Palynology of the uppermost Cretaceous to lowermost Paleocene Deccan volcanic associated sediments of the Mandla Lobe, Central India

Palynological study of the <b>uppermost</b> Cretaceous<b>–lowermost</b> Paleocene sequences of the Deccan volcanic province in the Mandla Lobe of central India was carried out to understand floral diversity, paleoecology and paleoclimate during Deccan volcanic activity <b>(67. 4–62.5 Ma).</b> The study involved 17 intertrappean sedimentary beds at 13 stratigraphic levels. The analysis shows the presence of a rich and diverse palynoflora represented by 47 genera and 61 species of pteridophytes, gymnosperms, algae, and fungi. <b>Amongst these, we recognized three</b> new genera and <b>10</b> new species. At the lower stratigraphic levels, <b>(582–602 meters above sea level),</b> Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age marker palynomorphs, namely <i>Azolla cretacea</i>, <i>Farabeipollis minutus, Jiangsupollis striatus</i> and <i>J. intertrappea</i> <b>sp. nov</b>. and dominance of <i>Gabonisporis vigourouxii</i> and <i>Aquilapollenites bengalensis</i> were recorded. At the higher stratigraphic levels, <b>(698–858 meters above sea level)</b> Early Paleocene (Danian) age marker palynoassemblage<b>s</b>, such as <i>Haloragacidites amolosus, Longapertites vaneendenburgi, Mulleripollis bolpurensis</i>, <i>Palmaepollenites nadhamunii,</i> and <i>P. eocenicus</i> were recorded. Palyno<b>assemblag</b>e and associated clay minerals indicate deposition of intertrappean <b>beds</b> in a fluctuating climate, ranging from humid and semiarid to arid and the prevalence of estuarine to freshwater depositional environments at the time of deposition. Palynofloral assemblages suggests <b>prevalence of warm humid tropical climate</b> with high precipitation during the <b>deposition of intertrappean beds.</b>