5.1 TAXONOMIC ACCOUNT OF BRYOPSIDA - Shodhgangashodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/4800/11/11_chapter 5.pdf · 5.1 TAXONOMIC ACCOUNT OF BRYOPSIDA Plants foliose, leaves are

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Studies on the Bryopsida of the Kolli Hills

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Chapter 5

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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5.1 TAXONOMIC ACCOUNT OF BRYOPSIDA

Plants foliose, leaves are in many rows, costate or ecostate, laminar

cells isodiamatic to linearly elongated, capsule vary in shape, usually open

by operculum, seta short or long, peristomial teeth solid or transversly

barred, jointed, single or double, usually articulated, calyptra cucullate or

mitriform, in some cases companulate.

Key to the orders

1a. Plants acrocorpic 2

1b. Plants pleurocorpic 7

2a. Leaves lamellose Polytrichales

2b. Leaves non-lamellose 3

3a. Leaves narrow, subulate, non-companulate, peristome dicranoid Dicranales

3b. Leaves broad, elongated, complanate, non-dicranoid 4

4a. Leaves distichous, complanate with a characteristic of sheathing lamina Fissidentales

4b. Leaves not distichous, without sheathing Lamina 5

5a. Leaves with semi-sheathing hyaline base Pottiales

5b. Leaves without semi-sheathing base 6

6a. Exostome (outer peristome layer) overlapping endostome (inner

peristome) layer Funariales

6b. Exostome alternating with extreme teeth Eubryales

7a. Leaf cells highly papillose, sporophyte hidden within leaves Isobryales

7b. Leaf cells smooth, sporophyte exserted 8

8a. Leaves distichous, asymmetric, bordered, amphegastric Hookeriales

8b. Leaves not distichous, symmetric, neither bordered, nor-amphigastric

Hypnobryales

Chapter 5 Results & Discussion

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Order: POLYTRICHALES

Plants robust. Stem erect, rhizomatous, with a central strand

(hydroids and leptoids). Leaves narrow, spiral, when dry imbricated,

reducing water loss, lamellose and costate. Presence of hairy covering -

Calystra - over the capsule makes these mosses known as the ‘hair-cap

mosses’.

Family: POLYTRICHACEAE

Leaves lingulate, semisheathing, costa percurrent toothed on back at

least at apex. Peristome teeth single rowed of 32-64, rarely 16 or absent,

solid, short, triangular, attached to a shield like membrane covering capsule

mouth.

Genus: POGONATUM

Plants greenish, erect, varying in size, often tall and showy, 2-10 cm

or more high, stem innovating from creeping underground rhizome,

occasionally branched above; leaves large, not bordered sharply toothed

on top; costa broad.

1. Pogonatum aloides (Hedw.) forma neesii (C. Muelb). Gangulee

Pogonatum aloides (Hedw.) P. Beauv., Prodr. Aetheogam., 84 (1805);

Sedgw. in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 19: 939 (1910); Dixon in Recognised.

Bot. Surv. India, 6(3): 80 (1914); Bruehl in Recognised. Bot. Surv. India,

13(1): 118 (1931); Foreau in J. Madras Univ., 3: 126 (1931) & J. Bombay

Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 46 (1961); Sundararagh. & Wadhwa in Bull. Bot. Surv.


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India, 10: 347 (1968); R. S. Chopra, Tax. Indian Moss., 23 (1975), forma

aloides: Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 1(1): 98 (1969); Polytrichum aloides

Hedw., Sp. Musc. Frond., 96 (1801); Type: Europe (G). P. rubellum Menz.

ex Brid. in J. Bot. (Schrader), 1800: 287 (1801); Great Britain (B). P.

dicksonii Turner, Muscol. Hibern. Spic., 90 (1804); Type: Ireland, Derry,

Brown s. n. (BM).

Plants small, rigid, stem simple up to 2.5 cm height. Leaves scale-

like; upper closely set, irregularly circinately roled towards stem when dry,

lanceolate, up to 7 mm long and 1.2 mm wide at middle, apex sharply acute

(forked) base hyaline, wider, slightly sheathing, margin sharply toothed

upto apex, lower leaves smaller up to 3 mm long. Costa shortly excurrent,

toothed at top back. Lamellae numerous, covering entire ventral surface, 4-

5 cel1s high. Peristome teeth 32, homogenous, calyptra felty, covering the

whole capsule (Plate 3).

Habitat: Terricolous in decidous and degraded forests.

Specimens examined: Periasamykoil Shola (1300 m), 03-07-2003,

RHTM 028, 18-06-2006, RHTM 32; Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-08-2003,

RHTM 032; Semmedu (1220 m), 08-02-2003, RHTM 046; Ellakkarai

(1280 m), 04-07-2004, RHTM 053.

Order: DICRANALES

Plants yellow-green. Leaves 3 or more ranked; leaf cells smooth.

Peristome teeth dicranoid, rarely entire.


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Key to Family: DICRANALES

1a. Leaf tip margin toothed; alar cells distinct, cells not differentiated into

Chlorocysts and Leucocysts; peristome forked Dicranaceae

1b. Leaf margin entire, alar small or absent; peristome simple Leucobryaceae

Family: DICRANACEAE

Stem branched or not. Leaves lanceolate, Semi-sheathing at base,

long acuminata, tubular apex, cells quadrate to rhomboid above,

rectangular at base. Costa percurrent.

Genus: Campylopus

Plants robust, 1-5 cm long; leaves with long, narrow, flexuose points;

costa broad occupying 1/3 or more of leaf base; cells at upper half smaller,

rhomboidal or incrassate, alar cells conspicuous, coloured; seta auriculate

when moist; capsule usually furrowed when mature and dry, peristome

dicranate.

Key to Species: Campylopus

1a. Leaves Lanceolate - subulate from a wider base, margin serrate at tip 2

1b. Leaves elongated with pointed tip, margin smooth to wavy

Campylopus sp.

2a. Alar cells brownish, bulging; branching through proliferation from tips

C. fexuosus

2b. Alar cells colourless; branching from base C. ericoides

2. Campylopus sps.

Simple shoots about 5 cm high. Leaves erect to erectopatent; only

one appressed to stem when dry; upto 4.5 mm long, elongated with pointed

tip, gradually narrowed from a wider ( 0.55 mm, broad) base to a subula


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with incurved margine, smooth to wavy; leaf tip not hyaline, toothed. Costa

broad about 2/3 of leaf base. Alar prominent bulging. Fertile plants not seen

(Plate 4).

Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Periashola (1400 m), 03-07-2003, RHTM 030.

3. Campylopus flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid.

Campylopus flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid. in Mant. Musc., 4: 71 (1819);

Dicranum flexuosum Hedw. in Sp. Musc.: 145 (1801); Bryum flexuosum

(Hedw.) L. ex. With. in Syst. Arr. Brit. Pl. ed. 4, 3: 817 (1801); B. immersum

Dicks. in Pl. Crypt. Britt. Fasc. 4: 15 (1801) fid. Bird.; Weisia immerse

(Dicks.) Brid. in Sp. Musc., 1: 124 (1806); Dicranum palustre La Pyl. in

Brid. in Bryol. Univ., 1: 814 (1827) hom. illeg.; Thysanomitrion flexuosum

(Hedw.) Arnott in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris. 5: 262 (1827); Campylopus

arduennae Lib. in Pl. Crypt. Arduenn. n. 106 (1831); C. tallulensis Sull. et

Lesq. in Musci Bor. Am.: 17 (1865); C. paradoxus Wils. in Hardy in

Berwickshire Nat. Hist. Cl., 1868: 48 (1868); Dicranum subleucogaster C.

Muell. in Bull. Torr. Bot. Cl., 5: 49 (1874); Campylopus subleucogaster (C.

Muell.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1877-78: 381 (1880); C.

subcinereus Stirt. in Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 8: 105 (1899); C. roellii Ren. et

Card. in Bull. Soc. R. Bot. Belg., 38: 9 (1900); C. melaphanus Stirt. in Ann.

Scot. Nat. Hist., 12: 110 (1903); C. rubiginosus Stirt. in Ann. Scot. Nat.

Hist., 15: 1 (1906); C. crenulatus Stirt. in Trans. Bot. Soc. Edin., 26: 244

(1914).


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Dioicous, shiny, green to olive green, up to 7 cm high, tomentose,

dichotomously branched. Leaves erectopatent, flexuose when dry, serrated

at tip, 10 mm long, up to 0.75 mm broad, lanceolate. Costa occupying the

½ of the leaf base, alar brown, highly bulging. Lamina cells at base long

rectangular, 27 11.5 m near costa, almost rhomboidal and incrassate

at margin. Fertile plants not seen (Plate 5).

Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen forest

Specimens examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 30-03-2003, RHTM 013.

4. Campylopus ericoides (Criff) A. Jaeger

Campylopus ericoides (Criff.) A. Jaeger in Ber. Senckenberg. Naturf.

Ges. 1870-71: 424 (1872); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 23 (1931);

Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 1(2): 296 (1971); Dicranum ericoides Griff. in

Calcutta J. Nat. Hist., 2: 499 (1842); Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient., 18 (1859);

Syntypes: Nepal, Wallich s. n. (BM); India, Khasia, Myrung, Griffith s. n.

(CAL, BM).

Caespitose, comose, felt like plants, not branched, up to 2 cm height.

Leaves long, up to 6 mm, erectopatent, somewhat flexuose when dry,

lanceolate, leaf base wide. Cells widest at alar region, alar cells slightly

inflated, colourless and distinct, rhizoids arise from leaf base, margin

inflexed at upper two-thirds and distinctly serrulate in the upper one third.

Costa light yellow brown, 150 m wide, covers 1/3 of the leaf, basal

laminal cells yellow, rectangular, upper laminar cells smaller, rhomboidal,

incrassate. Capsule not seen (Plate 6).


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Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen forest

Specimens examined: Mathikettan Shola (1400 m), 06-07-2003,

RHTM 021; Semmedu (1220 m), 04-08-2004, RHTM 062.

Family: LEUCOBRYACEAE

Plants whitish green. Stem without central strand. Leaves with a

median row of chlorocysts between one or more layers of large leucocysts

in cross section, costa broad.

Key to Genus: Leucobryaceae

1a. Leaves dense limb of leaves not flat or plano-convex on upper surface, base

of leaves ovate Leucobryum

1b. Leaves spreading, limb of leaves flat or plano-convex, base of leaves oblong

Octoblepharum

Genus: LEUCOBRYUM

Plants whitish or pale green, in lax or dense cushions, brittle when

dry; leaves long, spongy, mostly appressed when dry, straight or falcate

when moist, lanceolate or subulate from an oblong base; costa flattened,

very broad, occupying the whole width of the leaf except for a narrow

margin of hyaline cells, margin entire; seta erect, elongate; peristome teeth

16, dicaranoid; operculum rostrate, covering the urn.

Key to Species:

1a. Leaf cells upto 6 mm long. Laminar cells not pitted, elongated only in the

border rows L. nilghiriense

1b. Leaf less then 4 mm. Long, basal lamina cells pitted L. mittenii


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5. Leucobryum nilghiriense C. Muell.

Leucobryum nilghiriense C. Muell. in Bot. Zeit., 32: 556 (1854) name

corrected from neilgherrense (ortho. err.) by Mitt. in Musci. Ind. Or.: 26

(1859); Leucobryum holleanum Doz. & Molk. in Bryol. Jav., 1: 17 (1855); L.

vulgare Wils. in Kew J. Bot., 9: 293 (1857) nom. nud.; L. triviale C. Muell. in

Linnaea, 36: 30 (1869); L. mulleri Levier in Par. in Index Bryol. Suppl. 228

(1900) nom. nud.; L. sikkimense Card. in Ren. & Card. in Bull. Soc. R. Bot.

Belg., 41: 29 (1905) nom. nud. in synon.; L. ferriei Card. in ibid.: 28 (1905).

Plants are in tufts, whitish green, up to 2 cm high. Leaves narrow,

rigid, erect spreading, up to 6 mm long, 3 mm wide, smooth on back.

Lamina cells hyaline, 9-12 rows at base, gradually decreasing in width

towards top. Sporophyte terminal, cylindrical, erect, seta long, reddish

brown, peristome teeth small and short, calyptra long (Plate 7).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen, semi-evergreen, deciduous and

degraded forests.

Specimens examined: Periashola (1400 m), 12-07-2003, RHTM 025;

Settur (1200 m), 03-07-2004, RHTM 049; Solakkadu (1200 m), 14-01-2006,

RHTM 117, 03-06-2006, RHTM 127.

6. Leucobryum mittenii Besch.

Leucobryum mittenii Besch. in. J. de Bot., 12: 287 (1898);

Schistomitrium gardnorianum Mitt, P. P. (Khasia plant only) in Musc. Ind.

Or., 26 (1859).


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Caespitose, unbranched plants, up to 1.5 cm long. Densely covered

with erect to erectopatent leaves, up to 3.5 mm long, ovate, partly

sheathing, concave, wide base which is more than 1/3 of the leaf length;

upper part lanceolate, concave, often becoming tubular by the inflexed

margins, apex acute. Costa wide, with one layer of chlorocysts and two

layers of leucocysts, a hyaline lamina, have thin walled with elongated and

irregular sized cells. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 8).

Habitat: Rupicolous and corticolous in evergreen forest.

Specimens examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 13-02-2005, RHTM 084;

Solakkadu (1200 m), 14-01-2006, RHTM 118.

Genus: OCTOBLEPHARUM

Plants tufted, glossy, whitish-green, tinged with brown; leaves

crowded, rigid, often fragile, lingulate, form an oblong or narrowly obovate,

concave base, limb of leaves flat or plano-convex at upper half; costa

broad and thick, occupying half of the leaf base and filling the upper part;

central and basal laminal cells irregularly rectangular; seta erect, less than

1 cm long; capsule erect, ovoid, symmetrical; pristome 8 teethed,

undivided, broadly lanceolate, peristomial teeth 16 in 8 pairs; calyptra

cucullate.

7. Octoblepharum albidium Hedw.

Octoblepharum albidium Hedw. in Sp. Musc.: 50 (1801); Bryum

albidum L. Sp. Pl.: 1583 (1753) nomenclature. inval.; B. albidum (Hedw.) P.

Beauv. in Prodr.: 45 (1805); Octoblepharum minus Hamp. in Vid. Medd.


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Naturh. For. Kjobenh. Ser. 4, 1: 83 (1879); O. cuspidatum C. Muell. in

Generation. Musc. Fr.: 88 (1900); O. martinicense Mitt. in Card. in Mem.

Soc. Sc. Nat. Cherbourg, 32: 44 (1901) nom. nud.; O. ekmanii Ther. in

Mem. Soc. Cubana Hist. Nat., 13: 220 (1939).

Autoicous, greenish white plant, up to 1 cm high, as small tufts on

tree trunks, short and simple stem; 5 mm high, not branched. Leaves

crowded, forming a rosette at apex, erect-spreading, rigid, not changed

when dry, narrowed, tubular 5 0.5 mm, acute tip, margin entire, wide

sheathing at base. Costa wide, smooth on back. Basal cells hyaline,

laminar cells chlorophyllous. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 9).

Habitat: Lignicolous and corticolous in evergreen forests.

Specimens examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 05-08-2004, RHTM 064,

19-07-2006, RHTM 134; Periasamykoil Shola (1300 m), 18-06-2006,

RHTM 131.

