Glutoxylon Chowdhury (Anacardiaceae): the first record of fossil wood fromBangladesh

This paper documents the first record of silicified fossil wood from a prev iously undescribed wood-rich horizon in the Sitakund Anticline, Eastern Ban gladesh. The outcrop is composed of cross-stratified, fine-medium grained s andstones with bidirectional cross stratification indicative of a tidal env ironment, deposited ca. 5-5.2 million years before present (Miocene/ Plioce ne). The wood is characterised by large solitary vessels with alternate int ervascular pits, banded parenchyma, uniseriate rays, and multiseriate rays with one radial canal per ray. This character combination closely resembles the wood of extant Gluta L. of the Anacardiaceae, This specimen has been a ssigned to the organ genus Glutoxylon Chowdhury erected for fossil woods wi th anatomical similarity to Gluta (including Melanorrhoea Wall.). The excel lent preservation of this mature wood specimen illustrates the potential fo r using fossil wood from the Sitakund locality for palaeoecological studies in terms of biodiversity and adaptational response to climate change. More over such investigations of fossil woods from Bangladesh will compliment st udies undertaken on fossil plants in other parts of Central and Southeaster n Asia which will further the understanding of plant migration routes betwe en India and Southeast Asia during the Tertiary. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.