Fern Research Articles

The Studies on the Ferns of Peninsular India-A Review

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Ethnobotanical Studies on the Ferns and Fern Allies of Rajasthan

Description is given of the ethnobotanical importance of species of ferns and fern allies collected from different localities throughout Rajasthan. The 'tribal' informations are confirmed by Ayurvedic Vaidiyas and 'Hakeems'.In Rajasthan the well-known tribal races are Bheel, Garassia, Sanshi, Meena, Gadaria-lohar, etc. Some of them inhabit the Aravallies and Chambal revines which possess sufficient vegetation of pteridophytes (Bir and Verma, 1963 ; Bhardwaja et al., 1979 ; Bohra et al., 1980). Ethnobotanical survey of these places has yielded interesting results, some of which are given in the present paper. During survey, Tape recorder was used as the language of many 'Tribal races' could not be understood well and got the conversation translated by some educated persons of the race, now residing in urban areas.

A second update to the checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy

Critical species inventories provide primary biodiversity data crucial for biogeographical, ecological, and conservation studies. After six years, a second update to the inventory of the vascular flora native to Italy is presented. It provides details on the occurrence at regional level and, for the first time, floristic data for San Marino. The checklist includes 8,241 species and subspecies, distributed in 1,111 genera and 153 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms, and 8,080 angiosperms. The species/subspecies endemic to Italy are 1,702, grouped in 71 families and 312 genera. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7,591, while 545 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 94 are doubtfully occurring in the country, 11 are data deficient, and 236 are reported by mistake and to be excluded at national level. Out of the 545 not confirmed taxa, 28 are considered extinct or possibly extinct.

A second update to the checklist of the vascular flora alien to Italy

Critical and updated alien species inventories are crucial to properly manage and contrast biological invasions. After 6 years, a second update to the inventory of the vascular flora alien to Italy is presented. It provides details on the occurrence at administrative regional level and, for the first time, floristic data for San Marino. The checklist includes 1782 taxa (1673 species, 28 subspecies, 69 hybrids and 12 cultivar groups not attributable to a specific binomial), distributed in 786 genera and 159 families; 2 taxa are lycophytes, 13 ferns and fern allies, 37 gymnosperms and 1730 angiosperms. Among these, 154 taxa are archaeophytes and 1628 neophytes. The alien taxa currently established in Italy are 899 (649 naturalized and 250 invasive), while 796 taxa are casual aliens, 1 is not assessed, 38 have not been confirmed in recent times, 4 are considered extinct or possibly extinct in the country, 40 are doubtfully occurring in Italy, 4 are of unknown regional distribution and 110 are reported by mistake and to be excluded at national level. This checklist allows to establish an up-to-date number (10,023) of taxa currently constituting the whole (either native or alien) Italian flora.

Perspectives of pteridophytes microbiome for bioremediation in agricultural applications.

The microbiome is the synchronised congregation of millions of microbial cells in a particular ecosystem. The rhizospheric, phyllospheric, and endospheric microbial diversity of lower groups of plants like pteridophytes, which includes the Ferns and Fern Allies, have also given numerous alternative opportunities to achieve greener and sustainable agriculture. The broad-spectrum bioactivities of these microorganisms, including bioremediation of heavy metals (HMs) in contaminated soil, have been drawing the attention of agricultural researchers for the preparation of bioformulations for applications in climate-resilient and versatile agricultural production systems. Pteridophytes have an enormous capacity to absorb HMs from the soil. However, their direct application in the agricultural field for HM absorption seems infeasible. At the same time, utilisation of Pteridophyte-associated microbes having the capacity for bioremediation have been evaluated and can revolutionise agriculture in mining and mineral-rich areas. In spite of the great potential, this group of microbiomes has been less studied. Under these facts, this prospective review was carried out to summarise the basic and applied research on the potential of Pteridophyte microbiomes for soil bioremediation and other agricultural applications globally. Gaps have also been indicated to present scopes for future research programmes.

Flora of Borneo: The vascular plant genera

A checklist of all genera of ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms, and angiosperms that are found in Borneo is presented. The native, introduced, and endemic status for all taxa is given. This checklist comprises 271 families: 39 families (ferns and fern allies), 5 families (gymnosperms), and 227 families (angiosperms) of 1877 genera and 12590 species. There are 1592 native genera, 192 introduced genera, 73 endemic genera, and 20 genera with both native and introduced species present.

