64
2 Systematic Descriptions
B. rotatus. Saccate living plants exhibit significant variations in the character of
their sacs. On the other hand, B. sp. closely resembles Cordaitina rotata described
in detail from the Kungurian of the Perm region in Russia (Zvialova et al. 2004).
Genus Parasaccites (Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1964).
Diagnosis: Monosaccate, more or less radially symmetrical with a varied tetrad
mark. Nexine thinner or thicker than ektexine, tends to fold under saccus root.
Ektexine detached equatorially on proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal
face. Structure of ektexine intra-granulate to micro intra-reticulate.
Known distribution: Permian of Western Australia (Balme and Hennelly 1952,
1956), Permian of New South Wales (Balme and Hennelly 1956), Permian of India
(Virkki 1945; Mehta 1944; Potonie and Sah 1960; Potonie and Lele 1961, Bharadwaj 1962; Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1964; Banerjee and D’Rozario 1990; Mishra and
Jha 2017). Permo-Carboniferous glacials of Uruguay (Machiavello 1963), Permian of Karroo series, Tanganyika (Hart 1960, 1963), Permo-Carboniferous of
Congo (Hoeg and Bose 1960).
Discussion: Parasaccites was established by Bharadwaj and Tiwari (1964) for
monosaccate, more or less radially symmetrical pollen forms possessing a varied tetrad mark. Similar forms were described under Nuskoisporites (Potonie and
Klaus and others). Bharadwaj and Tiwari (1964) carried out a detailed study of
cf. Nuskoisporites forms and separated the Gondwana forms from the European
Nuskoisporites mainly on the basis of the ‘para-condition of saccus attachment’.
On studying Klaus’s (1963) detailed description accompanied by excellent illustrations and drawings, as well as observing specimens supplied by Dr. Klaus, I did
not find any difference in the mode of ektexine detachment between the two genera. It is the same in both Nuskoisporites and Parasaccites, namely equatorially on
proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal face. This is further confirmed from
observing the microtome sections of Parasaccites pollen grains. Nevertheless, the
present study yielded sufficient evidence in justifying the separation of the two
genera. The main difference at first sight is the presence of a limbus sensu Potonie
and Kremp (1955). In Nuskoisporites, this limbus is responsible for the umbrellashaped forms so well demonstrated in the laterally compressed specimens of this
pollen. However, no laterally compressed specimens were found in samples of
the present study among hundreds of Parasaccites specimens observed. Other
distinct features are the thick and rigid nexine, and the coarse structure of the
ektexine with well-developed columellae in Nuskoisporites, and their absence in
Parasaccites.
Parasaccites gondwanensis (Balme and Hennelly 1956) (Fig. 2.47).
2 Systematic Descriptions
B. rotatus. Saccate living plants exhibit significant variations in the character of
their sacs. On the other hand, B. sp. closely resembles Cordaitina rotata described
in detail from the Kungurian of the Perm region in Russia (Zvialova et al. 2004).
Genus Parasaccites (Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1964).
Diagnosis: Monosaccate, more or less radially symmetrical with a varied tetrad
mark. Nexine thinner or thicker than ektexine, tends to fold under saccus root.
Ektexine detached equatorially on proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal
face. Structure of ektexine intra-granulate to micro intra-reticulate.
Known distribution: Permian of Western Australia (Balme and Hennelly 1952,
1956), Permian of New South Wales (Balme and Hennelly 1956), Permian of India
(Virkki 1945; Mehta 1944; Potonie and Sah 1960; Potonie and Lele 1961, Bharadwaj 1962; Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1964; Banerjee and D’Rozario 1990; Mishra and
Jha 2017). Permo-Carboniferous glacials of Uruguay (Machiavello 1963), Permian of Karroo series, Tanganyika (Hart 1960, 1963), Permo-Carboniferous of
Congo (Hoeg and Bose 1960).
Discussion: Parasaccites was established by Bharadwaj and Tiwari (1964) for
monosaccate, more or less radially symmetrical pollen forms possessing a varied tetrad mark. Similar forms were described under Nuskoisporites (Potonie and
Klaus and others). Bharadwaj and Tiwari (1964) carried out a detailed study of
cf. Nuskoisporites forms and separated the Gondwana forms from the European
Nuskoisporites mainly on the basis of the ‘para-condition of saccus attachment’.
On studying Klaus’s (1963) detailed description accompanied by excellent illustrations and drawings, as well as observing specimens supplied by Dr. Klaus, I did
not find any difference in the mode of ektexine detachment between the two genera. It is the same in both Nuskoisporites and Parasaccites, namely equatorially on
proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal face. This is further confirmed from
observing the microtome sections of Parasaccites pollen grains. Nevertheless, the
present study yielded sufficient evidence in justifying the separation of the two
genera. The main difference at first sight is the presence of a limbus sensu Potonie
and Kremp (1955). In Nuskoisporites, this limbus is responsible for the umbrellashaped forms so well demonstrated in the laterally compressed specimens of this
pollen. However, no laterally compressed specimens were found in samples of
the present study among hundreds of Parasaccites specimens observed. Other
distinct features are the thick and rigid nexine, and the coarse structure of the
ektexine with well-developed columellae in Nuskoisporites, and their absence in
Parasaccites.
Parasaccites gondwanensis (Balme and Hennelly 1956) (Fig. 2.47).