A Contribution Toward the Knowledge of Ferns and Lycophytes from Northern and Northwestern Myanmar

Abstract

Although the montane forests of northern Myanmar are part of one of the most biodiverse areas of the world, our knowledge of species richness and elevational distribution of species within these forests is poor and scattered at both spatial and temporal scales. Over the last five decades, very few floristic assessments have been undertaken. This is especially true for ferns and lycophytes. An international collaborative project team undertook the first plot-based inventory of vascular plant species' elevational distribution in northern and northwestern Myanmar in 2012, 2013 and 2014. At elevational gradients in northern and north-western Myanmar, four 400 m2 plots were sampled at intervals of 200 m in natural or little-disturbed forests and alpine thickets. We recorded all ferns and lycophytes from 132 plots, producing a total of 3,978 specimens. Based on these collections we present a list of fern and lycophyte species. A total of 299 species from 72 genera and 24 families were identified. This pilot project is a contribution to the upcoming Flora of Myanmar and provides a baseline dataset of the region to set priorities for conservation and the gazetting of protected areas.