On the occurrence of three species of Annularia Sternberg in the Early Permian Glossopteris flora of peninsular India

Three species of articulated foliage-bearing shoots of Annularia Sternberg are described from the Barakar Formation (late Early Permian–late Artinskian) of the Saharjuri Basin, eastern peninsular India. Annularia gondwanensis sp. nov. is preserved in growth position with branches emerging from a vertical carbonized axis. The leaves, branches and axis of A. gondwanensis have preserved cuticles. Annularia sp. and Annularia kurtzii Archangelsky are preserved as impressions. The Annularia species together with diverse sphenopsids occur in a typical Gondwanan assemblage dominated by glossopterids. This late Palaeozoic Euramerian–Cathaysian genus was earlier known from the Lower Permian of various region of the Gondwana continent viz., Brazil and Argentina in South America, the Karoo Basin in South Africa and western extra-peninsular India. Now the biogeographical range of distribution of Annularia extends up to the eastern peninsular India in the Gondwana continent. The palaeoclimate, palaeoecology of the Saharjuri Basin in eastern India is discussed considering the records of diverse sterile and fertile sphenopsids and Annularia in growth position together with the upright Glossopteris plants, other glossopterid members in the upper Lower Permian.