Nelumbo - The Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India

M. Sharma ¹, S. S. Bir ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

The paper deals wilh the nomenclature, diagnostic features and variations of taxonomically controversial eleven Taxa of north Indian flowering plants.

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Chander K. Satija ¹, S. S. Bir ¹, A. K. Bhardwaj ¹

Affiliations
1 Pteridophytic Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

Twenty two species of genus Pyrrosia are described from India. In addition, two more species are doubtfully (P. ceylanica, P. angustata) recorded from South Indian mountains. Majority of the species are met with in the Himalayas from Garhwal to Bhutan. So far no species is recorded from Central as well as Western India. Pyrrosia acrostichoides and P. gardneri are restricted to Southern India. Quite a many of the species look alike but can be segregated on the basis of rhizome scales and hairs on the lamina as well as the spores. This is particularly true of the species belonging to P. stictica, P. mollis, P. mannii, P. nayariana and P. gardneri groups.

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S. S. Bir ¹

Affiliations
1 Botany Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh-3, IN

Abstract

Ecological and distributional data about the Peteridophytic Flora of Simla Hills in the North Westan Himalayas is presented in this paper. Detailed observations on the habitat of various species have been made. In all, 121 species (9 Fern-Allies and 112 Ferns) were collected, out of which, 22 are new records for the area. Amongst the interesting and rare ones are, Cheilanthes chrysophylla Hook., Blechnum orientale Linn., Asplenium unilaterale Lam. Var. udum Atk., Phymatodes erythrocarpa (Mett, ex Kze.) Ching, Pyrrosia flocullosa (Don) Ching, Anogramma leptophylla (L.) Link, Selaginella subdiaphana (Wall.) Spr. and S. sanguinolenta (L.) Spr. forma aitchisonii (Hieron.) Alston. Simla combines the flora of the the Eastern and North Western Himalayas and it may be treated as the western limit for Blechnum orientale Linn., Sphenomis chinensis Maxon, Dennstaedtia scabra (Wall.) Moore, and Asplenium unilaterale Lam. Latest nomenclature has been used.

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S. S. Bir ¹

Affiliations
1 Botany Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh-3, IN

Abstract

Taxonomic problems of family "Aspleniaceae" are discussed and confusions have been cleared about Asplenium dalhousiae, A. laciniatum, and A. planicaule, Athyrium boryanum, Diplazium polypodioides, and D. asperum. Comments have been made on the generic status of Ceterackopsis, Athyrium, Diplazium and Cornopleris. It has been proposed that Digrammaria may be recognised as a sub-genus within large and comprehensive genus Diplazium Swartz so as to represent such elements as Diplazium esculentum that show peculiar venation and anatomical structure not seen in any other species of the genus. Various taxonomic criteria have been enumerated with instances from amongst the "Aspleniaceae". Salient features of six new ferns discovered from the Himalayas, are given.

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S. S. Bir ¹, Chander Kanta Trikha ¹

Affiliations
1 Panjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

Microsorium Link is generically distinct from Phymatodes Presl. Both the genera have hardly anything in common except for the fact that they have a common place under family Polypodiaceae. Microsorium species not only differ from Phymatodes in the position and distribution of sori (numerous small, never more than 2 mm wide, scattered in irregular rows) but also in possessing generally thin and membranaceous texture which is seldom the case in the other genus. The genus is represented in India by nine species. All of these occur in the Eastern Himalayas and in the Western Himalayas only one species, M. membranaceum is met with, while from. South India only three species, M. membranaceum, M. punctatum and M. pteropus (simple-leaved form)-are known. Except for M. punctatum, all the other are rather thinner in texture. Most of the taxonomic characters used for differentiating Kaulinia Nayar [typified by K. pteropus (Bl.) Nayar] from Microsorium are not constant. These are frequently shared by well recognised species of Microsorium such M. superficial, M. phymatodes and several others. The only dependable character in which Kaulinia differs from Microsorium is that of gametophyte and it will be attaching to much importanceto a single character if Kaulinia is recognised as a genus.

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S. S. Bir ¹, Prem Shukla ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala (Punjab), IN
2 Department of Botany, Punjab University, Chandigarh, IN

Abstract

The paper deals with the taxonomic account of family Athyriaceae from Simla hills. Twenty one species are described and illustrated. The members of Athyrium nigripes group (A. nigripes, A. clarkei and A. setiferum) are characterised by the presence of setae on upper surface along costae and costules and possess non-perisporiate spores. The western Himalayan samples of Cystopteris fragilis possess rugoseverrucose spores in strong contrast to the spiny spores in several European examples. Athyrium mackinnoni is very distinct from A. nigripes under which its specimens have often been described. The Simla samples of Athyrium fimbriatum, in comparison to those from Darjeeling-Sikkim area, are of much smaller size and less divided. Diplazium polypodioides of the area is a polymorphic species and the different forms can hardly be taxonomically separated.

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S. S. Bir ¹, Chander K. Trikha ¹

Affiliations
1 Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

The Asiatic genus Lepisorus (J. Smith) Ching consists of about 25 species, majority of which are known from the Sino-Himalayan region. The present paper deals with the taxonomy of Lepisorus species which belong to Polypodium lineare complex. Our studies have revealed that the Himalayan and South Indian material generally placed under P. lineare is a collection of large and variable types and this material has been sorted out into L. nudus (Hook.) Ching, L. amaurolepida(Sledge).

Bir & Trikha, L. bicolor Ching, L. pseudonudus Ching, L. angustus Ching, L. ussuriensis (Regel & Maack) Ching, L. contortus Ching and L. tkunbergianus (Kaulf.) Ching. Out of these L. ussuriensis, L. contortus and L. bicolor are new records from the Indian region. Several of these species are sympatric in distribution and are closely allied in the form of the laminae. These are separable mainly on the basis of the outline and structure of scales and spores.

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S. S. Bir ¹, M. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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S. S. Bir ¹, Y. S. Bedi ¹, B. S. Gill ¹, V. K. Singhal ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

General aspects of vegetation of the Shiwalik ranges and the Garhwal Himalaya between the altitudes : 400-4,200 m together with detailed floristic accounts of the typical forests, are provided. Main types of forests surveyed include moist sal bearing forests, tropical fresh-water swamp forests, tropical dry deciduous forests, Himalayan montane subtropical forests, Himalayan moist temperate forests, sub-alpine forests and alpine forests. Various forest types are illustrated by field photographs. It is noted that there is a general decline in the forest cover and forest degradation is on the increase because of population pressure for more cultivable land and increased tourist flow in the region. Serious efforts at natiopal level are needed to conserve the fast dwindling forest cover.

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S. S. Bir ¹, Santosh Kumari ¹

Affiliations
1 Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

Thirty nine species of Papilionaceae are reported for the first time from Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh. This makes a total record of 99 species (103 taxa) of Papilionaceous plants from the region. As many as 9 species, namely, Argyrolobium flactidum, Atylosia kulnensis, Desmodium floribundum D. maculatum, Flemingia fruticulosa Phasealus velutinus, Shuteria, vestita, Sophora mollis and Teramnus mollis are new records for Madhya Pradesh. This fully justifies the need for intensive floristic surveys of the restricted regions for compilation of Flora of India.

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S. S. Bir ¹

Affiliations
1 Punjabi University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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U. C. Bhattacharyya ¹, S. S. Bir ², Charanpreet Singh ²

Affiliations
1 Botanical Survey of India, Howrah, IN
2 Department of Botany, Punjab University, Patiala, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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