Abstract

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.