Cainozoic euphorbiacean wood from the Canning Basin, Western Australia

A new species of fossil wood is described, Bridelioxylon canningense Bamfor d & McLoughlin, belonging to the Phyllanthoideae group of the Euphorbiaceae . The woods occur in indurated sandstones and conglomerates preserved in pa laeochannels incised into the Upper Permian Condren Sandstone in the Landri gan Cliffs, northern Canning Basin, Western Australia. Based on the presenc e of the dicotyledonous woods and the geomorphological setting of the palae ochannel, a Palaeogene age is suggested for the host rocks. This is the fir st record of fossil euphorbiacean wood in Australia; pollen has been previo usly recorded. The fossil wood is most closely comparable to extant members of Bridelia that currently occupy the warmer and wetter parts of Australia .