Order: FISSIDENTALES

Plants small. Leaves distichous, complanate with sheathing or

vaginant smaller lamina.

Family: FISSIDENTACEAE

Plants 1-5 mm high, rarely higher. Perichaetial leaves similar to

leaves, smaller or longer.


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Genus: Fissidens

Plants yellowish-green, small to medium sized, simple or dimorphic,

vertically placed; leaves distichous, differentiated into vaginant laminae

(sheath like part), a dorsal (behind the costa) and a ventral lamina (above

the vaginant lamina); capsule terminal or lateral, erect to inclined,

peristome single; spores spherical, smooth to lightly papillose.

8. Fissidens sylvaticus Griff.

Fissidens sylvaticus Griff. in Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 2: 507 (1842);

Bruehl. in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 18 (1931); Foreau in J. Bombay Nat.

Hist. Soc., 58: 16 (1961); Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 4: 91 (1969);

Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 1(2): 535 (1971); Mohamed & al. in J. Bombay

Nat. Hist. Soc., 83: 689 (1986); Type: India, Mumbre, Griffith s. n. (CAL). F.

circinalis Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient., 138 (1859); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv.

India, 13(1): 18 (1931); Type: India, Mount. supra Avam (NY); F. angustus

Thwaites & Mitt. in J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 13: 324 (1873); Bruehl in Rec. Bot.

Surv. India, 13(1): 18 (1931); Type: Ceylon, Thwaites s. n. (BM); F.

terminiflorus Thwaites & Mitt. in J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 13: 322 (1873); Type:

Ceylon, Thwaites s. n. (BM); F. arbogastii Renauld & Cardot in Rev. Gen.

Bot., 9: 289 (1891); Type: Madagascar (PC); F. coriaceifolius Mull. Hal. ex.

Dusen in Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl., 28: 6 (1895); Type: Africa,

Cameroon, ca 400 m, Jan. 1892, Dusen s. n. (S). F. subobscurus Paris,

Index Bryol., 487 (1896); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 18 (1931);

Type: Ceylon (REN, B, BH, JE); F. lutescens Broth. in Rec. Bot. Surv.


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India, 1(12): 315 (1899); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 18 (1931);

Foreau in J. Madras Univ., 2: 243 (1930); J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 61:

224 (1964); Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 4: 91 (1969); Type: India

(Karnataka), Coorg, near Verajpet, Walker 159 (US); F. elimbatus Broth. in

Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 1(12): 316 (1899); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India,

13(1): 17 (1931); Type: India (Karnataka), Coorg, near Verajpet, Walker

151 (US); F. incurvescens Broth. in K. Schum. & Lauterb., Fl. Deutsch.

Schutzgeb. Sudsee, 81 (1900); Type: Kaiser, Wilhelms-Land, Butaueng,

Dec. 1884, Kaernbach s. n. (B, G, BM, PC), F. walker Broth. var. elimbatus

(Broth.) Dixon in J. Indian Bot., 2: 177 (1921); Foreau in J. Bombay Nat.

Hist. Soc., 58: 16 (1961); Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 4: 91 (1969); F.

angustilusculus Dixon & P. de la Varde in Arch. Bot. Bull. Mens. 1: 163

(1927); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 19 (1931); Foreau in J.

Madras Univ., 2: 242 (1930); J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 15 (1961);

Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 4: 90 (1969); Type: India (Tamil Nadu), Palni

Hills, Parappar Torrent, near Villupatti paddy fields, Foreau 511 (RHT).

Plants small, up to 5 mm high. Leaves curled and crumpted when dry,

elongated oblong - lingulate, apiculate from a wide tip; up to 1.5 mm long

and 0.4 mm broad, dorsal lamina narrowed down to a slightly decurrent

base sheathing lamini usually unequal (open), terminating a little below

margin level, apical blade symmetrical, nerve orange at base, lighter

above. Costa excurrent - shortly mucronate, border row of cells corrugated

by conical protuberances at the leaf apex, smoothly crenulate below. Leaf


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cells rounded hexagonal, up to 8 m broad, elongated rectangular ( 16 m

long) at the base of the sheathing lamini at nerve base (Plate 10).

Habitat: Rupicolous in deciduous forests and plantations.

Specimens examined: Periasamykoil Shola (1300 m), 18-06-2006,

RHTM 133.

Order: POTTIALES

Plants variable in size, tufted or mat forming, stem erect, rarely

procumbent. Leaves comose or spirall, curled or circinately curled when

dry, linear lanceolate to spathulate, sheathing to semi-sheathing at base,

alar region undifferentiated.

Family: POTTIACEAE

Stem erect, calyptra cucullate, capsule erect, cylindric to ovate--

cylindric. Operculum conic, rostrate. Peristome teeth absent or

haplolepidious, 16, spirally twisted, split into 32 filiform papillate segments

with basal membrane.

Key to Genus: Pottiaceae

1a. Leaves spathulate or lingulate, broad at base, apiculate Hyophila

1b. Leaves linear - Lanceolate, acuminata 2

2a. Leaf margin flat, pegged even when dry, leaves brittle Oxystegeus

2b. Leaf margin inrolved at base, not pegged, leaves not brittle Leptodontium

Genus: Hyophila

Plants dioicous, tufted or forming mats. Stem branched or not.

Leaves uniform or comose, curled or circinately curled with inrolled margin


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when dry, flat when wet. Perichaetial leaves smaller, sometimes

undifferentiated. Sporophytes apical. Capsules cylindric, Peristome absent.

Key to Species: Hyophila

1a. Leaf margin smooth upto apex, costa short excurrent with long arista

H. comosa

1b. Leaf margin serrated near the apex, costa strong with short arista

H. involuta

9. Hyophila comosa Dix. et Yarde.

Hyophila comosa Dixon & P. de la Varde in Arch. Bot. Bull. Mens. 1:

166 (1927); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 38 (1931); Foreau in J.

Madras Univ., 2: 246 (1930) and J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 22 (1961);

Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 6: 73 (1971); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 1(3):

687 (1972); Type: India, Beddome 706 ex Herb. Mitteni (NY).

Small, up to 1.2 cm high, forming a thick mat on the substratum,

erect, green, dichotomously branched. Leaves thick, sub-erect upto 3.2 mm

long, basal leaves distant and brown, inrolled when dry, spathulate from a

narrower base, acute, margin smooth. Costa strong, short excurrent with

small arista, 65 m wide. Upper laminar cells chlorophyllous, multipapillate,

rounded and hexagonal, cells at base hyaline, longitudinal rectangular,

length up to 20 m (Plate 11).

Habitat: Terri and rupicolous in evergreen forests and plantations.

Specimens examined: Shoolavanthi Shola (1020 m), 09-02-2005,

RHTM 092; Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-12-2006, RHTM 145.


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10. Hyophila involuta (Hook.) Jaeg.

Hyophila involuta (Hook.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1871-

72: 356 (1873); Gymnostomum involutum Hook. in Musc. Exot., 2: 154

(1819); Gymnostomum tortula Schwaegr. in Sp. Musc. Suppl. 2: 78, 175

(1826); G. cylindricum Hook. in Icon. Pl. Rar., 1: 17 (1836); Barbula

spathulata Doz. & Molk. in Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. ser. 3, 2: 300 (1844);

Hyophila hookeri Hamp. in Bot. Zeit., 4: 267 (1846) nom. illeg.; H.

harveyana Hamp. in ibid same page nom. illeg.; H. tortula (Schwaegr.)

Hamp. in ibid same page; Pottia involuta (Hook.) C. Muell. in Syn., 1: 560

(1849); P. cylindrica (Hook.) C. Muell. in Syn., 1: 562 (1849); Desmatodon

involutus (Hook.) Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or.: 39 (1959); Pottia zollingeri C.

Muell. in Bot. Zeit., 14: 419 (1856); P. circinnata C. Muell. in Linn., 36: 38

(1869); P. riparia Aust. in Musci Appal., n. 112 (1870); Trichostomum

bescherelli Schimp. in Besch. in Mem. Soc. Sc. Nat. Cherbourg, 16: 477

(1872); Hyophila cylindrica (Hook.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges.

1871-72: 356 (1873); H. circinnata (C. Muell.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw.

Ges. 1870-72: 357 (1873); H. bescherelli (Schimp.) C. Muell. in Flora, 58:

538 (1875); Trichostomum warnstorfii Limpr. in Laubm. Deutschl., 1: 587

(1888) nom. illeg.; Leptodontium riparium (Aust.) E. G. Brit. in Bull. Torr.

Bot. Club, 19: 275 (1892); L. canadense Kindb. in Macoun. in Cat. Canad.

Pl., 6: 45 (1892); Hyophila micholitzii Broth. in Oefv. Finsk. Vet. Soc.

Foerh., 35: 39 (1893); Didymodon riparias (Aust.) Kindb. in Eur. N. Am.

Bryin., 2: 280 (1897); Hyophila stenocarpa Ren. et Card. in Bull. Soc. R.


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86

Bot. Belg., 38(1): 10 (1900); H. moutieri Par. et Broth in Rev. Bryol., 28: 38

(1901); H. commutata Broth. in Nat. Pfl., 1(3): 403 (1902); H. riparia (Aust.)

Fleisch. in Britt. in Bryologist, 7: 69 (1904); H. warnstorfii (Limpr.) Fleisch.

in Musci Fl. Buitenz., 1: 330 (1904); H. dozy-molkenboeri Fleisch. in ibid p.

328; H. tsunodae Broth. ex Yas. in Bot. Mag. Tokyo, 29: 151 (1915); H.

attenuata Broth. in Symb. Sin. 4: 37 (1929); H. subcylindrica Broth. in

Bruehl. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind., 13(1): 126 (1931) nom. nud.; H. sinensi Dix.

in Yang: Sc. Rep. Nat. Tsing Hua Univ. B. Biol., 2: 117 (1936) nom. nud.

Dioicous, gregarious, yellowish green, erect, upto 1.5 cm high,

branched from the base. Leaves distant at the base, brownish, comal tuft at

the tip, tongue shaped, apex sub-obtuse. Costa strong, single, smooth

margin, slightly serrated near the apex, percurrent, extended beyond apex

and form arista, 2 m long, 0.5 mm wide. Laminar cells rectangular, 8-10

m 5-6 m, cells near midrib large and towards margin short. Capsule

terminal, seta erect; long, brownish, peristome absent (Plate 12).

Habitat: Terricolous, rupicolous in semi-evergreen, degraded forest

and plantations.


Semmedu (1220 m), 10-03-2003, RHTM 012; Sottupparai (1250 m),

05-02-2005, RHTM 073; 06-02-2005, RHTM 079, RHTM 080; 12-02-2005,

RHTM 081; Arappuleeswarar, Kuttar (850 m), RHTM 090.


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87

Genus: OXYSTEGUS

Plants yellowish-green, stem prostrate to erect, branched or not with

indistinct or no central strand; leaves brittle, linear-lanceolate, apiculate,

margin flat, wavy, not inrolled, flat even when dry, crenulate by papillae;

lamina cells thin walled, coarse, rounded to quadrate, papillate above,

smooth at base, rectangular, hyaline; capsule erect, ovoid-cylindric,

peristome teeth usually undivided or irregularly split, deeply inserted,

without basal membrane.

11. Oxystegus cylindricus (Bruch ex Brid.) Hilp.

Oxystegus cylindricus (Bruch ex Brid.) Hilp., Beih. Bot. Centralbl., 50:

620 (1933); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 1(3): 655 (1972); Weisia cylindrical

Bruch ex Brid., Bryol. Univ., 1: 806 (1827); Weisia tenuirostris Hook. &

Tayl., Musc. Brit. ed. 2: 83. Suppl. 3 (1827); Didymodon tenuirostris (Hook.

& Tayl.) Wils., Hook. J. Bot., 3: 378 (1841); Barbula longifolia Griff.,

Calcutta J. Nat. Hist., 2: 490 (1842); Didymodon longifolius Griff., Ibid., 2:

510 (1842); D. cylindricus (Brid.) Bruch, Schimp. & W. Guembel, Bryol. Eur.

2: 139 (1846); D. calyptratus Tayl., Lond. J. Bot., 7: 188 (1848);

Trichostomum cylindricum (Bruch ex Brid.) C. Muell., Synop. Musc. Frond.

1: 586 (1849); Tortula cylindrica (Bruch ex Brid.) Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient. 28

(1859); T. longifolia (Griff.) Mitt., ibid. (1859); Trichostomum tenuirostre

(Hook. & Tayl.) Lindb., Oefv. K. Vet. Ak. Foerh., 21: 225 (1864); Mollia

tenuirostris (Hook. & Tayl.) Lindb., Musc. Scand., 21 (1879); Barbula

leptotortuosa C. Muell. in N. Giorn., Bot. Ital., 5: 179 (1898); B. leptotortella


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88

C. Muell., Hedwigia, 38: 110 (1899); Trichostomum leptotortuosum (C.

Muell.) Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam., 1(3): 394 (1902); T. longifolium (Griff.)

Broth., Ibid., 1(3): 394 (1902); Tortella cylindrical (Bruch ex Brid.) Loeske,

Stud. Morph. Syst. Laubm., 97 (1910); Oxystegus longifolius (Griff.) Hilp. in

Beih., Bot. Centralb., 50(2): 667 (1933); O. leptotortella (C. Muell.) Hilp.,

ibid., O. leptotortuosum (C. Muell.) Hilp. ibid.

Yellowish green plants, in loose tuffs. Stem dark, slender, flexuose

upto 3 cm long. Leaves fragile in older plarts, comparatively lax, patent to

spreading, flexuose, curled when dry, lanceolate-lingulate, longer in the

upper region, length up to 5 mm and wide up to 0.3 mm, sheathing base,

margin pegged, somewhat crenulate with papillae above, acute apex costa

strong. Basal cells wide and rectangular, hyaline, thin wal1ed up to 60 20

m, shorter towards margin upper lamina cells rounded, quadrate, diameter

of 15 m, incrassate, multipapillate. Seta apical, erect, slightly twisted

when dry, capsule cylindrical, peristome teeth deep brown; up to 300 m

high (Plate 13).

Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen forests.


RHTM 107, RHTM 108.

Genus: LEPTODONTIUM

Dioicous (sometimes pseudoautoicous) study to slender plants in

yellow to brown tuffs. Stem without central strand, tomentose, scaly.


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89

Leaves flexuose or curled when dry, usually squarrose, carinate, elliptical

or oval margin reflexed at base, serulate above. Leaf base cells elongated

rectangular, upper ones small, papillose on both sides, incrassate.

Perichaetical leaves sheathing, erect, capsule cylindrical, sometimes

curved. Operculum conic - rostrate.

12. Leptodontium viticulosoides (P. de Beauv.) Wijk & Marg.

Leptodontium viticulosoides (P. de Beauv.) Wijk & Marg., Taxon. 9:

51 (1960), Neckera viticulosoides P. de Beauv., Prodr. Aethéogam. 78.

(1805), Leptodontium squarrosum (Hook.) Hampe in Lindb., Öfvers. Förh.

Kongl. Svenska Vetensk.-Akad. 21: 227 (1864), Didymodon squarrosus

Hook., Musci Exot. 2: 150 f. 1–8 (1819), Leptodontium squarrosum var.

abbreviatum (Dix.) P.-C. Chen, Hedwigia 80: 320 (1941), Leptodontium

viticulosoides var. abbreviatum (Dix.) Wijk & Marg., Taxon 11: 221 (1962),

Leptodontium abbreviatum Dix., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 19: 284,

f. 4 (1938), Leptodontium subdenticulatum (C. Müll.) Paris, Ind. Bryol. 732

(1894), Leptodontium squarrosum var. subdenticulatum (C. Müll.) P.-C.

