WONDER HERBALS- BRYOPHYTES, OF THE PONMUDI HILLS, OF SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS: WINDOW INTO THE NEED FOR CONSERVATION
Meenu Krishnan VG, Pradeep DP, Aswathy JM, Remya Krishnan, Lubaina AS & Murugan K*
ABSTRACT
Bryophytes are considered as wonder medicinal herbs of new, novel
products or phytochemicals, many of which have shown potential
biological activity. Although Bryophytes are familiar, their medicinal
importance is yet to be exploited fully. They are employed in
pharmaceutical research (antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic,
antitumor, vasopressin antagonist, cardiotonic, allergy causing,
irritancy, insecticidal), horticulture, household purposes and are also
ecologically unique as pioneer species and also environmental
indicators. They form the oldest known land plants, which includes
22000 species belongs to liverworts, hornworts and mosses.
Bryophytes are amphibians of the plant world prefer to grow in moist
dampy environmental conditions and represent a considerable portion
of plant diversity within forests. This is because their diversity is closely linked with
microhabitat diversity. Poor information was available on the bryophytes of Ponmudi hills,
Kerala. Present work deals with the species composition and distribution of bryophytes at
Ponmudi hills. Data was collected by using 0.25 x 0.25 M quadrate and 120 quadrate samples
were collected. 40 genera and 48 species were recorded in the study area with maximum
density for Philonotis mollis, Bryum coronatum, Bryum capillare, Brachymenium exile,
Fossombronia foveolata, Fissidens asperisetus, Fissidens crenulatus, Fissidens crispulus,
Barbula indica, Leucobryum bowringii, Octoblepharum albidum, Mnium rostratum, Riccia
fluitans, Marchantia polymorpha, Targionia hypophylla, Cyathodium cavernarum, Porella
acutifolia, Riccardia multifida, Macromitrium nepalense, Racopilum cuspidigerum, Aerobryum speciosum, Homaliodendron exiguum, Entodon flavescens, Isopterigium
albescens, Taxiphyllum taxirameum, Funaria hygrometrica and Campylopus flexuosus and
minimum density for the species Trematodon longicollis, Rhynchostegium herbaceum,
Brachythecium buchanani, Racopilum cuspidigerum, Aerobryum speciosum, Racopilum
cuspidigerum, Macromitrium nepalense, Pyrrhobryum spiniforme, Pallavicinia lyelli,
Plagiochila beddomei, Plagiochila devexa, Plagiochila chinensis, Chandonanthus birmensis,
Marchantia linearis, Ricciocarpos natans, Pogonatum macrophyllum, Dawsonia superba,
Campylopodium khasianum, Radula japonica, Notothylas levieri, Anthoceros angusta,
Rhodobryum giganteum, Philonotis fontana and Philonotis angusta.
Keywords: Species composition, Bryophytes, Ponmudi Hills, Western Ghats, Density.
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