Floristic Diversity of Vascular Plants in Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), Gandaki Province, Nepal

The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) is the first and largest conservation area in Nepal and one of the richest protected areas of Nepal in terms of biodiversity. But the richness of the floristic diversity in ACA is not well documented. The present study was done through a review of the published and authentic works of literatures such as journals, books, reports to explore the diversity of vascular plants in the entire ACA. This study documented a total of 1,739 species of vascular plants belonging to 771 genera and 154 families, comprising 118 species of fern and fern allies, 16 species of Gymnosperms and 1,605 species of Angiosperms respectively. Asteraceae with 56 genera and 149 species was found to be the largest family, followed by Poaceae (61 genera, 91 species), Fabaceae (42 genera, 83 species), Rosaceae (23 genera, 82 species), Orchidaceae (43 genera, 81 species), Ranunculaceae (11 genera, 73 species) and Lamiceae (29 genera, 58 species) respectively. Similarly, Saxifraga was found to be the largest genera with 28 species followed by Primula (26 species), Potentilla (19 species), Pedicularis (18 species), Saussurea and Gentiana (17 species each) and Berberis (16 species) respectively. In terms of growth form (habits) of the species found in ACA, trees (11% species), shrubs (14% species), herbs (69% species) and climbers (6% species) respectively. Total 102 species of Angiosperms were found to be the Endemic to Nepal from ACA. The rich diversity of vascular plants reflects that ACA is the central point for wide range of compositions of eastern and western Himalayan floristic components.

Diversity of Epiphytic Fern and Fern Allies in Darjeeling Region of Eastern Himalaya, India

Diversity of Epiphytic Fern and Fern Allies in Darjeeling Region of Eastern Himalaya, India

Variation of photosynthesis during plant evolution and domestication: implications for improving crop photosynthesis.

Studies investigating the mechanisms underlying the variation of photosynthesis along plant phylogeny and especially during domestication are of great importance, and may provide new insights to further improve crop photosynthesis. In the present study, we compiled a database including 542 sets of data of leaf gas exchange parameters and leaf structural and chemical traits in ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms, non-crop angiosperms, and crops. We found that photosynthesis was dramatically improved from ferns and fern allies to non-crop angiosperms, and further increased in crops. The improvement of photosynthesis during phylogeny and domestication was related to increases in carbon dioxide diffusional capacities and, to a lesser extent, biochemical capacity. Cell wall thickness rather than chloroplast surface area facing intercellular airspaces drives the variation of mesophyll conductance. The variation of the maximum carboxylation rate was not related to leaf nitrogen content. The slope of the relationship between mass-based photosynthesis and nitrogen was lower in crops than in non-crop angiosperms. These findings suggest that the manipulation of cell wall thickness is the most promising approach to further improve crop photosynthesis, and that an increase of leaf nitrogen will be less efficient in improving photosynthesis in crops than in non-crop angiosperms.

Pteridophytes (Ferns and Fern Allies) diversity in Bangladesh Agricultural University Botanical Garden

Pteridophytes are the cryptogams having vascular bundles and are distributed all over the world. They are mostly neglected plants though they have versatile economic uses. The present study has been planned to prepare a primary documentation through taxonomic study of the Pteridophytes available in the Bangladesh Agricultural University Botanical Garden (BAUBG). Forty Pteridophyte species available in the BAUBG, Mymensingh were identified and those belong to 19 families have been documented. Among those 19 species appear to be not evaluated as those were not reported elsewhere in Bangladesh. A brief description of each species along with its family and uses has been presented in the text. A graphical presentation showing their classification and categories based on a few parameters has been provided for their easy understanding and identification.

Traditional pteridophytic herbal medicines and reproductive health disorders in women- A Review

In search for treatment of their disease, people looked for drugs in nature since ancient times. To support this, there is ample evidence from various sources like written documents, preserved monuments and even original plant medicines. Quite a large number of ferns and fern allies are being utilized in different ways as traditional herbal medicine by different tribal communities, ethnic groups and folklore throughout the world for the treatment of different illnesses. This article reviewed the ethnomedicinal use of pteridophytes especially for the treatment of reproductive health related disorders in women.

Plant macrofossils from the Rhaetian of Einberg near Coburg (Bavaria, Germany). Part 1. Ferns, fern allies and seed ferns

Plant macrofossils from the Rhaetian of Einberg near Coburg (Bavaria, Germany). Part 1. Ferns, fern allies and seed ferns

