LOCALITY RECORD FOR A RARE FERN MACROTHELYPTERIS ORNATA FROM CORBETT TIGER RESERVE, UTTARANCHAL

摘要

Corbett Tiger Reserve, spread over an area of 1318.54 km~2, is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, mainly in the districts of Pauri Garhwal and Nainital in Uttaranchal State. While exploring the vegetation of Corbett Tiger Reserve, a large sized graceful fern Macrothylypteris ornata (Wall, ex Bedd.) Ching has been observed growing in a dark ravine habitat of the said wild life reserve. The said taxon ranks second largest after Alsophila spinulosa (Wall, ex Hook.) Tryori, 'The tree fern' in Western Himalaya among pteridophytic taxa. Hitherto M. ornata is reported to occur in various parts of Western Himalayas as a rare species, the present find of this species, by the author at Mujuapani Hills is an interesting record.