0/ ProceedingsofNationalSeminaronRecent . . Advances in Geology of Coal and Lignite Basins oflndia. Calcutta., 1997 GSI Spl. Pub. No. 54, 2001, pp 127·134. LOWER GONDWANA PLANT FOSSILS FROM BARREN MEASURES OF JHARIA COALFIELD, BIHAR, INDIA A. K. SRIVASTAVA AND RAJNr TEWARI Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow ABSTRACT Lower Gondwana succession of India is represented by a characteristic non-coaliferous Barren Measures sequence in between two coal-bearing horizons of Barakar and Raniganj Formations. Floristically, the Barren Measures Formation has been correlated with the temporary reprieve of Glossopteris flora due to poor occurrence of plant fossils. However, recovery of a large number of Glossopteris leaves, comprising 11 species from the type locality of Barren Measures Formation, i.e. Katri Nala Section of Jharia Coalfield. demonstrates the richness of flora and persistence of Glossopteris flora throughout the range of Lower Gondwana. INTRODUCTION The plant fossils are collected from Jharia Coalfield which is situated in between latitudes 23° 37"N and 23°52'N and longitudes 86° 06'E and 86° 3O'E and covers an area of about 456 sq km in Dhanbad District of Bihar (Fig. I). Being the only area of prime coking coal in India, the geology of the coalfield has been extensively studied by many workers (Fox, 1930, 1931; Mehta & Murthy, 1957; Mehta et al. 1971; Sengupta et al. 1977; Casshyap, 1977; Verma et al. 1980 and Chandra, 1992) Table 1. TABLE 1 STRATIGRAPHIC SUCCESSION OF THE JHARJA COALFIELD Age Upper Permian Middle Permian Lower Permian Upper Carboniferous Archean Formation Raniganj Barren Measures Barakar Talchir Litho-type Fine- grained feldspathic sandstone, shales with coal seams Buff- coloured sandstone, shales and carbonaceous shales Buff- co loured coarse- and medium- grained feldspathic sandstone, grits, shales and carbonaceous shales and coal seams Greenish shales and fine- grained sandstone Metamorphics Max. thickness 800 m 730 m 1250 m 245 m