On the age of the Deccan traps near Rajahmundry

Abstract

It must be remembered, however, that practically all this palaeontological evidence in support of an eocene age for the Deccan trap comes from plant fossils; and the question naturally arises as to what dependence is to be placed upon fossil plants as a guide to geological age—how far they could be considered "absolute indicators of a geological horizon". Whenever there has been a possible difference of opinion on the age of a bed as determined by the evidence of terrestrial fossil plants as against fossil marine animals, it is true that the geologist will always prefer the evidence of the latter and fix the age accordingly. But in a case like the age of the inter-traps where the decisive evidence of fossil marine animals is not available, it seems only reasonable to accept an age based on the verdict of the plant fossils, unless such a conclusion can be shown to be definitely unacceptable from the geological side.