Chen, Hedwigia 80: 320 (1941), Trichostomum subdenticulatum C. Müll.,

Syn. Musc. Frond. 2: 626 (1851), Leptodontium taiwanense Nog., J. Jap.

Bot. 20: 144 (1944), syn. nov. Type. China: Taiwan, Mt. Ari-Tataka, (8 Aug.

1932), H. Ozaki s.n. (holotype NICH).

Dioicous, yellow-green, robust plant in loose tufts, 4 cm high. Leaves

carinate, 3.5 mm long 1 m wide at base, ovate-lanceolate, lower part

sheathing, margin narrowly inrolled at base, serrulate at top. Costa light


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90

brown. Upper laminar cells rounded-quadrate, sometimes slightly

elongated, highly multipapillose and incrassate. Seta terminal, capsule

brown, erect, cylindrical from an ovoid base, 3.3 mm long, operculum

conic-rostate, 1.5 mm high, peristome teeth reddish brown (Plate 14).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen forests

Specimens examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 05-02-2005, RHTM 071.

Order: FUNARIALES

Plants terricolous, acrocarpous. Stem branched or not, usually

without central strand. Leaves usually in terminal rosettes, broad, ovate or

spathulate, cells thin-walled, smooth. Capsules pyriform to cylindric.

Peristome teeth if present, diplolepideous or rudimentary.

Family: FUNARIACEAE

Plants small to medium-sized, terricolous, stem branched or not.

Leaves in terminal rosettes, caespitose. Leaf cells rhomboid to rectangular,

smooth. Capsule globose, ovoid, erect, smooth or sulcate, cleistocarpic.

Peristome teeth if present epicranoid, diplolepideous or rudimentary.

Key to Genus: Funariaceae

1a. Peristome well developed, operculam convex, capsule asymmetrical,

capsule, acullate Funaria

1b. Peristome absent, operculam beaked, calyptra not cuculate Physcomitrium


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91

Genus: FUNARIA

Plants yellowish, gregarious; leaves more or less erect to convolute,

forming a bud like structure of various shapes, acuminate; costa ending

below the apex to shortly excurrent; cells elongate, rectangular to

rhomboidal, sometimes elongate towards the margin forming a narrow

border; seta short or long, erect; capsule asymmetric, erect to pendulous,

peristome deeply inserted, double, single or absent, reddish to brownish,

mostly oblique, twisted towards right, inner peristome as long as outer or

shorter, calyptra persistent, long beaked, smooth with entire margin; spores

moderately large.

13. Funaria hygrometrica Hedw.

Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. in Sp. Musc.: 172 (1801); Minium

hygrometricum (Hedw.) With. in Syst. Arr. Br. Pl. ed. 4, 3: 787 (1801);

Funaria angustifolia Brid. in Sp. Musc., 3: 71 (1817); F. androgyna Brid. in

Bryol. Univ., 2: 58 (1827); F. ramificans Brid. in ibid.: 738 (1827); F.

campylopus Brid. in ibid.: 739 (1827); F. gracilescens Schimp. ex C. Muell.

in Bot. Zeit., 16: 154 (1858); F. marginata Kindb in Bih. K. Svensk. Vet. Ak.

Handl., 7: 79 (1883); F. megapoda C. Muell. in Bull. Herb. Boiss., 5: 175

(1897); F. globicarpa C. Muell. in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. n. ser., 5: 161

(1898); F. lonchopelma C. Muell. in hedwigia, 38: 61 (1899).

Loosely tufted, green, about 1.5 cm high. Lower leaves smaller

sparsely arranged and with poorly developed costa, upper leaves large

upto 0.75 mm long, forming rosette on top, concave, oblong-ovate, erect


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92

spreading, shrunk when dry, margin entire, apex acute. Costa strong,

percurrent. Lamina cells thin walled, subhexagonal, more elongated at

base, smaller at apex; marginal row narrow. Seta apical, erect, capsule

horizontal to pendulous, asymmetrical with the narrower mouth oblique, 1

mm long with the apophysis, yellow with deep red mouth, sulcate when dry,

operculum convex, calypa cucullate, peristome teeth typical epicranoid,

outer teeth brown, spirally arranged (Plate 15).

Habitat: Rupicolous in semi-evergreen, deciduous and scrub forests.


Solakkadu (1200 m), 10-03-2003, RHTM 008; Pongaya Shola (1300 m),

03-12-2006, RHTM 146.

Genus: Physcomitrium

Erect, small to medium, yellow-green to pale green, usually

terrestrial, tufted to gregarious plants. Stems usually simple, with central

strand, rhizoids at base only. Leaves erect-spreading, rosette, concave,

ovate or spathulate (sometimes narrow), margin flat, or dentate above,

indistinctly or distinctly bordered by narrow, elongated usually acuminate.

Costa clear, ending below tip to excurrent. Lamina cells, perchymatous,

long or short rectangular, sometimes rhomboid. Capsule immersed to

exserted on a long seta. Capsule erect, symmetrical, turbinate or pyriform.

Peristom absent. Annulus present. Operculum apiculate or rostellate with

cells arranged straight lines from centre to circumference. Calyptra usually

erect, lobed at base cucullate, symmetrical, fugacious.


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93

14. Physcomitrium sps.

Plants small, slender, densely gregarious, bright green. Stem short,

4.5 mm, long, erect, soft, branched. Leaves lax, upper ones longer,

narrow, erectopatent, concave, lanceloate from ob-ovate base, acuminate,

margin serrate-dentate throughout, lower leaves 1.3 0.3 mm with nerve

vanishing well below apex. Costa ending below tip to excurrent. Leaf cells,

thin walled and rectangular at base, rhomboidal at top. Capsule erect,

symmetrical, turbinate to pyriform, peristome absent Operculum apicu llate,

celyptra erect, not cucullate (Plate 16).

Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen forests

Specimen Examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 11-07-2005, RHTM 101,

RHTM 103.

Order: EUBRYALES

Plants acrocarpic medium to robust, ceaspitose, stem branched or

not, erect. Leaves variable. Peristome teeth bryoid type (metacranoid),

endostome with basal membrane, keeled, slit or perforate with distinct or

rudimentary cilia, dorsal surface of exostome striolate.

Key to Family: Eubryales

1a. Leaves ovate; orbicular or lanceolate; margin entire or faintly to distinctly

toothed at apical margin; Sporophyte not lateral from plant base Bryaceae

1b. Leaf elongage; subulate; margin distinctly spinose; sporophyte lateral from

plant base Rhizogoniaceae


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94

Family: BRYACEAE

Plants variable in size, caespitose or tufted, stem erect, radiculose,

branched. Leaves in terminal rosettes, lax below, lanceolate, cells

rhomboid or linear above, rectangular to quadrate below. Capsules nodding

to pendulous, sometimes erect, fusiform or pyriform to clavate, apophysis

distinct. Peristome teeth 2-rowed. Operculum convex, mamillate or

apiculate, rarely rostrate. Calyptra narrow, cucullate, smooth caducous.

Genus: BRYUM

Plants small to robust, densely tufted, stem tomentose, mostly with

subapical innovations, simple or branched rhizoids numerous, brown,

tubers present in some; leaves large, bordered or non-bordered, ovate or

ovate- lanceolate, acuminata, lower leaves smaller, distant, upper larger;

cells sub-rectangular at base, narrow-rhomboidal above but not linear,

smooth, seta long, erect, mostly red, arcuate at tip; capsule clavate,

pyriform, with a distinct neck, sometimes broadly ovate, apophysis

tapering, peristome usually double; spores rounded, 10-15 m diagonally.

Key to Species: Bryum

1a. Plants glossy, silvery green, leaves closely imbricate, costa faint, ending far

below apex B. argenteum

1b. Plants yellowish green, brown or reddish, leaves, spreading, costa strong,

percurrent or excurrent 2

2a. Leaves spirally twisted when dry B. capillare

2b. Leaves not spirally twisted when dry 3


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95

3a. Plants small, upto 2 cm high B. medianum

3b. Plants large, upto 12 cm high B. wightii

15. Bryum argenteum Hedw.

Bryum argenteum Hedw., sp. Musc., 181 (1801); Broth., Rec. Bot.

Surv. India, 1(12): 320 (1899); P. Bruehl, Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 52

(1931); Dixon, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 39: 779 (1937); Foreau, J.

Madras Univ. Sect. B., 2: 249 (1930) & J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 25

(1961); Argyrobryum argenteum (Hedw.) Kindb., Bih. Kong. Svensk. Vet.

Akad. Handlinger, 7(9): 78 (1883); Brachymenium argenteoides Dixon,

Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh, 19: 289 (1938), B. brachyphyllum Taylor

in Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 12: 302 (1869); B. candicans Taylor in Mitt., J.

Linn. Soc. Bot., 12: 303 (1869); B. corrugatum Hampe, Bot. Zeitung

(Berlin), 27: 868 (1869); B. leucurum C. Muell., Linnaea, 42: 479 (1879); B.

stenopyxis C. Muell., Linnaea, 42: 480 (1879); B. niveum Herzog, Biblioth.

Bot., 88: 13 (1920).

Plants small, densely tufted. Stems erect, very short, glossy, silvery

white, 2 cm in high. Leaves uniformly and densely arranged along the

stem, erectopatent, broadly ovate, concave, acuminata, 1.2 mm length

and 0.5 mm wide, flat margin. Costa percurrent, ending in a hyaline arista.

Leaf cells clearly differentiated into hyaline cells in the upper ⅓ of the leaf

and chlorophyllous cells below, upper hyaline cells narrowly rhomboidal,

colourless with firm wall and hexagonal in shape (Plate 17).

Habitat: Terri and Rupicolous in evergreen forests and plantations.


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96

Specimens examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 15-11-2003, RHTM 035,

Pongaya Shola (1300 m), 03-12-2006, RHTM 147.

16. Bryum capillare L. ex Hedw.

Bryum capillare L. ex Hedw. in sp. Musc.; 182 (1801); Bryum

squalidum Brid. in Bryol. Musc. Recognised., 2(3): 52 (1803); B. ferchelii

Funck ex Brid. in Bryol. Univ., 1: 847 (1827) as var.; B. elegans Nees in

Brid. in ibid.: 849 (1827) as var.; B. torquescens De Not. in Syll. n. 163

(1838) as var.; B. domingense C. Muell. in Linnaea, 17: 594 (1843) hom.

illeg.; B. philippianum C. Muell. in Linnaea, 18: 701 (1845) fid. Ochi; B.

creberrimum Tayl. in Lond. J. Bot., 5: 54 (1846) fid. Ochi; B. capillare var.

capense C. Muell. in Syn., 1: 281 (1848); B. pyrothecium C. Muell. & Hamp.

in Linnaea, 26: 495 (1855), B. cuspidatum Wils. in Kew. J. Bot., 9: 364

(1857) hom. illeg.; B. thomsonii Mitt. in Musci. Ind. or: 75 (1859) syn. nov.;

B. oreganum Suell. in U.S. Expl. Experiment. Wilkes Musci: 10 (1859); B.

baueri Hamp. in Linnaea, 30: 457 (1860); B. teneriffae Hamp. in C. Muell.

in Bot. Zeit., 20: 12 (1862) fid. Ochi; B. triste De Not. in Cronac. Briol. Ital.,

1: 26 (1866); B. chilense Reichd. in Reis. Oest. Freg. Novara Bot., 1: 75

(1870) fid. Ochi; Rhodobryum albolimbatum Hamp. & C. Muell. in Linnaea,

36: 517 (1870) fid. Ochi; Bryum pohliaeforme Schimp. in Besch. in Mem.

Soc. Sc. Nat. Cherbourg. 16: 198 (1872) hom. illeg.; B. botterii Mohr. ex. C.

Muell. in Linnaea, 38: 622 (1874); B. albo-limbatum (Hamp. & C. Muell.)

Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges., 1973-74: 191 (1875); B. rufonitens

Hamp. in Vid. Medd. Naurh. For. Kjobenh. Ser. 3, 9-10: 261 (1878) fid.


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97

Ochi; B. nanocoma C. Muell. in Linnaea, 43: 365 (1882); B. sawyeri Ren. &

Card. in Rev. Bryol., 15: 71 (1888); B. pusillum Broth. in Oefv. Finsk. Vet.

Soc. Foerh., 33: 99 (1890) hom. illeg., fid. Ochi; B. whiteleggei Broth. in

Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 7: 277 (1892) nom. nud., fid. Ochi; B.

capillare ssp. heteroneuron C. Muell. & Kindb. in Macoun: Cat. Canad. Pl.,

6: 130 (1892); B. immarginatum Broth. in Oefv. Finsk. Vet. Soc. Foerh., 35:

50 (1893) fid. Ochi; B. heteroneuron (C. Muell. & kindb.) Ren. & Card. in

Rev. Bryol., 20: 3 (1893) nom. illeg.; B. floridanum Ren. & Card. in ibid.: 4

(1893).; B. sanguilentum Ren. & Card in ibid.: 31 (1893); B.

syntrichiaefolium C. Muell. in Broth. in Bot. Jahrb., 20: 88 (1894) nom.

nud.; B. speirophyllum Kindb. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Ital. 1895: 17 (1895); B.

squarrosum Kindb. in Roell in Hedwigia, 35: 66 (1896) hom. illeg.; B.

bernouillii C. Muell. in Herb. Boiss., 5: 183 (1897); B. vulcanicola C. Muell.

in ibid.: 184 (1897); B. ionianum var. floridanum (Ren. & Card.) Kindb. in

Eur. N. Am. Bryin., 2: 359 (1897); B. gemmascens Kindb. in ibid.: 360

(1897); B. streptophyllum Kindb. in ibid.: 359 (1897); B. tomentosum Kindb.

in ibid.: 361 (1897) hom. illeg.; B. trichophorum Kindb. in ibid.: 359 (1897);

B. plebejum C. Muell. in Hedwigia 37: 94 (1898) fid. Ochi; B. synoicum C.

Muell. in ibid.: 96 (1898) fid. Ochi; B. erythropyxis C. Muell. in ibid.: 101

(1898) fid. Ochi; B. nagasakense Broth. in Hedwigia 38: 219 (1899) as var.,

B. lonchopyxis Broth. in ibid.: 72 (1899); B. microsporum Broth. in Oefv.

Finsk. Vet. Foerh., 42: 100 (1899) hom. illeg.; B. flaccidifolium C. Muell. in

Generation. Musc. Fr.: 238 (1900) nom. nud., fid. Ochi; B. obconicum var.


_________________________________________________________________________


98

aristatum Roth in Eur. Laubm., 2: 152 (1904); B. pycnoloma C. Muell. in

Par. in Ind. Bryol. ed. 2, 1: 250 (1904) nom. nud., B. tomentosulum Par. in

ibid.: 264 (1904); B. subrepandocarpum Card. & Ther. in Bot. Gaz., 37: 374

(1904); B. baileyi Holz. in Bryologist, 8: 54 (1905) hom. illeg.; B. fosteri

Holz. in ibid.: 80 (1905); B. moravicum Podp. in Vestn. Klub. Prirod. Prost.,

8: 41 (1906); B. courtoisii Broth. & Par. in Rev. Bryol., 35: 41 (1908) as

var.; B. tosanum Card. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Geneve ser. 2, 1: 128 (1909); B.

rubrolimbatum Broth. in Philipp. J. Sci., 5C: 147 (1910) as var.; B.

validicostatum Card. & Dix. in J. Bot., 49: 4 (1919) fid. Ochi; B.

leptothecioides Besch. et Watts in Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 40: 374

(1915) fid. Ochi; B. yuennanense Broth. in Sitz. Ak. Wiss. Wien. Math. Nat.

