L. Hably szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 19. 1986 (Budapest, 1986)
Bande, M. B.; Awasthi, N.: New thoughts on the structure and affinities of Viracarpon hexaspermum Sahni from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of India
CHITALEY and PATIL (1971) on the other hand considered it as a frutification and synonym to Vira carpon elongatum Sahni. The specific diagnosis given by these authors for V. elongatum runs as."Fructification 68.5 mm long, 4.5-5.2 mm thick including projections on top of the fruits, fructification axis narrow, 1.6-2.1 mm wide, tapering towards tip; fibrovascular bundles scattered, inner six large and in imperfect ring, each placed in between adjacent fruits. Fruits arranged in 6 vertical rows on axis, three at each node alternating at successive nodes. 'Fruits' hexalocular, sessile, ebracteate, each measuring 1,5-1.8 mm long and 1.6-2.1 mm wide with two whorls of perianth lobes, inner perianth members one against each locule, 1.00 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, fused below with fruit wall, free above. Loculi separated from each other, inner margins fused to form central core and outer margins rubbed, forming a hump at top of each locule. Locule drawn up into a short projection and completely filled with a single sac-like seed, 0.6 x 0.5 mm in size; seed coat thin and paperly of parenchymatous cells with embryo in endosperm. 'Fruit' wall differentiated into thin epicarp, fibrous mesocarp and stony endocarp." PATIL (1972) differentiated Viracarpon chitaleyi from the above species only on the basis of a single character that there are only 5 vertical rows of fruits around central axis in V. chitaleyi as against 6 such rows in V. elongatum. However, as similar variations have been observed in various specimens of Viracarpon hexaspermum where this number varies from 6 to 8 or more, in this case it should also be considered as a case of variation and hence Viracarpon chitaleyi should be merged with Viracarpon elongatum Sahni. The salient features of all these species have also been presented in a tabulated form (Table 1). In the light of the characters enumerated it can be said that there are two basic types of Vira carpon fructifications which can be differentiated mainly on the basis of shape and size.Consequently, only Viracarpon hexaspermum Sahni and Viracarpon elongatum S ahni should be recognised as two distinct species. All other species, including Shuklanthus superbum should be considered as variations within the species and due to different stages of preservation. With this background it is now proposed to describe briefly the specimens studied during the course of this work. The data are then used to give a reconstruction of the complete fructification. The terminology used here is as given by SAHNI (1944) and CHITALEY (1954). MATERIAL The material consists of four well preserved specimens collected from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Mohgaonkalan. Out of these, two are exposed in cross sections from which two slides have been prepared. The third specimen was exposed in an oblique longitudinal plane. The fourth specimen on breaking the chert was exposed in two halves in longitudinal plane, one of them also having the peduncle. The upper portion of this specimen was lost during the preparation of slides. In all, three slides in longitudinal plane have been prepared from the fourth specimen. During the process of grinding, the section was studied at various stages and photographed so as to obtain a clear idea about the structure of individual fruits at various levels from top to bottom. The present interpretation of the fruit is mainly based on this study. DESCRIPTION Even a cursory study of these specimens is enough to indicate that all of them belong to Vi racarpon hexaspermurn Sahni . As for generic diagnosis the specimens represent a pedunculate aggregate fructification consisting of a central unbranched axis continuous with the peduncle and bearing crowded fruits in vertical rows (Plate I, 1, 4; Fig. 2 A). Fruits sessile, ebracteate. Individual fruit 6 angular with 6 equal loculi around a central core; each loculus containing a single seed (Plate I, 3; Plate II, 10). Top of ovary weall bearing projections (Plate I, 1, 2, 4; Fig. 2 A, B). Peduncle with monocotyledonous scattered vascular bundles. The detailed structure of these specimens is also in accordance with the specific diagnosis of Viracarpon hexaspermum Sahni as given by CHITALEY (1954) and NAMBUDIRI and TIDWELL (1978), except for the structure of the individual fruit which has been discussed separately. The peduncle is about 1.5 cm, body of the fructification is about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in width. Individual fruits are arranged on the fruiting axis in
