Cainozoic euphorbiacean wood from the Canning Basin, Western Australia

Abstract

A new species of fossil wood is described, Bridelioxylon canningense Bamford & McLoughlin, belonging to the Phyllanthoideae group of the Euphorbiaceae. The woods occur in indurated sandstones and conglomerates preserved in palaeochannels incised into the Upper Permian Condren Sandstone in the Landrigan Cliffs, northern Canning Basin, Western Australia. Based on the presence of the dicotyledonous woods and the geomorphological setting of the palaeochannel, a Palaeogene age is suggested for the host rocks. This is the first record of fossil euphorbiacean wood in Australia; pollen has been previously recorded. The fossil wood is most closely comparable to extant members of Bridelia that currently occupy the warmer and wetter parts of Australia.

Keywords:

• Fossil wood
• Euphorbiaceae
• Bridelia
• Bridelioxylon
• Landrigan Cliffs
• Fitzroy Trough
• Canning Basin
• Western Australia
• Paleogene