undertaken to study
various Siwalik sediments exposed at Nadah area,
Gaggar River section in Panchkula and adjoining
areas; Khetpurali section, Haryana; Markanda River
section (middle Siwalik); Saketi (lower Siwalik);
Bilaspur-Mandi Road section and Haritalyangar and
adjoining areas, Bilaspur district and 180 samples
were collected for palynological study.
M.R. Rao
Finalised the results of palynological and
sedimentological studies carried out on middle
Siwalik sediments exposed along Nandni-Nagrota
Road on Jammu-Srinagar Highway. The sequence
(about 1600 m thick) is represented by couplets of
medium- to coarse-grained, gravely, multistoried
sandstone complexes and silty-muddy fine-grained
horizons. The fine-grained muddy horizons are
divisible into two facies associations— floodplain and
interfluve associations. The floodplain facies
association is related to channel processes and is the
product of sedimentation on flood plains mainly by
vertical accretion. In contrast, the interfluve
association characterised by silt; mud and fine sand
units are completely mottled, laterally persistent,
highly oxidised and are unrelated to channel
processes. Such fine-grained horizons imply
sedimentation on Doab areas (interfluve) lying
between the major rivers, and acting as independent
domain of sedimentation
where deposition took place
in higher sloping surfaces,
ponds, lakes, low-lying
areas and minor channels,
creeks and abandoned linear
valleys. These fine-grain
horizons yielded palynofossils.
Pteridophytic spores,
gymnosperm and angiosperm
pollen dominate the
palynoflora. Spores of the
families Cyatheaceae,
Schizaeaceae, Parkeriaceae
and Polypodiaceae
represent pteridophytes.
A view of Gaggar River section (Top of Pinjor Formation) Panchkula, Haryana
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