Ferns and fern allies of District Shopian, Kashmir Valley, India (original) (raw)

ECOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE FERN FLORA OF THANNAMANDI DISTRICT RAJOURI, JAMMU & KASHMIR, INDIA

2 Thannamandi one of the biodiversity rich areas of district Rajouri, covers a total area of 229 km. The altitude ranges between 1100 – 2000 m and supports subtropical to temperate vegetation and offers congenial climatic conditions favourable for luxuriant growth of the vegetation including ferns. Field collections were made from 2012 to 2013 for the assessment of Pteridophytic diversity and their ecology attributes. Ferns of the selected area are divided into 04 major ecological categories which are further sub categorized into sub-categories. Lithophytic ferns are more in number followed by terrestrial, epiphytic and hydrophytic. Altitudinal distribution of pteridophytes reveals that number of species varies from lower to higher altitude. With altitudinal range as maximum number of species present in higher altitude and then keeps on decreasing towards lower altitude. Further, based on our surveys and analysis conservation of board leaved communities are also suggested as it is the store house of such vital wealth.

An ecological enumeration of pteridophytic flora from Pithoragarh, Central Himalayan province (U.K.) India

FLORA AND FAUNA

Terrestrial ecological survey, preparation of comprehensive checklist, soil analysis in relation to fern diversity and growth were the main objectives of the study in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. Classification, taxonomy, identification, nomenclature, and conservation status of Pteridophytes were done by autistic, viable and suitable literature. Soil analysis was done by a specific given protocol separately. In our study, a total of 17 families, 27 genera, and 37 species of Pteridophyta were recorded. Various types of habitat for this flora were noticed, including Lithophytes, moist places, Mesophyll, forest floor, and epiphyte. The average soil pH was 6.7, organic carbon was 1.923%, nitrogen was 0.406%, phosphorus was 3.40 ppm and potassium was 31.33 ppm, all recorded at the site of study. Most species were noticed as common in all the spots, but Pteridium aquilinum and Christella arida were the main rare species in the area.

Diversity of Pteridophytes in Nipani Taluk, Karnataka, India

2021

Considering diverse ecological and topographical conditions, Nipani Taluk is close to the Eastern ranges of Western Ghats. Adi Hill and Stavanidhi Ranges are the extended branches of the Western Ghats. An attempt was undertaken to enumerate the ferns from Nipani Taluk to fill the gap of a valid document of the ferns from the study area. During the study, 14 species from 9 different genera of 6 different families were recorded. The distribution of some species is found to be unique from Adi Hill and Stavanidhi Ranges. The study revealed that the number of species from family Pteridaceae was the highest, common to both the ranges followed by family Ophioglossaceae, Marsileaceae, Lomariopsidaceae, Salviniaceae and Polypodiaceae. Adiantum philippense L. was dominantly found in both the studied areas, while Adiantum incisum Forssk. and Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link are less dominant. Whereas Microsorum membranaceum (D. Don) Ching is least populated and found very rarely at both the st...

Pteridophyte Flora of Manaslu Conservation Area, Central Nepal

The pteridophytes comprising ferns and fern allies constitute an important part in Nepalese flora. Pteridophyte flora of the Himalayan region is considered to be the basic requirements for the knowledge of pteridology. This paper aims to provide the overview of fern and fern allies present in the Nubri valley and its adjoining areas of Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA), Central Nepal. A total of 105 species belonging to 45 genera were recorded, with Dryopteris as the largest genera including twelve species followed by Athy-rium, Pteris and Polystichum. With regard to habitats, most of the species were terrestrials followed by lithophytes and epiphytes.

