Abstract
Bryophytes; liverworts, mosses and hornworts, comprise an important yet poorly researched group of plants in Sri Lanka. Varied climate and topography of the island provide ample habitat diversity for bryophytes. However, the diversity and species richness of the three morphological groups of bryophytes within the country are yet to be discovered. Kanneliya Forest Reserve, a prominent lowland rain forest in the wet zone of Sri Lanka has been a base for much scientific research on both flora and fauna. However, the bryophyte flora within the forest, apart from a few old collections remains unexplored. The present study was undertaken to explore the moss flora of the Kanneliya Forest Reserve and serves as the first taxonomic study on mosses in the forest. Mosses were collected from different habitats of the forest, along with the substrate. They were stored in paper packets labeled with the locality details. Collected samples were observed for their morphological and anatomical characters, using dissecting, light and stereo microscopes. Specimens were identified to their generic/specific level using taxonomic keys, monographs and other available literature. A total of 68 specimens of mosses were collected from different habitats within the forest and 45 specimens were identified to their generic and/or specific level. The moss flora of the Kanneliya Forest Reserve represented 13 families and 21 genera of mosses. Taxonomic descriptions with the characteristic features were prepared for the identified species of mosses. Herbarium specimens prepared for each identified species are deposited at the Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 44 (1) : 35-43, 2015
Highlights
Bryophytes, the non-vascular embryophytes comprise three morphological groups; liverworts, mosses and hornworts in three Phyla, Marchantiophyta, Bryophyta and Anthocerotophyta.The groups share a common unique life cycle among land plants with a dominant gametophytic generations in the life cycle (Shaw and Renzaglia, 2004; Crandall-Stotler et al, 2007; Shaw et al, 2011)
Sri Lanka is a tropical island and exhibits a significant diversity of bryophytes that it had attracted a number of botanists, bryologists and explorers as a hot spot for their collections and studies
A total of 68 mosses were collected from different habitats and substrates within the Kanneliya Forest Reserve (Table 1)
Summary
Bryophytes, the non-vascular embryophytes comprise three morphological groups; liverworts, mosses and hornworts in three Phyla, Marchantiophyta (liverworts), Bryophyta (mosses) and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts).The groups share a common unique life cycle among land plants with a dominant gametophytic generations in the life cycle (Shaw and Renzaglia, 2004; Crandall-Stotler et al, 2007; Shaw et al, 2011). Sri Lankan mosses: Phylum Bryophyta or the mosses comprises of about 1300 species worldwide (Goffinet et al, 2009). Townsend (Rubasinghe and Long, 2014) Most of these collectors have focused the Central highlands of Sri Lanka for moss collections (O’Shea, 2003; Rubasinghe and Long, 2014). Much of the existing collections of mosses are scattered in herbaria in other countries; Berlin, London, Bogor, Brussels, Paris, Stockholm, Tokyo, Vienna and remain inaccessible to Sri Lankan scientists.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
