The first occurrence of the PaleoceneLygistepollenites balmeiZone in the Eastern Highlands region, New South Wales

Abstract

Sub‐basaltic sediments in the Mt Royal Range area, studied with a view to testing models of the evolution of the Eastern Highlands, have yielded a palynoflora ascribed to the Paleocene Lygistepollenites balmei Zone. The palynofloras come from a core sampling sediment which accumulated when a stream was dammed by basalt. This is the first reported occurrence of a definite Paleocene flora in the Eastern Highlands region. Basalt in the vicinity of the core gave a K‐Ar age of 54.1 ± 0.3 Ma. The discrepancy between the pollen age and the K‐Ar date is considered to be relatively minor.