KI., 133: 570 (1924); B. rhomboidale Ther. in Rev. Bryol. n. ser., 3: 37

(1930) fid. Ochi; B. vino-viride Bartr. in Bis. Mus. Bull., 101: 116 (1933) fid.

Ochi; B. spininervium Dix. in Not. R. Bot. Gard. Edin., 19: 291 (1938) fid.

Ochi; B. capense (C. Muell.) Podp. in Act. Ac. Sc. Nat. Morav., 22: 439

(1950); B. littorale Hamp. in Podp. nom. nud, in synon. in ibid.: 389 (1950);

B. capillare var. spininervium (Dix.) Podp. in ibid.: 461 (1950) fid. Ochi; B.

donianum var. spuarrosum Podp. in ibid.: 23: 26 (1951).

Small plant, green, forming cushion, with large capsule, branches up

to 5 mm high. Leaves small upto 0.5 mm, leathery, linear lanceolate,

acuminata, flat base, arranged in distal position, margin entire. Costa

strong, single, percurrent, forming arista. Thin walled hyaline lamina cells,

hexagonal elongated with length of 50 m and width of 25 m, basal cells


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99

rectangular. Seta erect, curved at tip, arise from the base of branches,

reddish brown, long up to 1.5 cm, capsule large size, horizontal or

dropping, bottle shaped 4 mm long. Peristome deep inserted, normal;

reddish at base, 380 m high and 83 m wide at base (Plate 18).

Habitat: Terri and Corticolous in evergreen forests.

Specimens examined: Koilur (1000 m), 04-07-2004, RHTM 051,

Mathikettan Shola (1400 m), 04-08-2004, RHTM 061.

17. Bryum medianum Mitt

Bryum medianum Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or., 74 (1859).

Plants large, tufted, green, stem erect upto 4 mm long, with 2 to 3

subfloral innovations, tomentose at base. Lower leaves small and lax,

upper leaves large, clustered in comal tuft, erect spreading to erectopatent,

spirally twisted when dry, ovate-spathulate 3 mm long and 1 to 1.5 mm

broad at middle, acuminata, margin flat, entire below, serrate-denticulate

above. Costa strong, excurrent in an arista 0.22 mm long. Leaf cells thin-

walled, lax-rhomboidal, 50 20 m at top, basal cells rectangular

(Plate 19).

Habitat: Tericolous in evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 02-12-2006, RHTM 143.

18. Bryum wightii Mitt

Bryum wightii Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or., 74 (1859); Bryum strigosum

Wils. in Kew J. Bot., 9: 306 (1857); nom. nud.


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100

Plants robust large, densely tufted, green above, reddish below. Stem

erect, red, branched by several subfloral innovations, 3 cm long,

tomentose. Lower leaves smaller and distant, upper leaves large, clustered

in comal tufts, erectopatent to erect spreading, curled and cr ispate when

dry, ovate oblong spathulate, concave, 5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide,

acuminata, lower margin reflexed and entire, upper flat and serrulate-

dentate, older leaves reddish. Costa brown, strong, excurrent in a

denticulate arista 0.3 mm long. Leaf cells slightly thick walled, rhomboid

above and rectangular with thin walled below (Plate 20).

Habitat: Tericolous in evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Pongaya Shola (1300 m), 20-07-2006,

RHTM 141.

Family: RHIZOGONIACEAE

Plants medium to robust, inlax or close tufts. Stem with a central

strand, tomentose below. Leaves uniform, spreading linear, lanceolate, flat,

toothed, thickened at margin, costa excurrent, spinose on back. Cells

irregularly rounded - hexagonal, thick walled, smooth. Sporophyte lateral

from base. Capsule inclined or horizontal, ovoid - cylindric. Peristome teeth

bryoid.

Genus: PYRRHOBRYUM

Plants greenish above, brownish below; leaves linear-lanceolate, tip

incurved when dry, border thick, serrated, teeth often in pairs; costa


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101

percurrent, toothed on back above; cells incrassate, rounded to elongate,

smooth.

19. Pyrrhobryum spiniforme (L. ex Hedw.) Mitt.

Pyrrhobryum spiniforme (L. ex Hedw.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 10:

174 (1868); Hypnum spiniforme L. ex Hedw., Sp. Musc., 236 (1801);

Rhizogonium spiniforme (L. ex Hedw.) Bruch in Krauss, Flora, 29: 134

(1846); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(4): 1068 (1974); Mnium spiniforme (L.

ex Hedw.) C. Muell., Syn. Musc. Frond., 1: 175 (1848); Rhynchostegium

latifolium Aongstr., Oefv. K. Vet. Ak. Foerh., 29(4): 18 (1872); Rhizogonium

pervilleanum Besch., Ann. Sc. Nat. Bor. Ser., 6(10): 242 (1880); R. pervillei

Kindb., Enum. Bryin. Exot., 94 (1889).

Erect, greenish brown, gregarious, in dense tufts on decaying wood,

tomentose below, up to 4 cm height, flexuose. Leaves laxly arranged,

erectospreading, incurved tips when dry; lower leaves smaller, upper

leaves larger, linear-lanceolate, gradually acuminata, carinate-concave, up

to 7 mm long and 2 mm wide at base, margin serrated. Costa single,

percurrent. Leaf cells incrassate, smooth, oval or rounded quadrate to

hexagonal. Sporophyte lateral from plant base, seta long up to 4 cm,

capsule horizontal or inclined, 2 mm long (Plate 21).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen, Deciduous, Scrub forests and

Plantations.

Specimens examined: Peria Shola (1400 m), 06-07-2003, RHTM 022,

13-07-2003, RHTM 029; Settur (1200 m), 03-07-2004, RHTM 048, 05-08-


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102

2004, RHTM 067; Ellakkirai (1280 m), 04-07-2004, RHTM 054, 10-07-2004,

RHTM 056, RHTM 058; Koilur (1000 m), 11-07-2004, RHTM 060;

Kuzhivalavu (1450), 13-02-2005, RHTM 084.

Order: ISOBRYALES

Plants robust. Stem creeping, branches pendant or erect. Leaves

isophyllous. Sometimes a nisophylloous, symmetric, rarely asymmetric,

costa if present, single, forked at apex. Sporophytes lateral, hidden within

leaves. Calyptra mitriform. Campanulate to cucullate, smooth or in hairy.

Peristome teeth or not, if present one or 2 rowed.

Key to Family: ISOBRYALES

1a. Branches and leaves complanate; leaves mostly asymmetrical

Neckeraceae

1b. Branches and leaves not complanate; leaves mostly symmetrical 2

2a. Lamina cells papillose or incrassate Orthotrichaceae

2b. Lamina cells smooth 3

3a. Leaves 3-rowed with a smaller dorsal row Racopilaceae

3b. Leaves 2-many-rowed without a smaller dorsal row 4

4a. Secondary branches frondose to slenderly elongate; leaves neither recurved

not squarrose Pterobryaceae

4b. Secondary branches never frondose, slender and elongated; leaves either

recurved or squarrose Meteoriaceae

Family: NECKERACEAE

Sturdy, glossy plants. Primary stem filiform creeping, mostly without

central strand, secondary stems erect or pendulous, subpinnate, strongly

complanate. Leaves transversely undulate, short pointed. Costa single and

short. Leaf cells smooth, rhomboidal above, linear towards base.


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Key to Genus: Neckeraceae

1a. Plants glossy, papillae absent Homaliodendron

1b. Plant not glossy, rough papilliae in laminar cells Pinnatella

Genus: HOMALIODENDRON

Plants yellowish-green, robust, main stem creeping, microphyllose,

branched and often with stolons, secondary stems ascending, usually

complanate and flagelliform; leaves polymorphic, the lower stem leaves

small, appressed, lanceolate, apiculate, upper normal, leaves on small

branches complanate, 2-ranked, spreading, broad or oblong to spathulate-

lingulate, crenulate or coarsely toothed at the extreme apex, near the base

nearly revolute on one side; costa single, feeble, ending in the mid leaf,

cells smooth, firm walled, small, upper rounded polygonal, rhomboid in the

middle, near the base elongated, often pitted; alar cells rectangular to

ovate or quadrate, thick walled near the insertion; seta short, 2-3 mm long;

capsule erect to slightly inclined, symmetrical, ovoid, peristome teeth

narrow, lanceolate, pale greenish, papillose, calyptra cucullate, mostly

small with long hairs, sometimes naked; spores small, rounded.

Homaliodendron

1a. Leaves spreading, leaf tip rounded, costa strong H. flabellatum

1b. Leaves dense, leaf tip obtuse, costa weak H. obtusatum

20. Homaliodendron flabellatum (Sm.) M. Ferisch.

Homaliodendron flabellatum (Sm.) M. Ferisch. in Hedwigia, 45: 74

(1906); Foreau in Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 77 (1931); Dixon in


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104

J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 39: 785 (1937); J. Madras Univ., 3: 121 (1931) &

J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 34 (1961); Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 6:

72 (1971); R. S. Chopra, Tax. Indian Moss., 369 (1975); Gangulee, Moss.

E. India, 2(5): 1426 (1976); Hookeria flabellate Sm. in Trans. Linn. Soc.

London, Bot., 9: 280 (1808); Type: West Indies (LIV); Leskea flabellate

(Sm.) Schwagr., Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl., 1(2): 164 (1816); Neckera

dentate Griff., Not. Pl. Asiat., 2: 463 (1849); Type: Pl. LXXXVIII, fig. II. N.

australasica Mull. Hal., Syn. Musc. Frond., 2: 42 (1850); Type: Australia,

Owyhee Is., 1793; Menzies s. n. (GH, H, JE, STU); Hypnum flabellatum

(Sm.) Dixon ex Mull. Hall., Syn. Musc. Frond., 2: 225 (1850); Neckera

flabellate (Sm.) Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient., 118 (1859); Homalia flabellate

(Sm.) Bosch. & Sande Lac., Bryol. Jav., 2: 58 (1863); Broth. in Rec. Bot.

Surv. India, 1(12): 325 (1899); Porotrichum dendroides Mitt. in Seem.; Fl.

Vit., 397 (1873); Syntypes: Viti, Seemann s. n. (NY); Hawaii, Menzies &

Douglas s. n. (NY). Porotrichum flabellatum (Sm.) Mitt. in Trans. Linn. Soc.

London, Bot., 2, 3: 175 (1891); Homalia brachyphylla Renauld & Cardot in

Rev. Bryol. 23: 103 (1896); Type: Tjibodas forests, Massart s. n. (PC);

Homaliodendron dentatum (Griff.) M. Fleisch. in Hedwigia, 45: 75 (1906).

Robust, epixylic, pale to bright green, glossy plants in lax tufts.

Primary stem long, creeping, secondary stems inclined to horizontal, with

appressed small leaves on stipe, pinnate frondose, upto 5 cm long. Stems

without central strand. Leaves spreading horizontal to somewhat erect,

longitudinally plicate when dry, asymmetrically oblong - lingulate, upto


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105

3 mm long and 1.54 mm wide apex rounded. Costa single, ending below

apex, sometimes bifurcating at top in one specimen and bunch of

multicellular; ovate gemma is seen. Leaf cells incrassate, smooth,

rhomboidal polygonal (Plate 22).

Habitat : Corticolous in evergreen forests

Specimen Examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 31-03-2003, RHTM 126.

21. Homaliodendron obtusatum (Mitt.) Gangulee

Homaliodendron obtusatum (Mitt.) Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(5):

1416 (1976); Homalia obtusata Mitt. in J. Linn. Soc., Bot., 8: 38 (1864); R.

S. Chopra, Tax. Indian Moss., 371 (1975); Type: British Columbia, Lyell s.

n. (BM).

Main stem wiry, with small scaly leaves, creeping secondary

branches erect or creeping upto 1.5 cm long, sparsely pinnately branched,

complanate junger mannioid. Leaves dense, complanate, horizontally

spread, lightly longitudinally plicate when dry, asymmetrically oblong-

spathulae, 1.5 mm long and 0.8 mm wide at top; apex obtuse, not

apiculate, margin crenulate; inflexed on one side at base. Costa short

(about 1/3 leaf) and feeble. Leaf cells incrassate, smooth, quadrate -

polygonal at top, more elongated, rhomboid at lamina (Plate 23).

Habitat : Corticolous in evergreen forest.

Specimen Examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-06-2006, RHTM 126.


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106

Genus: PINNATELLA

Plants slender to robust, not glossy, main stem creeping, secondary

stem usually erect, sometimes pendant, bipinnately branched to form a

dendroid form; leaves spreading, concave, broadly-ovate, short or long,

apiculate, upper often minutely toothed; costa strong, mostly ending near

the apex; cells thick walled, small, rounded-quadrate to hexagonal or

rhomboid, upper unipapillose, rough, near the edge often in several rows of

elongated cells; seta 3-5 mm long, yellow, somewhat rough; capsule erect,

ovoid; spores rounded, about 20 m diagonally.

22. Pinnatella sps.

Dull yellow-green, slendor to robust, rigid plants growing in lax tufts.

Primary stem creeping, 2 cm long, secondary stems scattered, usually

erect or inclined, bipinnately branched to form a frondose or dendroid head

form a woody stipe. Leaves spreading, concave, rarely transversely

undulate, longitudinally plicate, ovate to ligulate, 1.2 mm long and 0.5 mm

wide; leaf with a toothed, narrowed point. Costa strong, ending just below

apex. Leaf cells rounded hexagonal in lamina with coarse irregular papillae,

elongated at base (Plate 24).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen forests.



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107

Family: ORTHOTRICHACEAE

Plants robust, tufted. Pale above, dark below. Stem creeping or erect,

without central strand. Leaves dense, appressed to stem, curled, wide-

spreading, linear to lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, cells papillate to

mamillate, incrassate. Calyptra mitriform, smooth or pilose. Operculum

rostrate. Peristome teeth, if present, one or 2 rowed.

Key to Genus: Orthotrichaceae

1a. Calyptra hairy, peristome lacking or rudimentary Macromitrium

1b. Calyptra not hairy, peristome single with truncate teeth Drummondia

Genus: MACROMITRIUM

Plants yellowish-green or brownish, slender to robust, in dense tufts;

stem long creeping, erect or ascending, simple or fasciculately branched;

leaves appressed when dry, sometimes spiraly twisted around the stem,

erect to spreading when moist, smooth to undulate, near the base often

concave, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or acute; costa

moderately strong, ending below the apex or percurrent, sometimes shortly

excurrent in a hair like arista; cells rounded to quadrate or rounded

hexagonal at upper half, rich in chlorophyll, papillose to smooth, near the

base elongate, thickened, smooth to strongly papillose on the plicae,

sometimes all cells elongated; seta erect, usually elongate, rough; capsule

nearly spherical to oblong-ovoid, calyptra campanulate, plicate, mostly

covering the capsule, smooth or hairy, lobed; spores large of uneven size,

papillose.


