Late Neogene diversity of Fabaceae in the Chotanagpur Plateau, eastern India: Palaeoecological implications

Here, we describe ten morphotypes of fabaceous macrofossil remains from the latest Neogene (Pliocene: Rajdanda formation) sediments of Chotanagpur Plateau, Jharkhand, eastern India. Based on preserved macromorphological features (size, shape, apex, base, nature of seeds, and venation patterns), the fossil fruits and leaflets are confidently placed within the Fabaceae family. Due to the absence of satisfactory morphoanatomical characters, the recovered fossil specimens cannot be confidently assigned to a specific subfamily or genus. Therefore, they are conventionally categorised within the fossil genera Leguminophyllum ( Escalup-Bassi, 1971 ) for leaflets and Leguminocarpum ( Dotzler, 1937 ) for fruit specimens. Abundant fossil records indicate that the family was widely diversified and distributed in the Chotanagpur Plateau during the Pliocene. The leaves also evidence a variety of plant-insect interactions that operated during the evolution of monsoon-influenced Pliocene forests of Jharkhand. The recovery of these fossil legume specimens combined with reported legume taxa from the same formation suggests the existence of a warm and humid tropical environment in the region during the Pliocene. In addition, this report provides valuable information on the diversification, evolution, and ecology of the legume group in India during the Neogene. • Describe forty-nine fabaceous macrofossil remains from the latest Neogene sediments of Chotanagpur Plateau, eastern India. • Suggests the existence of a warm and humid tropical environment in the region during the depositional period. • Provides valuable information on the diversification, evolution, and ecology of the legume group in India during the Neogene.