145;Fossils help in understanding plant evolution146;

Providing an instance, he said the discovery and description of well preserved fossil materials belonging to the Cretacious and Cenozoic eras has allowed scientists to understand the evolution of Fagales, a species of trees that include oaks, beeches and walnut trees.

He said there was a great potential for fossil fuel exploration in the country. 8220;There is still much to learn about bio-diversity and extinction of plants,8221; said Crane.

Calling this an exciting time to be in the field, he said fossils have boosted the study of angiosperm palaeobotany, which deals with fossils of angiosperms 8212; flowering plants that have hidden seeds.

Talking about the institute8217;s founder, Director Dr N C Mehrotra said Birbal Sahni had viewed fossils from an overall perspective, including extinct and living plants.

Ajaib Singh Brar, Vice-Chancellor of the Lucknow University, said fossil research offers great potential for exploration of petroleum products.