Mid-Cretaceous conifers from the Eromanga Basin, Australia

Mid-Cretaceous (latest Albian-earliest Cenomanian) sediment in seven bore c ores from the Eromanga Basin (south-western Queensland) was sampled for org anically preserved plant macrofossils. Among those recovered, 26 taxa of co nifers have been distinguished. Families Araucariaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Cheirolepidiaceae were prominent. The Araucariaceae include Araucaria sp., while the remainder are considered to represent extinct genera. Podocarpace ae are all species of extinct genera and two new genera are described: Erom angia and Thargomindia. There are two species of Cheirolepidiaceae. One of these, Geinitzea tetragona Cantrill & Douglas, is made the type of a new ge nus, Otwayia, with two species, O. tetragona and O. cudgeloides, both occur ring in the Eromanga Basin. No unequivocal Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae were re cognised.