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108

Key to Species: Macromitrium

1a, Leaf cells papillose M. moorcroftii

1b. Leaf cells not papillose 2

2a. Leaves spirally twisted when dry, capsule sulcate M. sulcatum

2b. Leaves curled when dry, capsule not sulcate Macromitrium sp.

23. Macromitrium moorcroftii (Hook. & Grev.) Schwaegr.

Macromitrium moorcroftii (Hook. & Grev.) Schwaegr. in Sp. Musc.

Suppl. 2(2): 67 (1826); Orthotrichum moorcroftii Hook. & Grev. in Edin. J.

Sc., 1: 116 (1824); Leiotheca moorcroftii (Hook. & Grev.) Brid. in Bryol.

Univ., 1: 727 (1826); Orthodon moorcroftii (Hook & Grev.) Griff. in Icon. Pl.

As., 1: 76 (1849); Macromitrium pileatum Wils. in Kew J. Bot., 9: 327 (1857)

nom. nud.; M. tortuosum Wils. in ibid. (1857) nom. nud.

Robust green plants, tufts on tree trunks, up to 4 cm long, erect

secondary branches up to 1 cm. Leaves dense, erectopatent, much curled

when dry, lanceolate, plicate at base, 3.5 mm long and 0.6 mm wide at

base, apex acute, margin little revolute at places. Costa single reaching the

apex and forming arista. Leaf cells thick walled, papil lose, upper cells

rounded-quadrate, 11.5 m wide, highly bulging mamillose, mid leaf cells

elongated, papillose, 15 9 m juctacostal cells at extreme base are

rectangular elongated with comparatively thinner and smooth. Seta apical,

erect on branches, capsule ovoid, narrow mouthed, peristome absent,

calyptra mitriform and hairy (Plate 25).

Habitat: Corticolous in Evergreen forests.


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109

Specimens examined: Settur (1200 m), 05-08-2004, RHTM 068,

Kuzhivalavu (1450), 13-02-2005, RHTM 085, RHTM 086.

24. Macromitrium sulcatum (Hook.) Brid.

Macromitrium sulcatum (Hook.) Brid. in Bryol. Univ., 1: 319 (1826);

Schlotheimia sulcata Hook. in Musci Exot., 2: 156 (1819); Macromitrium

neelgheriense C. Muell. in Syn. 1: 737 (1849) as var.; M. neilgherrense C.

Muell. in Bot. Zeit., 11: 61 (1853) as var.; M. corrugatum Wils. in Kew J.

Bot., 9: 328 (1857) nom. nud.; M. tersum Wils. in ibid.: nom. nud. as var.;

M. nilghiriense C. Muell. ex Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or.: 52 (1859); M.

ceylanicum Mitt. in Musci. Ind. Or.: 52 (1859) as var.: M. ramentosum

Thwait. et Mitt. in J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 13: 301 (1873) as asp.

Tufted plants on tree trunks, up to 2 cm high, giving rise to erect

secondary branches. Leaves dense, erect to erectopatent, usually carinate,

more appressed and hook-like or spirally twisted when dry, lanceolate, 2

mm long and 0.65 mm wide, apex acute apiculate, margin entire, flat. Costa

ending just behind tip. Leaf apical cells with highly thickened walls,

irregularly rounded, mid leaf cell are thick walled, juxtacostal cells show

elongated.

Capsule erect, oval with narrowed mouth, clearly sulcate, operculum

conic, long rostrate, peristome absent, calyptra mitriform, hairy (Plate 26).

Habitat: Rupicolous and corticolous in evergreen and semi-evergreen

forests.


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110

Specimens examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 09-03-2003, RHTM 001,

RHTM 002, RHTM 003; Mettukkadu (1050 m), 31-03-2003, RHTM 016;

Semmedu (1220 m), 05-07-2003, RHTM 018, 07-02-2004, RHTM 044;

Kuzhivalavu (1450), 15-11-2003, RHTM 036; Settur (1200 m), 03-07-2004,

RHTM 047; Ellakkirai (1280 m), 10-07-2004, RHTM 057.

25. Macromitrium sp.

Plants yellowish-green, long, creeping, crowded, tomentose below,

branches very small, 6 mm long, leaves linear to lanceolate, upto 1.5 mm

long, curled when dry, tip pointed, margin entire, upper portion wavy, costa

yellowish-brown, strong ending below the tip, cells rounded to elongated,

upper rounded, Hexagonal, 7.5 m diagonally, not papillose, basal cells

elongated, 12.52.4 m, Seta lateral, erect, capsule erect, ovate operculum

conic to rostrate, calyptra hairy, peristome absent (Plate 27).


Specimens examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-06-2006, RHTM 128.

Genus: DRUMMONDIA

Plants creeping with erect branches as in Macromitrium. Dry leaves

erect and appressed on stem. Leaf cells mostly rounded, usually not

papillose. Capsule broad, Calyptra cucullate, not hairy.

26. Drummondia stricta (Mitt.) C. Muell.

Drummondia stricta (Mitt.) C. Muell. in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. n. ser.

3: 106 (1896); Zygodon strictus Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or.: 47 (1859).


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111

Green plants in tufts, usually corticolous. Main stem is creeping upto

2 cm long and ascending with erect secondary shoots which are simple or

dichotomously branched. Leaves dense, erectopatent to spreading, erect

and appressed to stem when dry, elongate elliptical, 1.66 mm long and

0.5 mm broad, apex narrowly acute, margin flat and entire. Leaf cells thick

walled, smooth, tumescent, irregularly rounded-quadrate- hexagonal, 9-10

m wide; at extreme base cells are sub-rectangular, large (upto 39 11

m) at just costal region and smaller near margin. Capsule erect, ovate,

seta short, peristome not clear, calyptra cucullate (Plate 28).

Habitat: Terri and Corticolous in evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 11-07-2005, RHTM 102,

RHTM 105.

Family: RACOPILACEAE

Plants slender to robust olive green to brown-tinged. Stem creeping

with an indistinct central strand. Leaves 3-rowed, one dorsal and two

lateral, oblong-ovate, acuminate, long aristate at apex; cells rounded-

quadrate to rhomboidal. Costa single excurrent, Capsule exserted. Calyptra

cucullate, faintly pilose. Peristome teeth 2 rowed, hypnoid.

Genus: RACOPILUM

Plants olive green to brown tinged, prostrate, racticulose; leaves

dimorphic, large lateral leaves in two rows, dorsal leaves much smaller,

resembling amphigastria; costa strong, usually excurrent; cells rounded or


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112

hexagonal, chlorophyllose; seta elongate; capsule inclined, peristome

double, calyptra cucullate, hairy.

Key to Species: Racopilum

1a. Leaves show strong dentation in lateral, arista not long R. cuspidigerum

1b. Leaf dentation not strong in lateral, arista long R. orthocarpum

27. Racopilum cuspidigerum (Schwaegr.) Aongstr.

Racopilum cuspidigerum (Schwaegr.) Aongstr. Aongstr. in Oefv. K.

Vet. Ak. Foerh., 29 (4): 10 (1872); Hypnum cuspidigerum Schwaegr. in

Gaud. in Freyc.: Voyage Aut. Monde Oranie Phys. Bot.: 229 (1828);

Hookeria tomentosa (Hedw.) Arnott var. subintegrifolia Arnott in Mem. Soc.

Hist. Nat. Paris, 5: 250 (1897); Racopilum demissum Bosch & Lac. in Bryol.

Jav., 2: 18 (1861) as var.

Yellow green (brown below), epixylic in tufts with many fine rhizoids

on the main stem. Leaves dimorphic, lateral leaves 1.5 mm long and 0.85

mm wide, margin dentate strongly on top, arista 0.5 mm long. Costa

strong, excurrent. Leaf cells incrassate smooth or swelling to form a single

papilla on top of lumen, parenchymatous, quadrate, hexagonal to rhomboid

or rounded. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 29).

Habitat: Lignicolous in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Specimen examined: Pongaya Shola (1300 m), 17-01-2004,

RHTM 041.


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113

28. Racopilum orthocarpum Wils. ex. Mitt.

Racopilum orthocarpum Wils. ex. Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot. Suppl., 1:

136 (1859); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(5): 1199 (1976); Madhus. & M. C.

Nair, J. Eco. Taxon. Bot., 28: 341 (2004).

Yellow green, in tufts, main stem prostrate or ascendant branches

upto 1.5 cm long. Leaves on branches, lax, dimorphic, in three rows, two

lateral and one dorsal, lateral leaves spreading, larger, ovate, acute tipped,

long aristate, 1.5 mm long and 0.75 mm wide, margin flat, dentate at top

but not strong. Costa strong, excurrent, dorsal or amphigastrial row much

smaller, appressed, erect or drooping with proportionally longer arista. Leaf

cell wall thickened, smooth, irregularly quadrate-rectangular. Seta erect

(spirally twisted when dry), capsule erect, cylindrical, operculum conic-

rostrate, peristome distinctly double, hypnoid (Plate 30).


Specimens examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 09-03-2003, RHTM 004,

RHTM 005, RHTM 006, RHTM 007; Peria Shola (1400 m), 12-07-2003,

RHTM 024.

Family: PTEROBRYACEAE

Fairly robust, with flagelliform branches or not, branches erect or

pendant, stem without central strand. Leaves dense, on all sides of branch,

ovate, acuminate at apex. Costa if present single or double, leaf cells thick

walled, elongate, porose, usually smooth, alar often differentiated.


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114

Capsules within leaves to exserted. Calyptra smooth. Peristome teeth

2-rowed, the inner rudimentary.

Key to Genus: Pterobryaceae

1a. Costa single, covering at least half of the leaf Pterobryopsis

1b. Costa double, short, may be absent Symphysodentella

Genus: PTEROBRYOPSIS

Plants golden-yellowish to greenish, slender to robust, glossy; leaves

ovate-cordate, appressed to stem when dry, shortly and narrowly

acuminate from an ovate base, entire or toothed in the apical part; costa

single, mostly ending in the middle, rarely double or absent, cells smooth,

rhomboid to narrowly linear, at the base large, brown, pitted; alar cells

large, thick walled, often reddish-brown; capsule mostly raised, oblong,

orange-brown, operculum rostrate; spores large, rounded, papillose.

Key to Species: Pterobryopsis

1a. Leaves ovate - cordate, tip apiculate P. acuminata

1b. Leaves elongate - ovate, shortly acuminate P. orientalis

29. Pterobryopsis acuminata (Hook.) Fleisch.

Pterobryopsis acuminata (Hook.) Fleisch. in Hedwigia, 45: 59 (1905);

Neckera acuminata Hook. in Musci Exot., 2: 15 (1819); Meterorium

acuminatum (Hook.) Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or.: 86 (1859); Endotrichum

acuminatum (Hook.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges., 1875-76: 233

(1877); Garovaglia acuminata (Hook.) Par. in Index Bryol.: 507 (1896).


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115

Creeping, greenish brown, branched dendroid pinnate, about 4 cm

long, branches slender but rigid. Leaves dense, imbricate, erectopatent,

concave, ovate-cordate, tip apiculate up to 2 mm long, plicate, margin flat,

faintly denticulate, undulated obliquely from the base and in middle. Costa

single, ending at two thirds of leaf. Leaf cells thick walled, smooth,

elongate, linear, walls porose, alar cells deep red brown, rectangular up to

30 20 m. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 31).


Specimen examined: Arappuleeswarar (Kuttar) (850 m), 13-02-2005,


30. Pterobryopsis orientalis (C. Muell) Fleisch

Pterobryopsis orientalis (C. Muell) M. Fleisch., Hedwigia, 59: 217

(1917); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(5): 1272 (1976); Neckera orientalis C.

Muell., Bot. Zeitung. Berlin, 14: 437 (1856); Meteorium foulkesianum Mitt.,

Musc. Ind. Orient., 85 (1859); Leucodon orientalis (C. Muell.) A. Jaeger,

Ber. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges., 1875-76: 217 (1877); Endotrichum

foulkesianum (Mitt.) A. Jaeger, ibid., 76: 233 (1877); Garovaglia

foulkesiana (Mitt.) Paris, Index Bryol. Suppl., 508 (1896); Pterobryopsis

foulkesiana (Mitt.) M. Fleisch., Hedwigia 45: 60 (1905); P. yuennanensis

Broth., Sitz. Ak. Wiss. Wien Math. Nat. Kl., Abtl., 133: 573 (1924).

Yellow green plants with slender branches but secondary branches

are stiff, upto 6 cm. Leaves dense, imbricate, erectopatent to spreading

concave, elongate to ovate, plicate, tip shortly acuminate and cucullate,


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116

2.88 mm long and 1.28 mm broad; margin flat, faintly denticulate above.

Costa single, covering not more than half of the leaf. Leaf cells elongate

linear, thick walled, walls in cells below tip porose. 50 35 m, on top of

base 52 7 m (elongated rhomboid). Sporophyte on lateral shoots, seta

erect, capsule erect, ovate-cylinderical, peristome not seen (Plate 32).



Genus: SYMPHYSODENTELLA

Main stem long, creeping on bark. Branches pale green to brownish,

glossy, usually dendroid by pinnate or bipinnate branching, sometimes with

flagelliform branches, leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminata, concave. Costa

short, single or double. Leaf cells elongate, smooth, alar not differentiated.

Capsule immersed or exserted. Exostome teeth evenly spaced (not in

pairs). Endostome rudimentary or absent. Calyptra small, cucullate, naked.

Spores large, papillose.

31. Symphysodentella borii Dix.

Symphysodentella borii Dix. in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 39: 781

(1937).

Plants light green above, brownish below, pinnately branched, about

2 cm long. Leaves dense, imbricate, erect to erectopatent, concave,

plicate, ovate-lanceolate, up to 2 mm long and 0.75 mm wide, acute,

margin denticulate at tip. Leaf cells lightly incrassate, elongate linear,


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117

Ecosate, cells at stem coloured, alar cells differentiated, deep brown,

rectangular. Sporophyte on short lateral shoots, capsule erect, oval,

1 mm long and 0.8 mm in diameter, capsule erect, oval, 1 mm long and

0.7 mm diameter (Plate 33).


Specimen examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 21-01-2006, RHTM 123.

Family: METEORIACEAE

Slender to robust plants, hanging from trees. Creeping, filiform,

secondary stem elongate, flexuose, pendant, branched, densely foliose.

Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate to subulate, cells rhomboid, smooth or

papillate, alar region indistinct. Capsule exserted. Peristome teeth 2-rowed.

Calyptra small, cucullate, pilose or not.

Key to Genus: Meteroiaceae

1a. Cells with two rows of papillae on the laminal cells Cryptopapillaria

1b. Cells with one central line of papillae on the laminal cells 2

2a. Plants not glossy, very delicate, feather like, cells multipapillate, cells distinct Flouribundaria

2b. Plants glossy, thick, strong cells smooth or papillate, alar cells differentiated 3

3a. Leaves squrrose to erectopatent, sporophyte on short side shoot

Aerobryidium

3b. Leaves spreading, sporophyte lateral 4

4a. Leaves sheathing, costa single, fruit ending near mid leaf Aerobryum

4b. Leaves half sheathing, costa single, prominent ends at upper half of the leaf Meteoriopsis


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118

Genus: CRYPTOPAPILLARIA

Plants yellowish-green, robust; secondary stems many, elongate;

leaves closely or distantly imbricate when dry, erecto-patent from a cordate

or auriculate base when moist, oblong to lanceolate, apex shortly or longly

acuminata or hair pointed, margin entire or minutely toothed, two rows of

papillae on the laminal cells; costa narrow, single, not percurrent; cells

rhomboidal to linear, two rows of papillae on the wall, at the base adjoining

the costa hyaline, smooth, auricular in oblique rows, alar cells not distinct;

seta very short, rough; capsule completely immersed or exserted, ovoid to

oblong-ovoid; peristome teeth yellowish-white, calyptra small, more or less

papillose.