Edible and Medicinal Pteridophytes of Nepal: A Review

Background: Traditional use of pteridophytes as food and medicine is a common practice around the world. Many ethnic communities hold vast knowledge about the uses of pteridophytes and the documentation of such knowledge and biodiversity of edible and medicinal pteridophytes is important for health care, food security and conservation. Although being one of the biodiversity rich countries, the detailed use of edible and medicinal pteridophytes from Nepal is not well documented and they are one of the underutilized plant resources having vast potential. Thus, the aim of this review is to compile the knowledge about the use of edible and medicinal pteridophytes in Nepal. Methods: Relevant information on traditional uses as medicinal and edible species were collected form published literatures such as research articles on ethnobotanical surveys, books, book chapters and conference proceedings. Results: The literature survey revealed that a total of 26 species of pteridophytes were used as food and 43 species were used as traditional medicines. Among 55 useful species, 14 species were used as both food and traditional medicine. Diplazium esculentum, Diplazium maximum, Dryopteris cochleata and Ophioglossum reticulatum were common edible species and Aleuritopteris albomarginata, Equisetum ramosissimum, Nephrolepis cordifolia and Tectaria coadunata were common medicinal pteridophytes. Most of species are growing in natural habitat and the potential utilization species were sold in the market which has also supported livelihood. Some of these pteridophytes were also used in preparation of ethnic foods such as fermented foods and pickles. Conclusion: Findings from the study suggested that only a few common species of pteridophytes are used as food and traditional medicines Nepal. The knowledge about the traditional uses of pteridophytes and their biodiversity is also affected by socioeconomic changes in communities, lack of sharing of traditional knowledge through generations, improper collection practices and climate change. Very few pteridophytes from Nepal have been studied in detail for their phytoconstituents and biological activities and safety. Future research activities should focus on providing scientific evidence for traditional uses as well as development of proper conservation, cultivation, and product formulation methods in a sustainable manner. Keywords: Conservation, ferns, fern allies, food security, human health

Diversity of Pteridophyte Flora in Rajamala, Eravikulam National Park, Kerala, India

Aims: To enumerate the fern diversity in the disturbed landscapes of Rajamala part of Eravikulam National Park, Western Ghats
 Study Design: Purposive sampling method was adopted in the study area and habitats suitable for ferns were surveyed.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study area is Rajamala, a tourist impacted site inside Eravikulam National Park in Kerala, India. Intensive field explorations were carried out in this area during February 2018- April 2019, to document the ferns and fern-allies.
 Methodology: A preliminary study was conducted in February 2018 to identify the probable habitats of ferns for further detailed study. Purposive sampling was done in the study area considering the most suitable habitats in both shola ecosystems and grassland ecosystems of the area. Materials for herbaria were processed using standard methods. The collected plants were identified with the help of standard field guides and flora. The potential medicinally important ferns were also listed out.
 Results: 54 species of pteridophytes including fern and fern allies belonging to sixteen different families were found from the Rajamala region of Eravikulam National Park. Aspleniaceae was the most common family with 11 species followed by Polypodiaceae. The majority of the Pteridophytes found in the region are showing terrestrial habit. Eleven species found in the study site are medicinally important.
 Conclusion: Despite the high tourism pressure in the study area, pteridophyte species richness is higher in the Rajamala region of Western Ghats. The suitable habitat with ideal substrate conditions and year-long moisture availability in the substrates could be the reason for a higher number of pteridophyte species in this area.

DIVERSITY OF PTERIDOPHYTES IN WESTERN GHATS- A REVIEW

Pteridophytes are vascular cryptogams that dominated the earth 250 million years ago. Currently, there are 13,600 species of pteridophytes around the world, and is the second most dominant plant group. In India, there are 1200 pteridophyte species with 70 families and 192 genera. The pteridophyte hotspots in India are the Himalayas, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Central India, and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. The Western Ghats occupies only 6% of the Indian landmass and still holds a pteridophyte diversity of 383 species. Fern and fern allies are highly sensitive to changes in their natural habitat, thus habitat destruction, anthropogenic influences, climate change, etc., are causing a fast decline in their population. Epiphytic species are easily destroyed due to the felling of trees and because of this at present 41- 43% of epiphytic pteridophytes in India are reported to be threatened. It necessitates the frequent analysis of the pteridophyte flora of a region to ensure the existence of its species diversity. The potential of in-vitro and ex-situ conservation techniques can be explored for the conservation of threatened pteridophyte species

How fern and fern allies respond to heterogeneous habitat — a case in Yuanjiang dry-hot valley

ABSTRACT The Yuanjiang dry-hot valley features hot and dry climate, low vegetation and soil degradation. It had lush vegetation in the past, but has become degraded in recent decades. Understanding the interrelationship between species and the habitat is necessary to explain this change. In this study, a link between fern and fern allies – a group that is hypersensitive to environmental factors and their circumstances is constructed. Intensive transects and plots were designed to be proxies for extant fern and fern allies, and their habitats. Fifty years of meteorological records of precipitation and temperature along altitude and river running direction (latitudinal) were employed. Alpha and beta diversity are used to access diversity. Species_estimated, Singletons, Uniques, ACE, ICE, and Chao2, which associate to abundance and rarity, are subscribed to the correlation between fern and fern allies, and their ecosystem. Eight species, Selaginella pseudopaleifera, Aleuritopteris squamosa, Adiantum malesianum, Pteris vittata, Davallia trichomanoides, Sinephropteris delavayi, Selaginella jugorum, and Lygodium japonicum are used as indicators of a typical xeric and sun-drying habitat. The results indicate (1) accompanied by dramatically shrinking habitats, fern and fern allies are in very low diversity and abundance, whereas the rarity is relatively high; (2) for fern and fern allies, environmental factors are positive when altitude goes up; and (3) eight indicator species are latitudinally correlated with fern and fern allies along the river running direction.

