78
2 Systematic Descriptions
Diagnosis: Monosaccate. Amb circular to lobed. Proximal face taeniate. Ektexine
detached equatorially on proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal face. Outline
of corpus circular. Nexine folded under distal root.
Known distribution: Upper Permian of Germany (Leschik 1956; Grebe 1957),
Upper Permian of England (Clark 1965). Upper Permian of India (Bharadwaj
1962), Lower Triassic of Canada (Jansonius 1962), Permian of Midcontinent
USA (Jizba 1962), Lower Triassic of Western Australia (Balme 1963).
Discussion: Crustaesporites was originally described by Leschik as a trisaccate
form. Jansonius believed the pollen to be monosaccate-lobed. It was noticed in
the present study that variations and gradations occur, from monosaccate forms
to bi-lobed, tri-lobed and poly-lobed.
Hart suggested that taeniate-monosaccate forms are monstrosities of disaccate
striatiti. It is suggested in the present study that they are variants of a bisaccate species, as is not uncommon in pollen of living trees, descendant from the
Permian flora, that is, Podocarpus papuanus has bilobed to poly-lobed saccate
pollen. Similarly, pollen of Podocarpus gracilior can be bisaccate to trisaccate
(Fig. 4). Cousminer (1965) also treats Crustaesporites as a polysaccate form, by
comparing the fossil pollen to present-day existing genera such as Podocarpus,
Microcarpus and Microstrobus which all show transitions from polysaccate to
lobed to monosaccate.
Crustaesporites is rare in Collie–Muja Basin. Monosaccate or lobed striatiti seem
to be common in the Upper Permian of India (Bharadwaj 1962) which justifies a
place for them in palynological systematics. Hart (1965a, b) treats Crustaesporites
as a polysaccate form.
Crustaesporites ovatus (Bharadwaj 1962) (Fig. 2.55).
Occurrence: Upper Permian of Collie–Muja Basin.
Description: Lobed monosaccate or trisaccate. Amb circular to lobed. Corpus
outline circular to sub-circular. Ektexine detached equatorially on proximal face
and sub-equatorially on distal face. Proximal face of corpus taeniate. Taeniae 2–4
µ wide, often wedge out or are interrupted by vertical striae. Structure of attached
ektexine on proximal and distal faces intra-punctate to intra-granulate. Detached
ektexine intra-reticulate. Reticulum consists of brochi up to 8 µ across. Nexine
thinner than ektexine, folds under distal root. Exine on distal face of corpus thins
out towards the centre.
Dimensions: Diameter of whole grain 65–135 µ. Corpus diameter range 40–60
µ (10 specimens measured).
Genus Striatopodocarpites (Sedova 1956; Hart 1964).
Diagnosis: Disaccate striatiti. Diploxylonoid. Sacci distinctly larger than corpus.
Cappa taeniate; divided into more than four taeniae. Taeniae continuous or broken,
parallel or converging. Corpus outline circular or oval.
Known distribution: Widespread in the Permian of the Northern and Southern
hemispheres.
2 Systematic Descriptions
Diagnosis: Monosaccate. Amb circular to lobed. Proximal face taeniate. Ektexine
detached equatorially on proximal face and sub-equatorially on distal face. Outline
of corpus circular. Nexine folded under distal root.
Known distribution: Upper Permian of Germany (Leschik 1956; Grebe 1957),
Upper Permian of England (Clark 1965). Upper Permian of India (Bharadwaj
1962), Lower Triassic of Canada (Jansonius 1962), Permian of Midcontinent
USA (Jizba 1962), Lower Triassic of Western Australia (Balme 1963).
Discussion: Crustaesporites was originally described by Leschik as a trisaccate
form. Jansonius believed the pollen to be monosaccate-lobed. It was noticed in
the present study that variations and gradations occur, from monosaccate forms
to bi-lobed, tri-lobed and poly-lobed.
Hart suggested that taeniate-monosaccate forms are monstrosities of disaccate
striatiti. It is suggested in the present study that they are variants of a bisaccate species, as is not uncommon in pollen of living trees, descendant from the
Permian flora, that is, Podocarpus papuanus has bilobed to poly-lobed saccate
pollen. Similarly, pollen of Podocarpus gracilior can be bisaccate to trisaccate
(Fig. 4). Cousminer (1965) also treats Crustaesporites as a polysaccate form, by
comparing the fossil pollen to present-day existing genera such as Podocarpus,
Microcarpus and Microstrobus which all show transitions from polysaccate to
lobed to monosaccate.
Crustaesporites is rare in Collie–Muja Basin. Monosaccate or lobed striatiti seem
to be common in the Upper Permian of India (Bharadwaj 1962) which justifies a
place for them in palynological systematics. Hart (1965a, b) treats Crustaesporites
as a polysaccate form.
Crustaesporites ovatus (Bharadwaj 1962) (Fig. 2.55).
Occurrence: Upper Permian of Collie–Muja Basin.
Description: Lobed monosaccate or trisaccate. Amb circular to lobed. Corpus
outline circular to sub-circular. Ektexine detached equatorially on proximal face
and sub-equatorially on distal face. Proximal face of corpus taeniate. Taeniae 2–4
µ wide, often wedge out or are interrupted by vertical striae. Structure of attached
ektexine on proximal and distal faces intra-punctate to intra-granulate. Detached
ektexine intra-reticulate. Reticulum consists of brochi up to 8 µ across. Nexine
thinner than ektexine, folds under distal root. Exine on distal face of corpus thins
out towards the centre.
Dimensions: Diameter of whole grain 65–135 µ. Corpus diameter range 40–60
µ (10 specimens measured).
Genus Striatopodocarpites (Sedova 1956; Hart 1964).
Diagnosis: Disaccate striatiti. Diploxylonoid. Sacci distinctly larger than corpus.
Cappa taeniate; divided into more than four taeniae. Taeniae continuous or broken,
parallel or converging. Corpus outline circular or oval.
Known distribution: Widespread in the Permian of the Northern and Southern
hemispheres.