On the pteridophytes of Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India

Pranjal Borah Pranjal Borah,Jayanta Barukial

doi:10.11609/jott.7488.13.12.19781-19790

Abstract

A preliminary survey on the pteridophytic flora of Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary of Assam, India revealed a total of 33 species belonging to 23 genera and 15 families. Most of the species belong to the family Pteridaceae followed by Polypodiaceae and Thelypteridaceae. A brief taxonomic description of each species is provided. Stenochlaena palustris (Burm.f.) Bedd., an edible fern, grows abundantly all over, especially in the openings and clearings.

Highlights

Pteridophytes, known as ferns and fern-allies, flowerless and seedless plants that once dominated the world vegetation 280–230 million years ago
The pteridophytic flora of India comprises around 1,000 species belonging to 191 genera and 67 families including 47 endemic Indian ferns (Dixit 1984) and in another report, more than 1,100 species of pteridophytes belonging to 144 genera and 34 families with about 235 endemic species (Chandra 2000) from India
The plants are enumerated with a brief taxonomic description of each species

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Pteridophytes, known as ferns and fern-allies, flowerless and seedless plants that once dominated the world vegetation 280–230 million years ago. The forest is the home for an endangered primate species, i.e., Western Hoolock Gibbon. Borajan, and Padumoni are tiny isolated pockets of lowland tropical forest covering an area of 105 ha, 493 ha, and 176 ha respectively and an ideal habitat for primate species like the Bengal Slow Loris, Assamese Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Capped Langur, Stump-tailed Macaque, and Western Hoolock Gibbon. The three areas are disjoint and unconnected by tea gardens and human settlement. These are entirely on the flat plains of the Brahmaputra Valley. Bherjan is almost entirely covered with trees with a closed canopy. In Assam, a few systematic works on pteridophytes have been accomplished, like Kachroo (1953), Panigrahi (1960, 1968), Panigrahi & Chowdhury (1961, 1962), Dutta et al (1980), Handigue & Konger (1986), Kachroo et al (1989), Borthakur et al (2001, 2018), Devi & Majumdar (2003), Sen & Ghosh (2011), and Kalita (2015)

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION