Saprophytic fossil fungi from the Early Cretaceous sediments of the Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand, India

Abstract

Occurrence of two kinds of fossil fungi in forms of non–septate (coenocytic) and septate mycelia and unicellular spores (conidia) in thin sections of silicified cherts of Nipania and Sonajori localities in the Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand are described. In the former locality mycelia and hyphae are non–septate, conidia numerous and nucleated on the ‘bark’ of the Pentoxylon stem while in the latter (Sonajori) mycelia and hyphae are septate with only few conidia in the integument of an ovule of Araucarites mittrii. There is no earlier record of saprophytic fossil fungi from the Rajmahal Hills.