Nothopegia Leaves:
Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences unearthed 24-million-year-old fossilized Nothopegia leaves in Assam’s Makum Coalfield. Nothopegia is A genus of flowering plants belonging to the Anacardiaceae family (same as mango).
It includes several tropical tree species known for their ecological and medicinal importance. Currently found only in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in peninsular India. Fossil leaves of Nothopegia were discovered in Assam’s Makum Coalfield, dating back to the late Oligocene epoch (24–23 million years ago).This is the oldest known fossil record of the genus, revealing ancient climate patterns and biodiversity shifts.