NEW ADDITIONS OF FERN FLORA TO KOLLI HILLS, EASTERN GHATS, TAMILNADU, INDIA

In the present investigation six new fern species were added to Kolli Hills. The species were Adiantum latifolium, Oleandra musifolia, Diplazium cognatum, Bolbitis appendiculata, Leptochilus thwaitesianus and Phymatosorus membranifolium. Adiantum latifolium was the first report in Tamilnadu. The chromosomes were also studied in all the six ferns species. Adiantum latifolium has meiotic chromosomes showing n=30. It is a diploid cytotype with a sexual form. This is the first report of this species. The morphological characters of all the fern spores were also studied. INTRODUCTION The Kolli Hills is a part of the Eastern Ghats, which is a mountain range that runs almost parallel to the east coast of Tamilnadu. It is located in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. It extends to an area of about 418 Km 2 between 11 0 10'00 "-11 0 30'00 " N latitude and 78 0 15'00 "-78 0 30'00 " E longitude. Its elevation ranges from 700-1000 m (Figure 1). The vegetation is prominently dry deciduous with patches of moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests. Foot hills have dry deciduous shrub forests. A survey of literature shows that these hills are rich in plant diversity including the lower groups. But there are a limited number of works carried out with the lower group of plants. The pteridophytes include ferns and fern-allies form a largest flora next to the angiosperms in the biodiversity rich Indian subcontinent. They are growing in the moist tropical and temperate forests and their occurrence in different eco-geographically threatened regions from sea level to the highest mountains are of much interest. Pteridophytes are important from the evolutionary point of view, because they show the evolution of vascular system in plants and also clearly show the process of evolution of seed habit in plants. Some species are very beneficial to humans and some of the species attracts many plant lovers for their graceful, fascinating and beautiful foliage. Ecologically they adapt to almost all possible situations from tropic to temperate region expect in the Polar Regions and deserts (Rajesh, 2013). More than 12,000 species of Pteridophytes are estimated and distributed along different bio-geographical regions of India (Dixit, 1984; Chandra, 2000). Most of the pteridophytes diversity in India is observed in the Himalayas, Eastern and Western Ghats (Dixit, 2000). In the present study six ferns species were added newly to Kolli hills. Their cytology and spore morphology were also studied.

Pteridophytic Flora of Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand

Indian Fern Journal, 2024

The flora of Palkot (Jharkhand) Wildlife Sanctuary having rich fern components but till date they are not documented. Therefore, present attempt was undertaken to document the ferns and fern allies, of the Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary (Jharkhand) to fill the knowledge gap. During this survey, the author collected 12 taxa (incl. 11 species and 01 subspecies) belonging to 7 genera and 4 families of ferns and fern allies. The maximum number of species were collected at Kochedega forest beat while the minimum were at Palkot forest beat.

A REVIEW OF THE FERNS OF BARAK VALLEY, ASSAM, INDIA

Beddome , in his monumental work on the ferns of British India, first time separately mentioned Cachar and Sylhet Districts as the places of occurrence of 25 species of ferns. Almost hundred years after Beddome`s work, there have been spark of new enthusiasm among scholars to record pteridophytes of different districts of Barak Valley in Southern Assam of India. In the last twenty years, many publications have been made which accounted large number of pteridophytes from the valley.

BIODIVERSITY OF PTERIDOPHYTES AND THEIR PATTERN OF DISTRIBUTION IN HOOGHLY DISTRICT

Indian Fern Society, 2018

The district Hooghly is situated on the western bank of the river Bhagirathi (the Ganga river) embracing an area of about 3149.3 Sq. Km. The soil is mostly alluvial excepting in the northwestern part, where the soil is sandy-lateritic. An extensive survey of pteridophytic flora of this district was carried out extending over a period of seven years. The plants are terrestrial or epiphytic on old large trees of natural or man-made forests. Some pteridophytes are aquatic or even rhiophytic. Many pteridophytes grow on marshy habitat. A critical analysis of pteridophytes in this district reveals that altogether thirty ferns and fern-allies grow in this district spreading in four suggested macroregions. These suggested macroregions are recognized primarily on their habitat conditions. Some pteridophytic plants like members of Adiantaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Pteridaceae, Marsileaceae, Azollaceae, Polypodiaceae and Lygodiaceae are widespread throughout the district but few others like Cheilanthes, Lycopodiella etc. are restricted only to northwestern part. Few taxa are recorded only from a macroregion along the Bhagirathi river. The gross morpho-anatomical features of these plants have also been recorded. The present study is an attempt to describe the pteridophytic flora of Hooghly district in their ecological perspective and to record new arrival or locally threatened plants in this district.

