On some microthyriaceous fungi from a tertiary lignite of South India

Abstract

The paper deals with some well-preserved remains of fruit bodies of the microthyriaceous fungi recovered from the Upper Tertiary (U. Miocene) Warkalli lignite of Kerala state. Nototllyrites, Callimothallus, Asterina, Eutllyrites and Plochmopeltinites represent the common taxa in the material examined. The following are the species recorded, viz. Notothyrites setiferus, N. airensis, N. denticulatus sp. nov., Callimothallus pertusus, C. raoi sp. nov., Asterina eocenica, Asterotllyrites sp., Euthyrites keralensis sp. nov., and Plochmopeltillites cooksonii sp. novo Numerous germlings of microthyriaceous fungi have also been encountered in the lignite samples. The common occurrence of diverse types of microthyriaceous fungi in the Warkalli deposits clearly points toward the tropical humid climate in Kerala during the Upper Tertiary period. The paper also discusses briefly the geological history of the mierothyriaceous fungi.