PTERIDOPHYTES FROM HIGH ELEVATION PLATEAUX IN THE NORTH WESTERN GHATS OF MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

摘要

Pteridophytes, the fems and allies, have specific habitats including occurrence on plateaux and rock-outcrops, but their diversity and ecology in plateau-ecosystems have not yet been sufficiently studied and reported. In the present investigation, 10different plateaux of the North-Western Ghats of Maharashtra have been studied with respect to diversity, distribution and pteridophyte-microhabitats during 2010-2016. This study has revealed significant findings concerning 43 taxa at species and infraspecific ranks occurring in different microhabitats on the plateaux. Of these, Adiantum philippense L. subsp. teestae Verma & Fras.-Jenk. is being newly reported from Maharashtra state and Aleuritopteris formosana (Hayata) Tagawa is rare. Two species, namely, Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C. Presl and Selaginella repanda (Desv. ex Poir.) Spring are newly reported from North-Western Ghats in Maharashtra. Critical observations on endemic and newly recorded taxa are also mentioned. Of these, two Indian endemicspecies viz., Isoetes dixitii Shende and Isoetes panchganiensis G. K. Srivastava, D. D. Pant & P. K. Shukla occur only on the open plateaux and proposed to have Endangered (EN) status according to IUCN criteria B2(a).