PTERIDOPHYTE DIVERSITY IN WET EVERGREEN FORESTS OF SAKLESHPUR IN CENTRAL WESTERN GHATS

The present study deals with the diversity of pteridophytes in the wet evergreen forests of Sakleshpurtaluk of Hassan district in central Western Ghats. A significant portion of the study area comprises of the Gundia river catchment region which is considered to be the 'hottest hotspot of biodiversity' as it shelters numerous endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna. Survey of various macro and micro habitats was carried out in this region, also a haven for pteridophytes. A total of 45 species of pteridophytes from 19 families were recorded in the study. The presence of South Indian endemics like Cyathea nilgirensis, Bolbitissub crenatoides, B. semicordata and Osmunda huegeliana signifies the importance of this region as a crucial centre of pteridophytes. Similar regions in the Western Ghats, rich in network of perennial streams have been targeted widely for irrigation and power projects. With regard to an impending danger in the form a proposed hydroelectric project in the Gundia River, threatening the rich biodiversity, an overall ecological evaluation was carried out in the entire river basin. Special attention was paid to inventorisation of the pteridophytes, seldom ever attempted in such cases. The overall efforts succeeded in thwarting off the imminent project, thereby underscoring the necessity of making such studies as a prerequisite for any development programmes in biodiversity hotspots. INTRODUCTION Pteridophytes (ferns and fern-allies) are the most primitive vascular plants that appeared on the Earth, in the mid-Paleozoic era during the Silurian period which began 438 million years ago. They are the earliest of the plants ever evolved on the earth heralding the presence of a well developed vascular system-xylem for water and phloem for food transport respectively and hence, are referred as 'vascular cryptogams'. The arrival of pteridophytes, with specialized water and food conducting tissues, heralded an era of greater colonization in terrestrial ecosystems, to an extent that many of them could attain great heights like the flowering trees. After successfully establishing themselves as land plants, a very rapid rate of evolution was stimulated and witnessed among them with which they dominated most of the forests on earth's surface by the approach of carboniferous period. With the passage of time, especially with the evolution and dominance of the flowering plants, beginning in the late Cretaceous, the decline of the pteridophytes began. Nevertheless, this interesting group of plants, bridging the non-vascular cryptogams with the seed plants, higher in the evolutionary hierarchy, continues to occupy numerous niches on the land and in marshes and swamps and even in water bodies (Dudani et al., 2011). India has a rich and varied pteridophytic flora due to its Gondwanaland origin, its drift from south of the Equator towards Eurasia far north, carrying the progenitors of today's pteridophytes from Australia, Africa, Madagascar etc. as well as probable endemics of its own. The rise of the Himalayas along the India-Eurasia merger line created diversified topography and varied climatic conditions ranging from warm and humid sea shores to arid deserts to elevations experiencing arctic cold, creating numerous

Diversity of Pteridophyte Flora in Rajamala, Eravikulam National Park, Kerala, India

Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology

Aims: To enumerate the fern diversity in the disturbed landscapes of Rajamala part of Eravikulam National Park, Western Ghats Study Design: Purposive sampling method was adopted in the study area and habitats suitable for ferns were surveyed. Place and Duration of Study: The study area is Rajamala, a tourist impacted site inside Eravikulam National Park in Kerala, India. Intensive field explorations were carried out in this area during February 2018- April 2019, to document the ferns and fern-allies. Methodology: A preliminary study was conducted in February 2018 to identify the probable habitats of ferns for further detailed study. Purposive sampling was done in the study area considering the most suitable habitats in both shola ecosystems and grassland ecosystems of the area. Materials for herbaria were processed using standard methods. The collected plants were identified with the help of standard field guides and flora. The potential medicinally important ferns were also listed ...