Assessment of the phytoremediation capabilities of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) for the remediation of heavy metals (Pb, Ni and Cd) contaminated water

This study was carried out to investigate the potential uptake of heavy metals (Pb, Ni, and Cd) by Pteridium aquilinum plant from aqueous solutions. The whole plant strands were cultured in 36 experimental pots containing 5, 10 and 15 (mg/L) of Pb2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ aqueous solutions. The plants were harvested after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of exposure and segmented into leaves, stem and root, respectively. The heavy metals content in the plant parts were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer version VGP 210. The highest actual accumulations for Pb, Ni and Cd were recorded in the root at 15 mg/L of the aqueous solution after 96 hours of exposure with mean values of 4.29±0.04, 4.06±0.01 and 0.65±0.00 mg/kg, respectively. The highest total actual accumulations recorded in the plant were 9.19±0.14, 10.80±0.03, and 1.23±0.04 mg/kg for Pb, Ni and Cd, respectively. The accumulation of the heavy metals in the plant parts was in this order; root > stem > leaves. The results reveal that, the accumulation of heavy metals in the plant increases with increase in the concentration of the aqueous solutions and the duration of exposure to the aqueous solutions. The uptake of heavy metals by the plant is in this order; Ni > Pb > Cd. The translocation factor (TF) recorded for Pb, Ni and Cd in the plant were all greater than 1 (>1) except for Cd at exposure duration of 96 h in the 15 mg/L Cd2+ aqueous solutions, with the highest TF values of 2.500, 1.886 and 1.601, respectively. This indicates that more of the heavy metals were stored in the shoot. P. aquilinum is therefore described as a good accumulator plant, which could be used for phytoextraction of Pb, Ni and Cd in aqueous solutions of the metals. Key words: Phytoremediation, Pteridium aquilinum, heavy metals, contamination, translocation factor.

An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of the Arezzo administrative province (Tuscany, Italy)

An updated and annotated catalogue of the vascular plants reported for the Arezzo administrative province (eastern Tuscany, Italy) is presented. The study tries to fill the gaps existing in the data at the sub-regional administrative scale, addressing relevant taxonomic and distribution issues, important not only at local level. The catalogue was compiled by gathering all the botanical information from various source types (old and recent floras, vegetation data, taxonomic studies, floristic and chromosome number reports, herbarium data, landscape studies, original field observations). More than 32,000 records were critically examined, georeferenced and stored in a floristic database. For many controversial taxa, considerations and case-by-case comments are reported in explanatory notes. A distribution map of report locations and a map of floristic information intensity (number of records per location) are provided. The total number of taxa registered is 2082, of which four Lycophytes, 42 Ferns and fern allies, 47 Gymnosperms and 1989 Angiosperms. In the total list, 1759 taxa were confirmed after 1950, 126 recorded before 1950, 116 considered inquirendae and 81 excludendae. Amongst the taxa confirmed after 1950, 1518 are native, 13 cryptogenic and 228 alien, of which 104 considered cultivated and 29 invasive for the Arezzo province. Data were analysed in relation to number of families, consistence of native and alien flora, chorological and general conservation aspects.

Nutrient composition analysis of five kinds of wild edible ferns in Yunnan

Nutrient composition analysis of five kinds of wild edible ferns in Yunnan

An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of South and North Nandi Forests, Kenya.

We compiled a checklist of the flora of South and North Nandi forests based on literature, online databases, herbarium collections and floristic field surveys. A combination of general walk-over surveys and plotless landscape sampling for plant collection and sight observation was used. We recorded 628 plant species representing 118 families and 392 genera, which almost double the latest results of the previous most recent survey. We found 61 species of ferns and fern allies and 567 species of seed plants, representing 9.98% of the total plant species in Kenya. Herbs were the majority (50.2%) of life forms followed by shrubs (16.5%). We report unique populations of three species out of 19 species that are widespread in Africa, but restricted to Nandi and Kakamega Forests in Kenya. Four of the recorded species are threatened globally and 16 exotic plant species were found. The recent description of one new species and two new records for Kenya from these forests, together with the comprehensive checklist is of crucial importance to the conservation of these unique ecosystems. Our results are essential to forest managers, community forest associations, conservationists, students and research scientists in Kenya and globally for implementing critical decisions for the conservation of this vital biodiversity resource.