32. Cryptopapillaria fuscescens (Hook.) A. Jaeger

Cryptopapillaria fuscescens (Hook.) A. Jaeger, Ber. Senckenberg.

Naturf. Ges., 1875-76: 270 (1877); Broth., Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 1(12): 323

(1899); P. Bruehl, Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 71 (1931); Dixon, J. Bombay

Nat. Hist. Soc., 39: 783 (1937); Foreau, J. Madras Univ. Sect. B. , 3: 119

(1931) & J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 33 (1961); Sundararagh &

Wadhwa, Bull. Bot. Surv. India, 10: 346 (1968); R. S. Chopra, Tax. Indian

Mosses, 333 (1975); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(5): 1284 (1976); Madhus.

& Nair, M. C. J. Econ. Tax. Bot., 28: 341 (2004); Neckera fuscescens

Hook., Musc. Exot., 2: 157 (1819); Daltonia fuscescens (Hook.) Arn., Mem.

Soc. Linn. Paris, 5: 296 (1827); Pilotrichum fuscescens (Hook.) Brid., Bryol.

Univ., 2: 264 (1827); Neckera chrysoclada C. Muell., Syn. Musc. Frond., 2:


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139 (1850); Trachypus fuscescens (Hook.) Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient., 128

(1859); Meteorium fuscescens (Hook.) Bosch & Sande-Lac., Bryol. Jav., 2:

93 (1864); Papillaria chrysoclada (C. Muell.) A. Jaeger, Ber. Senckenberg.

Naturf. Ges., 1875-76: 270 (1877); P. fuscescens (C. Muell.) A. Jaeger,

var. crassiramea Renauld & Cardot., Bull. Soc. Bot. Belgium, 38: 19 (1900);

P. feae C. Muell. ex M. Fleisch., Die Musci Fl. Buitenz., 3: 761 (1908); P.

Bruehl, Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 23 (1931); P. fuscescens (C. Muell.) A.

Jaeger var. gracilis M. Fleisch., Die Musci Fl. Buitenz. 3: 761 (1908); P.

bamfothiae Broth. ex Dixon, J. Bot. (Morot), 50: 148 (1912).

Branches slender, erect to drooping, up to 12 cm long, greenish.

Leaves dense, erect, upto 2 mm long, imbricate oblong-lanceolate,

auriculate, apex acuminate, twisted, margin finely denticulate crenulate at

apex and base, costa single, ending at midleaf. Leaves undulate, leaf cells

small, linear-rhomboidal with single linear Papillae, shorter and rectangular

at auricle. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 34).


Specimen examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 05-07-2003, RHTM 017.

Genus: FLORIBUNDARIA

Plants slender, in looser tufts, main stem prostrate, pinnately

branched, branches short or elongate; branch and branchlet leaves

distichous, widened from a small decurrent, rounded base, narrowly

lanceolate, hyaline, acuminate, margin plane or recurved near the base,

serrate; costa single, thin; cells narrow, linear-rhomboid, usually more or


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less papillose, near the base wider, alar cells nearly quadrate, smooth,

sometimes absent; stem leaves and those near the base smaller, base

broad, long acumen, alar cells distinct; seta 2-4 mm long; capsule erect,

inclined, ovoid or oblong-ovoid, calyptra cucullate, small, mostly sparsely

hairy; spores rounded, 15-25 m diagonally.

Key to Species: Floribundaria

1a. Plant large, costa strong, papillae few F. armata

1b. Plant small, costa very weak, papillae larger F. walkeri

33. Floribundaria armata Broth.

Floribundaria armata Broth. in Symb. Sin., 4: 83 (1929).

Green to brownish, secondary branches pendulous flexuose,

irregularly pinnately branched, up to 8 cm. Leaves in more than two rows,

erect to spreading, lanceolate, 3 mm long and 0.8 mm wide at base,

acuminata, somewhat cordate at base, margin finely denticulate, flat,

concave, longitudinally plicate. Leaf cells linear to elongate rhomboid,

moderately incrassate, lamina cells leave 1 to 3 small seriate papillae on

lumen and inner wall, leaf attachment cells rectangular, alar cells

differentiated by rectangular, deep red-brown cells. Sporophyte not seen

(Plate 35).


Specimen examined: Pongaya Shola (1300 m), 20-07-2006,

RHTM 142.


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34. Floribundaria walkeri (Ren. & Card.) Broth.

Floribundaria walkeri (Ren. & Card.) Broth. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat.

Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 822 (1906); Bruehl in Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 73

(1931); Wadhwa in M. V. M. Patrika, 4: 92 (1969); R. S. Chopra, Tax.

Indian Moss., 346 (1975); Gangulee, Mosses E. India, 2(5): 1306 (1976);

Papillaria walker Renauld & Cardot in Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique, 34: 70

(1896); Type: India (W. Bengal), Edentale Plantation near Kurseong, Nov.

1893, Walker s. n. (Herb. Cardot PC).

Creeping, yellowish brown, very delicate, slender, branched

pinnately, up to 2 cm long. Leaves arranged in distant, feather like,

concave, ovate lanceolate, apex narrow acuminata, base narrowed margin

flat, smooth, costa very weak, scarcely detectable, auriculate, leaf up to

2 mm long and 0.5 mm wide at base, narrow towards the top. Leaf cells

narrow, linear, incrassate, seriate multipapillate. Sporophyte on short

lateral shoots with perichaetial leaves. Seta erect, capsule cylindrical,

operculum conical ((Plate 36).


Specimen examined: Koilur (1000 m), 04-07-2004, RHTM 052;

Semmedu (1220 m), 05-08-2004, RHTM 063; Settur (1200 m), 05-08-2004,



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Genus: AEROBRYIDIUM

More or less robust, glossy plants with hanging secondary branches.

Leaves squarrose to erectopatent, usually ovate-lanceolate, acuminata

subulate, somewhat undulate or plicate. Costa single, incomplete. Leaf

cells linear elongate or rhomboid, unipapillate, with porose walls, lax and

wider in alar regions. Sporophyte on short side shoots. Seta long, slightly

papillose. Peristome double, exostome and endostome of same height,

teethwith median line, cilia rudimentary or absent, basal membrane

moderately high. Operculum obliquely rostrate. Calyptra cucullate, hairy.

35. Aerobryidium filamentosum (Hook.) Fleisch.

Aerobryidium filamentosum (Hook.) Fleisch. in Broth. in Nat. Pfl.,

1(3): 821 (1906); Neckera filamentosa Hook. in Musci exot., 2: 158 (1819);

Hypnum aureonitens Hook. ex Schwaegr. in Sp. Musc. Suppl., 3(1): 221

(1827); Pilotrichum filamentosum (Hook.) Brid. in Bryol. Univ., 2: 264

(1827); Daltonia filamentosa (Hook.) Arnott in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris. 5:

296 (1827); Pilotrichum punctulatum C. Muell. in Bot. Zeit., 12: 571 (1854);

Meteorium filamentosum (Hook.) Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or.: 91 (1859); M.

aureonitens (Schwaegr.) Mitt. in ibid.: 91 (1859); M. punctulatum (C. Muell.)

Mitt. in ibid.: 91 (1859); Aerobryidium aureonitens (Schwaegr.) Broth. in

Nat. Pfl., 1(3): 820 (1906); Chryphaedelphus filamentosus (Hook.) C. Muell.

in Fleisch. in Musci Fl. Buitenz., 3: 791 (1908) nom. nud. in synon.;

Aerobryidium punctulatum (C. Muell.) Dix. in J. Bot., 50: 150 (1911); A.

subfilamentosum Card. mss. in Chopra in Tax. Ind. Moss: 339 (1975).


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Plants robust, yellow green above, creeping upto 4 cm long brownish

below, secondary branches branched pinnately and hanging upto 2 cm

long. Leaves imbricate, squarrose, dense, oval-lanceolate, gradually

narrowing into a long subula, cucullate tipped leaf, up to 4.5 mm long and 2

mm wide in the base, base cordate, margin wavy at places, very faintly

denticulate. Costa single, covering ⅓ of the leaf. Leaf cells rhomboid or

elongate rhomboid, with a single papilla on the top of the lumen except at

tip and base, wider and smooth at base with a few quadrate and smooth at

the alar regions, basal cells with slightly porose thickened walls.

Sporophyte not seen (Plate 37).

Habitat: Terricolous in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Specimen examined: Mathikettan Shola (1400 m), 12-07-2003, RHTM

023; Periasamykoil Shola (1300 m), 03-07-2003, RHTM 026; Kuzhivalavu

(1450), 06-12-2003, RHTM 040; 02-12-2006, RHTM 144; Semmedu

(1220 m), 19-07-2006, RHTM 136.

Genus: AEROBRYUM

Plants robust, glossy with long, sparingly branched, secondary stems

pendant, whole stem leafy; leaves squarrose, widely spreading, broadly

ovate, acuminata, margin serrate; costa single, faint, ending near the

midleaf; cells thin to thick walled, rhomboid-linear to elliptic-ovate, smooth;

alar cells absent or indistinct; sporophyte on ultimate branches; seta

slender smooth; capsule suberect, exserted, peristome double; spores

rounded, 15-20 m diagonally.


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36. Aerobryum speciosum Dozy & Molk.

Aerobryum speciosum Dozy & Molk., Ned. Kruidk. Arch., 2(4): 280

(1851); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(5): 1347 (1976); Meteoriu specium

(Dozy & Molk.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot. Suppl., 1: 87 (1859); Aerobryum

nipponicum (Nog.) Sak., Musc. Jap., 10 (1954); A. speciosum var.

nipponicum Nog J. Hattori Bot. Lab., 3: 98. 42 f. 3 (1948).

Pseudoautoicous. Stem upto 10 cm long; Leaves upto 2 mm long,

broady ovate form a subcordate base, narrowed to a short acuminate tip,

broadly inflexed on one or both sides, 3.2 mm long and 2.24 mm wide

margin finely denticulate. Costa single, covering half of the leaf. Leaf cells

linear, smooth, pellucid, walls mildly incrassate, porose at base, 39.5

6.5 m at tip, 80 8 m in lamina, 5 7.5 m at base, 75 18 m in the

alar region (Plate 38).

Habitat: Terricolous in evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Mettukkadu (1050 m), 30-03-2003, RHTM 011.

Genus: METEORIOPSIS

Plants slender to robust, secondary stems many, long, pendant,

pinnate, whole stem leafy; leaves ovate to nearly orbicular, arises from

half-sheathing or squarrose-spreading base, shortly pointed to long and

narrowly acuminata, whole margin minutely to strongly serrate; costa

single, ending in the upper half of the leaf, cells narrowly rhomboid to

linear, uni- to multi-papillose, sometimes smooth, near the base wide, alar


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cells not differentiated; seta short; capsule erect, ovoid to oblong, brown,

smooth, peristome teeth lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, long and narrowly

subulate, operculum with straight or oblique beak, calyptra covering only on

the upper part of the urn, many lobed and usually hairy, or rough near the

tip; fruiting not common.

Key to Species: Meteoriopsis

1a. Leaf tip deflexed, short pilose, cells with two small papillae M. squarrosa

1b. Leaf tip more reflexed, suddenly acuminata, cells with papillae except at

extreme tip and base M. reclinata

37. Meteoriopsis squarrosa (Hook.) M. Fleisch.

Meteoriopsis squarrosa (Hook.) M. Fleisch. in Broth., Nat.

Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 826 (1906), Gangulee, Moss. E. India 2(5): 1349 (1976),

Mohamed et al., J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 83: 689 (1986), Neckera

squarrosa Hook., Icon. Pl. Rar. 1: 22 (1836), Pilotrichum squarrosum

(Hook.) C. Muell., Syn. Musc. Frond. 2: 154 (1850), Meteorium squarrosum

(Hook.) Mitt., Musci. Ind. Orient. 87 (1859).

Plants robust, yellow-green, glossy plants in dense masses,

secondary shoot pendulous up to 15 cm long, irregularly pinnately

branched. Leaves dense, squarrose, with tips deflexed, ovate-lanceolate,

sheathing, cordate, quickly narrowed at top to a sharp point 2.5 mm long

and 1.5 mm wide, margin dentate. Costa single, ending above midleaf. Leaf

cells elongated, rhomboidal, chlorophyllous, near base more rhomboid with


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1 or 2 small papillae, cells on the short auricle smooth, rectangular with

porose walls at the alar region. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 39).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen, semi-evergreen, Decidous, Scrub

forests and Plantations.

Specimen examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 05-08-2004, RHTM 066;

Solakkadu (1200 m), 11-07-2005, RHTM 104; 14-01-2006, RHTM 116.

38. Meteoriopsis reclinata (C. Muell) M. Fleisch.

M. Fleisch. in Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3):826. 1906; P. Bruehl,

Rec. Bot. Surv. India 13(1): 74. 1931; Dixon, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 58:

17 (1961); R. S. Chopra, Tax. Indian Mosses, 351 (1975); Gangulee, Moss.

E. India, 2(5): 1354 (1976); Pilotrichum reclinatum C. Muell., Bot. Zeitung.

12: 572 (1854); Meteorium reclinatum (C. Muell.) Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient.

87 (1859); Broth., Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 1(12): 322 (1899); M. phaeum

Bosch. & Sande-Lac., Bryol. Jav. 2: 86 (1864).

Plants yellowish-green, variously branched, secondary branches

pendulous upto 20 cm; leaves oblong-ovate, faintly serrated all around,

strongly deflexed at tips, leaves plicate, 2.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, curled

backwards both in fresh and dried; costa faint, single, ending far be low the

apex; cells narrow elongate, 35-40 5 m at apex, cells at basal half

irregularly rectangular, smooth, 60-75 5-7 m, 2-3 small papillae, except

at extreme base and tip; sporophyte not seen (Plate 40).

Habitat: Corticolous in plantations.


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RHTM 106; Semmedu (1220 m), 11-07-2005, RHTM 109, RHTM 110.

Order: HOOKERIALES

Plants slender to robust, caespitose or forming mats. Stem creeping

to erect, irregularly branched, complanate or not, leaves in three rows,

asymmetrical or not, cells rhomboid to linear rhomboid, smooth with walls

pitted or not, costa single or double. Seta lateral.

Key to Family: HOOKERIALES

1a. Leaves 3-4 rowed with a distinct amphigastrial row Hypopterygiaceae

1b. Leaves 4-8 rowed without a distinct amphigastrial row Hookeriaceae

Family: HYPOPTERYGIACEAE

Plants slender to robust, stem creeping to erect, rhizomatous,

secondary stem dendroid. Leaves dimorphic, lateral rows complanate,

ovate, asymmetrical, serrate, one ventral row distinctly amphigastrial

smaller, more acuminate. Costa single. Leaf cells rhomboid to rhomboid-

hexagonal, capsule exserted.

Genus: HYPOPTERYGIUM

Plants slender to robust, main stem creeping, long, secondary stem

frondose or irregularly pinnately branched; leaves often recurved when dry,

sometimes strongly crumpled to one side, spreading when moist, lateral

leaves broadly ovate, ovate-oblong or ovate-lingulate, bordered, tip

serrated; amphigastrial leaves smaller, broadly ovate or suborbicular, with


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narrow acumen, bordered, margin serrate or entire above; costa single,

ending well below the apex, excurrent in the amphigastrial leaf; cells

rhomboid or rounded, six sided, smooth, near the base longer and wider;

seta elongate, smooth; capsule inclined to horizontal, ovoid to cylindrical,

thick necked, calyptra nacked, cucullate or conical; spores small, rounded.

39. Hypopterygium tamarisci (Sw.) Brid. & C. Muell.

Hypopterygium tamarisci (Sw.) Brid. & C. Muell., Syn. Musc. Frond. 2:

8 (1850); P. Bruehl, Rec. Bot. Surv. India, 13(1): 84 (1931); Foreau,

Madras Univ., 3: 121 (1931) & J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 36 (1961);

Wadhwa, M. V. M. Patrika, 6: 74 (1971); R. S. Chopra, Tax. Indian Mosses,

397 (1975); Mohamed & H. Rob., Smith. Contr. Bot., 80: 37 (1991);

Hypnum tamarisci Sw., Fl. Ind. Occ., 3: 1825 (1806); H. laricinum Hook.,

Musc. Exot., 2(1): 35 (1818); Hypopterygium laricinum (Hook.) Brid., Bryol.

Univ., 2: 714 (1827); Hypnum scutellatum Taylor, London J. Bot., 6: 338

(1847); Hypopterygium flavescens Hampe, Linnaea, 20: 95 (1847); H.

scutellatum (Taylor) C. Muell., Syn. Musc. Frond., 2: 7 (1850); H. tenellum

C. Muell., Bot. Ztg. Regensburg, 12: 557 (1854); Mohamed & H. Rob.,

Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 80: 37 (1991); H. rigidulum Mitt., J. Linn. Soc.

Bot., 12: 329 (1869); H. sylvaticum Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 12: 329 (1869);

H. argentinicum Lorentz & C. Muell., Linnaea., 42: 404 (1879); H. lehmanrii

Besch., Bull. Herb. Boissier, 2: 399 (1894); H. bolivianum Herzog, Beih.

Bot. Centralbl., 26(2): 81 (1909).


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Green plants, primary stem creeping, radiculose, secondary stem

erect, up to 2 cm high, dendroid. Leaves dimorphic, lateral leaves pinnately

spreading, 1.5 mm long and 0.1 mm wide, ovate with short acuminata

apexs, margin toothed in upper part, entire below, Costa distinct run upto

apex, amphigastgrial leaves 1 mm long and 0.55 mm wide, orbicular with

sharp apiculus, margin crenulate above, entire below, costa weakly

defined, median cells hexagonal, weakly bordered all around with 1-2 rows

of cells. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 41).

Habitat: Terricolous in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Specimen examined: Semmedu (1220 m), 05-07-2003, RHTM 019;

Mettukkadu (1050 m), 06-07-2003, RHTM 020; Shoolavanthi Shola

(1020 m), 09-07-2005, RHTM 093.

Family: Hookeriaceae

Plants yellowish, dark greenish, irregularly to pinnately branched,

leaves 4-8 rowed, shape varies, mostly bordered, minutely serrated at

upper half, costa single, double or absent, cells smooth or papillose, wide,

alar cells not differentiated, seta on lateral branches, capsule inclined or

horizontal, peristome double, calyptra conical, lobed or fringed at base,

scabrouse or pilose.


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130

Genus: CYATHOPHORELLA

Dioicous. Medium-sized dull green plants in lax tufts, not dendroid.

Primary stem rhizomatous, densely tomentose. Secondary stems usually

simple, may be forked; terminal parts caudate, often with filamentous

gemmae clusters. Lateral leaves more or less asymmetrical. Amphigastria

in one row. Leaves bordered. Costa short, single or forked. Peristome

double, basal membrane low, cilia absent.

Key to Species : Cyathophorella

1a. Leaf border complete, margin of leaf smooth C. hookeriana

1b. Leaf border incomplete, margin of leaf dentate Cyathophorella sp.

40. Cyathophorella hookeriana (Griff) Fleisch.

Cyathophorella hookeriana (Griff) Fleisch. in Musci Fl. Buitenz., 3:

1094 (1908); Neckera hookeriana Griff. in Notul. Pl. Asiat., 2: 464 (1849)

(Pl. 84-II); Cyathophorum hookerianum (Griff.) Mitt. in Musci. Ind. Or., 147

(1859); C. marginatum Wils. in Mitt. in ibid., nom. nud. in synon.; C.

philippinense Broth. in Leafl. Philipp. Bot., 2: 657 (1909); Cyathophorella

densifolia Horik. in Bot. Mag. Tokyo, 48: 460 (1935); C. philippinense

(Broth.) Bartr. in Philipp. J. Sci., 68: 427 (1939) in synon.

Yellow green, rhizomatous, dichotomously branched, up to 1 cm high.

Leaves dimorphic, lateral leave arranged in two rows in equidistant,

asymmetric, ovate, up to 1.5 mm long and 0.8 mm wide at base, apex

apiculate, margin entire, completely bordered. Costa single, up to the

middle. Amphigastrial leaves at ventral side, short, symmetric, smooth


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margin, apiculate, ovate-cordate, costa single, run up to ⅓ of the leaf. Leaf

cells rhomboid irregular at base, porose. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 42).


Specimen examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 06-02-2005, RHTM 078;

Sottupparai (1250 m), 12-02-2005, RHTM 082.

41. Cyathoporella sps.

Main stem tomentose, short creeping, secondary branches erect,

loosely tufted, usually unbranched upto 2 cm long. Leaves, clusters lax,

widely spreading (shrunk but still widely spreading when dry) lateral leaves

little asymmetrical, oblong-ovate, acuminate, 4.5 mm long and 1.8 mm

broad; margin serrate - spinose, the sponous cells form a border; at base

where spines are not present. Costa forked, short, leaf cell rhomboid at

base, becoming narrower towards border (Plate 43).



Order: HYPNOBRYALES

Plants slender, forming mats, dull or glossy, yellow-green to brown.

Stem creeping, irregularly to pinnately branched or not. Leaves complanate,

ovate, lanceolate, acuminate, cells linear-rhomboid, smooth or papillate, costa

half as leaf or longer, single or double. Sporophyte on main stem or branches.

Seta erect, smooth or papillose. Capsule horizontal. Peristome teeth 2 rowed,

hypnoid.


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132

Key to Family: HYPNOBRYALES

1a. Plants usually not glossy; branching regularly pinnate; frondose with

Paraphyllia Thuidiaceae

1b. Plants glossy; branching irregular to pinnate; not frondose, without

paraphyllia 2

2a. Leaf cells elongate to rhomboid; alar cells differentiated Entodontaceae

2b. Leaf cells linear, alar cells poorly differentiated 3

3a. Alar cells large, vesicular and coloured Sematophyllaceae

3b. Alar cells small, quadrate to subquadrate, not coloured 4

4a. Leaf cells linear, costa short or absent, alar cells poorly differentiated Hypnaceae

4b. Leaf cells elongate to rhomboid at tip, costa strong, leaf cells at middle

smooth or with projecting ends Brachytheciaceae

Family: THUIDIACEAE

Slender to robust, tufted, non-glossy, stem creeping, 1-3 times

pinnately branched, frondose, with paraphyllia. Leaves dimorphic, faintly

contorted, appressed when dry, ovate, acuminata, cells parenchymatous,

smooth or papillate, costa single.

Genus: THUIDIUM

Plants yellowish-green, robust; stem creeping, stiff, changing into

elongated stolons and again becoming leafy, bi- or tri-pinnate, often

flabellate; stem leaves strongly plicate, triangular to ovate-cordate, mostly

with recurved margin, upwards serrate; costa strong, broad in the basal

part, percurrent or ending below the apex, sometimes excurrent; branch

leaves ovate-lanceolate with shorter and fainter costa, never crumpled;

cells more or less thickened and mostly oblong to ovate six-sided,


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133

unipapillose over the lumen; seta long, smooth or rough, yellowish-orange;

capsule inclined to horizontal, ovoid-oblong, yellowish orange, smooth or

faintly papillose; spores brown, small, 8-16 m diagonally.

42. Thuidium tamariscellum (C. Muell) Bosch. & Sande-Lac.

Thuidium tamariscellum (C. Muell) Bosch. & Sande-Lac., Bryol. Jav.,

2: 20 (1865); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 2(7): 1637 (1978); Hypnum

tamariscellum C. Muell., Bot. Zeitung. Berlin, 12: 573 (1854); Leskea

tamariscella (C. Muell.) Mitt., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., 2: 134 (1859).

Autoicous, slender to robust, filmy, yellow-green forming mats, stem

without central strand, creeping may be ascending, giving rise to irregular

bipinnate branches upto 6 cm long. Paraphyllia numerous, simple

filamentous. Stem leaves distant, larger, 0.5 mm long, oblong cordate base

with excurrent costa forming long arista. Branch leaves small, dense,

erectopatent, ovate lanceolate 0.25 mm long apex acute, margin crenulate.

Costa single, ending at the middle. Leaf cells rounded-rhomboid with a

single large papilla on both sides of lumen. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 44).

Habitat: Rupicolous in evergreen forests, Decidous and scrub forests.

Specimen examined: Arappuleeswarar Falls (Kuttar) (850 m),

13-02-2005, RHTM 089; Solakkadu (1200 m), 14-01-2006, RHTM 111;

Kuzhivalavu (1450), 21-01-2006, RHTM 121; Periasamykoil Shola

(1300 m), 19-07-2006, RHTM 138.


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134

Family: ENTODONTACEAE

Slender to robust, glossy, main stem prostrate, ramifying, irregularly

pinnate branches julaceous and terete. Leaf cells elongate, differentiated

into alar.

Genus: ENTODON

Plants yellowish-green, slender to robust, branched; stem leaves

close set, slightly decurrent, concave from narrow bases, ovate to ovate-

oblong, or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, rarely hair pointed, margin

plane or recurved near the base, entire or minutely toothed in the upper

part; costa double, short or absent; cells elongate, thin walled, not

papillose, basal cells large and strongly thickened, alar cells quadrate, thin

walled and hyaline; seta 1-3 cm, reddish or yellowish, when dry twisted;

capsule erect, straight or faintly curved; spores rounded, 12-20 m

diagonally.

Key to Species: Entodon

1a. Seta yellow, annulus absent E. scariosus

1b. Seta reddish, annulus present 2

2a. Costa absent in both stem and branch leaves E. myurus

2b. Costa present in branch leaves E. flavescens

43. Entodon scariosus Ren. & Card.

Entodon scariosus Ren. & Card. in Bull. Soc. R. Bot. Belg., 34(2):

75 (1896).


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135

Dioicous, yellow green, glossy, stem creeping, upto 3 cm long, stem

leaves wide ovate, shortly apiculate, 1.5 mm long and 1 mm wide. Branch

leaves small, dense erectopatent, concave, ovate-lanceolate, contracted at

base, margin crenulate at top. Costa absent in stem leaves; two short in

branch leaves. Leaf cells elongated rhomboidal, basal angle cells lax,

quadrate to irregularly rectangular, sporophyte not seen (Plate 45).



44. Entodon myurus (Hook.) Hamp.

Entodon myurus (Hook.) Hamp. in Linnaea, 20: 82 (1847);

Pterogonium myurum Hook. in Musci. Exot., 2: 148 (1819); Pterigmadrum

myurum (Hook.) Brid. in Bryol. Univ., 2: 176 (1827); Neckera myura (Hook.)

Arnott in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris, 5: 293 (1827); Stereodon gardneri Mitt. in

Musci Ind. Or., 107 (1859); Entodon gardneri Mitt. in Par., Index Bryol.

Suppl., 108 (1900).

Fairly robust, golden green, glossy plants in dense tufts. Main stem

creeping, upto 3.5 cm long, branches julaceous when dry. Leaves terete,

complanate, dense, erectopatent (appressed to stem when dry), concave,

ovate, with broad tip suddenly narrowed into a short point, 1.4 mm long

and 0.62 mm wide; margin dentate, crenulate below, reflexed on both

sides. Costa absent. Leaf cells narrow rhomboid, 44 6 m becoming

shorter and broader ( 25 9 m); cells at basal angles are lax, larger,

rectangular to quadrate. Sporophyte on main stem. Perichaetial leaves


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erect, seta erect, red, capsule erect, longly ovate cylindrical, operculum

conical, peristome double, normal (Plate 46).


Specimen Examined : Semmedu (1220 m), 07-02-2004, RHTM 043.

45. Entodon flavescens (Hook.) Jaeg.

Entodon flavescens (Hook.) Jaegger, Ber. Senkenberg. Naturf. Ges.

1876-77: 293 (1879); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 3(8): 1775 (1980); Neckera

flavescens Hook., Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond., 9: 314 (1808); Stereodon

schwaegricheni Mitt., Musc. Ind. Orient., 108 (1859), S. rubicundus Mitt.,

Musc. Ind. Orient., 108 (1859); S. griffithii Mitt., ibid., 108 (1859); Entodon

rubicundus (Mitt.) A. Jaeger, Ber. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges., 1876-77: 285

(1878); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 3(8): 1781 (1980); Entodon griffithii

(Mitt.) A. Jaeger, Ber. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges., 1876-77: 293 (1878); E.

ramulosus Mitt., Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. Ser., 2(3): 179 (1891);

Cylindrothecium flavescens (Hook.) Paris, Index Bryol. Suppl., 298 (1894);

Entodon schwaegrichenii (Mitt.) Broth. in Paris, Index Bryol. Suppl. ed.,

2(5): 151 (1906); E. rubrissimus Sak., J. Jap. Bot., 28: 59 (1953).

Monoecious, creeping upto 4 cm long, pinnalely branched. Leaves

complanate triangular ovate, up to 1.8 mm long and 0.1 mm wide, branch

leaves erect to erectopatent, concave, tapering at base, apex acute, margin

almost smooth. Costa two short, on stem leaves, absent on branch leaves.

Leaf cells linear-rhomboidal. Sporophyte on main branches, seta smooth,

erect red, peristome double (Plate 47).


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Specimen examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 09-07-2005, RHTM 814;

10-07-2005; RHTM 095, RHTM 096.

Family: SEMATOPHYLLACEAE

Slender to robust plants, in dense tufts, stem creeping or ascending,

without a central strand, irregularly or pinnately branched. Leaves ovate,

acuminate. Costa short and double. Leaf cells linear rhomboid, smoother,

papillate, alar cells large. Sporophyte on main stem. Seta erect, smooth or

papillose. Capsules horizontal to inclined. Peristome teeth 2-rowed.

Key to Genus: Semetophyllaceae

1a. Peristome teeth distinctly papillose Sematophyllum

1b. Peristome teeth non-papillose 2

2a. Leaves spreading, Ecostate, papillae one or more on lumen Trichostelium

2b. Leaves dense, costa double, papillae absent Trolliella

Genus: SEMATOPHYLLUM

Plants small to robust, glossy in dense mats; stem creeping,

branches crowded, densely foliate; leaves erect to spreading, ovate to

oblong-elliptic, obtuse, apiculate, gradually or abruptly long acuminate,

sometimes hair pointed, weakly toothed above; costa absent; cells rhombic,

alar cells large, oblong inflated, coloured; seta usually elongate, reddish;

capsule erect to horizontal, ovoid to oblong; spores small to medium sized.

Key to Species: Sematophyllum

1a. Branches shorter, leaves laxer S. phoeniceum

1b. Branches longer, leaves denser S. humile


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46. Sematophyllum phoeniceum (C. Muell.) Fleisch.

Sematophyllum phoeniceum (C. Muell.) Fleisch. in Musci Fl. Buitenz.,

3: 1266 (1923); Hypnum phoeniceum C. Muell. in Flora, 61: 85 (1878);

Rhaphidostegium phoeniceum Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges., 1877-78:

485 (1880); Aptychus phoeniceus C. Muell. in Fleisch.: Musci Fl. Buitenz.,

3: 1266 (1923) nom. nud. in synon

Yellow, glossy, plants forming in thin tufts, stem creeping upto 2-5 cm

long, branches short, erect at parallel. Leaves not very dense,

erectopatent, appressed imbricate when dry, concave, narrow ovat-

lanceolate, 1.5 mm long and 0.45 mm wide, apex acute, Margin feebly

crenulate at top, irregularly revolute at both the sides. Ecostate, leaf cells

linear. Alar cells three in number, large, inflated, ovate-oblong cells at leaf

angles, few smaller irregular cells on top. Sporophyte on mainstem, seta

erect, capsule erect, ovate-cylinderical, operculum long rostrate, peristome

teeth distinctly papillose, double (Plate 48).

Habitat : Terricolous in plantations.


47. Semetophyllum humile (Mitt.) Broth.

Semetophyllum humile (Mitt.) Broth. in Nat. Pfl. ed. 2(11): 431 (1925);

Slereodon humilis Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or., 102 (1859); Hypnum humile Harv.

in Hool.; Icon. Pl. Rar., 1: 23 (1836) hom. illeg.; Rhaphidostegium humile

(Mitt.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges., 1876-77: 397 (1878).


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139

Yellow-green, glossy, in tufts, main stem creeping upto 2 cm long,

branching pinnately and long. Leaves dense, imbricate, erect (appressed

when dry), concave, ovate-lanceolate, 1.25 0.3 mm, apex acute, margin

smooth. Ecostate. Leaf cells rhomboid, lower cells showing papillose, alar

cells large at extreme angle. Sporophyte on main stem, seta slender, erect,

capsule horizontal, oblong, ovate. Peristome teeth. 2-rowed, distinctly

papillate (Plate 49).

Habitat: Terricolous in plantations.


Genus: TRICHOSTELIUM

Monoicous. Large to slender plants forming mats. Main stem

creeping, mostly regularly or irregularly pinnate branched. Leaves often

falcate, ovate-lanceolate, long or short acuminate, concave, margin usually

dentate above. Ecostate. Leaf cells linear to elliptic, mostly papillose, rarely

smooth, alar differentiated by large, inflated cells. Seta slender, long,

mostly papillose above. Capsule subcylindric, usually hanging. Peristome

normal, double. Operculum long acicular, rostrate. Calyptra cucullate.

Key to Species: Trichostelium

1a. Leaf cells pluripapillose T. puntipapillosum

1b. Leaf cells unipapillose T. boschi


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140

48. Trichostelium punctipapillosum Par. ex Gangulee

Trichostelium punctipapillosum Par. ex Gangulee. C. Muell. in Par.,

Index Bryol, 1314 (1898) nom. nud., Trichostaetium puatipapillosum Par. in

ibid. nom. nud.

Plant slender, yellow-green, glossy plants in lax patches, creeping

upto 10 cm, complanate. Leaves spreading (appressed to stem when dry),

concave, ovate-lanceolate, apex narrow subulate, 1.3 mm long and 0.35

mm wide, margin crenulate, by the papillae on cell tips and also revolute in

the lower leaf. Ecostate, leaf cells elongate elliptical, with several small

papillae on each cell. Alar distinguished by about three large oblong,

inflated, hyaline cells with some smaller irregular cells above (Plate 50).


Specimen Examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 10-07-2005; RHTM 098.

49. Trichostelium boschii (Doz. & Molk) Jaeg.

Trichostelium boschii (Doz. & Molk.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw.

Ges., 1876-77: 421 (1878); Hypnum boschii Doz. & Molk. in Ann. Sc. Nat.

Bot. ser., 3(2): 306 (1844); Hypnum microcarpum Hook. in Icon. Pl. Rar.,

1: 23 (1836) hom. illeg., H. brachypelma C. Muell. in Syn., 2: 404 (1851);

Stereodon brachypelma (C. Muell.) Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or., 102 (1859);

Trichosteleum brachypelma (C. Muell.) Par. in Index Bryol., 656 (1897); T.

basilanense Broth. in Philipp. J. Sci., C13: 220 (1918).


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141

Autoicous, yellow green, glossy, main stem creeping, irregularly

pinnate, erect to ascending branches upto 2 cm long. Leaves complanate,

spreading upto 1 mm long, concave, elliptic-lancealate, gradually long

acuminate, margin smooth to faintly denticulate above, Ecostate. Leaf cell

rhomboidal-elliptic with one papilla, alar cells distinct with one row of large

oblong cells. Seta slender, erect, capsule horizontal to drooping, small

ovate, operculum conic apiculate, peristome double, non-papillose

(Plate 51).


Specimen examined: Kuzhivalavu (1450), 10-07-2005, RHTM 097.

Genus: TROLLIELLA

Autoicuous, yellow-green to brownish, glossy corticolous plants in low

mats, main stem creeping, branching irregularly pinnately. Branches short,

attenuate, not complanate. Leaves dense, extectopatent, concave, ovate

lanceolate, apex narrow acuminate. Capsule erect to inclined, ovate-

cylindrical.

50. Trolliella euendostoma Herz.

Trolliella euendostoma Herz. in Arm. Bryol., 12: 9-13 (1939).

Autoicous, yellow green, semi-sturdy, glossy, forming mats, stem

creeping upto 2 cm long, branching irregularly pinnately. Leaves dense,

erectopatent upto 1.5 mm long concave, ovate-lanceolate, apex acuminate,

finely crenulate only at tip. Costa short, double, unequal. Leaf cells


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142

rhomboid, alar cells larger, irregularly rectangular, perichaetial leaves

narrower, convolute. Seta erect, twisted when dry, capsule erect to

inclined. Ovate-cylindrical, operculum short conical. Peristome teeth

2-rowed, non-papillose. Endostome teeth shorter (Plate 52).


Specimen examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-08-2003, RHTM 031;

Sottupparai (1250 m), 03-08-2003, RHTM 034; Semmedu (1220 m),

07-02-2004, RHTM 043.

Family: HYPNACEAE

Slender to robust, usually glossy, plants in mats, main stem creeping,

with an indistinct central strand. Paraphyllia absent. Leaves ovate,

acuminate, sometimes falcato-secund, costa short double or more, leaf

cells lenear, rarely papillose. Capsule horizontal.

Key to Genus: HYPNACEAE

1a. Leaves distinctly differentiated into stem and branch leaves, symmetrical;

capsule inclined to nearly horizontal Ctenidum

1b. Leaves slightly or not differentiated, symmetrical or asymmetrical, capsule

inclined or hanging 2

2a. Branches more or less complanate 3

2b. Branches not complanate 4

3a. Leaves in two rows; pseudoparaphyllia foliose Taxiphyllum

3b. Leaves not distinctly in two rows; pseudoparaphyllia filamentous

Isopterygium

4a. Leaves falcate, cells narrow linear Hypnum

4b. Leaves sharp, leaf cells broader, rhomboid six sided Vesicularia


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143

Genus: CTENIDIUM

Dioicous or phyllodioicous. Soft, usually slender, sometimes fairly

large plants in dense tufts. Stem with central strand, creeping, more or less

regularly pinnate branched. Stem and branch leaves differentiated. Leaves

lanceolate from a broad, cordate base, acuminate, margin dentate. Costa

absent or short double. Leaf cells linear, papillose at cell tips or smooth,

alar well differentiated by subquadrate cells. Seta slender, long, smooth.

Capsule inclined to horizontal, ovate-cylindrical, mostly curved at base.

Operculum conical, apiculate. Calyptra often pilose. Peristome double,

hypnoid.

51. Ctenidium lychnites (Mitf.) Broth.

Ctenidium lychnites (Mitf.) Broth. in Nat. Pfl., 1(3): 1048 (1909);

Stereodon lychnites Mitt. in Musci Ind. Or., 114 (1859); Hyoconium

lychniters (Mitt.) Mitt. in Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. Lond. ser. 2(3): 177 (1899);

Hypnum lychniles (Mitt.) C. Muell. in Linnaea, 36: 8 (1869).

Dioicous, semi-robust, yellowish to golden green, in dense tufts, main

stem creeping upto 3 cm, branching is pinnate. Stem leaves larger, 1 mm

long, narrowed into slender, cordate, auriculate base, margin denticulate.

Ecostate. Leaf cells linear in lower leaf, alar distinct by hyaline quadrate-

rectangular cells, Seta slender, long, erect, capsule horizontal, cernuate

ovate-cylindrical, operculum conic (Plate 53).

Habitat: Terricolous in scrub forests.

Specimen examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 05-02-2005, RHTM 072.


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144

Genus: TAXIPHYLLUM

Plants green, soft, glossy, branching irregular, pseudoparaphyllia

triangular to lanceolate in outline; leaves of branches and of main stem

alike, mostly complanate, leaves spreading in two rows, oblong or

sometimes ovate or oblong-lanceolate with short or long acumen, margin

faintly toothed, pseudoparaphyllia foliose; costa very short, double and

indistinct; cells narrow elongate or rhomboid, near the base thick walled;

alar cells not differentiated; seta long; capsule erect to suberect, with a

distinct neck, ovoid to oblong-ovoid or cylindric; spores rounded, dark

brown.

52. Taxiphyllum maniae (Ren. & Par.) Fleisch.

Taxiphyllum maniae (Ren. & Par.) Fleisch. in Musci Fl. Buitenz., 4:

1436 (1923); Isopterygium maniae Ren. & Par. in Rev. Bryol., 29: 84

(1902); Isopterygium taxirameoides C. Muell. in Levier. Rev. Bryol., 34: 55

(1907) nom. nud., fid. Fleisch.

Yellow green more or less glossy, creeping upto 4.5 cm leaves widely

spreading (though shrunk when dry), ovate lanceolate, narrower, short

acuminata; margin slightly serrated at apex, flat, ecostate. Leaf cells

narrow rhomboid to linear, more or less narrow papillose at cell tips, basal

marginal cells rectangular. Sporophyte not seen (Plate 54).

Habitat: Terricolous in semi-evergreen forests.

Specimen Examined: Arappuleeswarar (Kuttar) (850 m), 13-02-2005,

RHTM 087.


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145

Genus: ISOPTERYGIUM

Plants slender, glossy, flat mats; stem prostrate to ascending,

scarcely erect; leaves of branches and main stem alike, complanate, dorsal

and ventral leaves obliquely appressed, usually asymmetric, not in distinct

rows; leaves spreading in two rows in same plane, ovate-oblong or ovate-

lanceolate, short or long piliform acumen, margin entire or faintly toothed;

costa short or absent; cells narrow prosenchymatous, near the insertion

short and thick walled, alar cells not differentiated, pseudoparaphyllia

filamentous; seta long, twisted in dried condition; capsule suberect to

horizontal, ovoid to oblong-ovoid, operculum convex.

53. Isopterygium albescens (Hook.) A. Jaeger

Isopterygium albescens (Hook.) A. Jaeger, Ber. S. Gall. Naturw.

Ges., 1877-78: 433 (1878); Hypnum albescens Hook. in Schwaeger., Sp.

Musc. Suppl., 3(1): 226 (1828); Stereodon albescens (Hook.) Mitt., Musci

Ind. Orient., 104 (1859).

Autoicous, slender, yellow-green, glossy plants in low tufts, main

stem creeping upto 2.5 cm, branches pinnate. Leaves spirally arranged,

concave, ovate, erectopatent, short or long acuminata, 0.8 mm long and

0.3 mm wide, margin smooth to dentate at top. Ecostate. Leaf cells hyaline,

elongated rhomboidal 60 m long and 5 m wide, square alar cells at

angle. Seta slender, erect, capsule horizontal to drooping (Plate 55).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen and deciduous forests.


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146

Specimen examined: Sottupparai (1250 m), 03-08-2003, RHTM 033;

Sellur (1200 m), 03-07-2004, RHTM 050; Pongaya Shola (1300 m),

10-07-2005, RHTM 099; Solakkadu (1200 m), 03-06-2006, RHTM 130;

Periasamykoil Shola (1300 m), 19-07-2006, RHTM 140.

Genus: HYPNUM

Slender to robust, yellow to bright green, often glossy plants in

dense, interwoven mats. Stems with or without central strand, prostrate to

ascending. Leaves often strongly falcato-secund to circinate, concave,

ovate or oblong-lanceolate. Costa short double to absent. Paraphyllia

usually present, often broad, leafy, sometimes branched filamentous.

Median leaf cells linear to linear-flexuose, usually smooth. Seta long,

smooth. Capsule horizontal to suberect, sometimes cernuous. Annulus

usually present. Operculum conic, obtuse to rostrate. Calyptra cucullate,

smooth. Peristome perfect hypnoid.

54. Hypnum subimponens Lesq.

Hypnum subimponens Lesq. in Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. n. ser., 13: 14

(1865); Stereodon plumifer Mitt. in J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 8: 41 (1864); Hypnum

plumiferum (Mitt.) Jacg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges., 1877-78: 318 (1880).

Dioicous, robust, yellow-green, glossy forming dense tufts, main stem

creeping upto 2 cm, pinnately branched. Leaves dense, erectopatent with

falcato-secund to circinate tips, oblong-lanceolate, 1.3 0.3 mm, apex

acuminata, margin dentate at tip. Costa short. Leaf cells linear at lower


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leaf, alar distinguished by rectangular cells. Sporophyte not seen

(Plate 56).



Genus: VESICULARIA

Plants yellowish-green, slender to robust; stem elongate, prostrate,

simple or branched, mostly regularly pinnate, branches spreading, mostly

small and simple; leaves broadly ovate or oblong-lanceolate, with short or

long hair like acumen, margin entire except apical part where it is distinctly

toothed; costa double, very short or absent; cells ovate or oblong to

elongate or rhomboid - six sided, smooth, chlorophyllose; alar cells not

differentiated; seta 1-2.5 cm long; capsule horizontal to pendulous, shortly

ovoid to oblong-ovoid, peristome normal, operculum apiculate or shortly

rostrate.

Key to Species: Vesicularia

1a. Plants larger, costate V. montagnei

1b. Plants smaller, ecostate V. vesicularis

55. Vesicularia montagnei (Bel.) Broth.

Vesicularia montagnei (Bel.) Broth. in Nat. Pfl., 1(3): 1094 (1908);

Pterygophyllum montagnei Bel. in Voyag. Ind. Or. Bot., 2(Crypt.) 85 (1834);

Hookeria meyeniana Hamp. in Icon. Musc.: 3 (1844); Hypnum montagnei

Schimp. in Mont.: Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. Fis. Cuba Bot. Pl. Cell., 9: 530

(1845); H. meyenianum (Hamp.) C. Muell. in Syn., 2: 233 (1851);


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Ectropothecium meyenianum (Hamp.) Jaeg. in Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges.,

1877-78: 268 (1880); E. montagnei (Bel.) Jaeg. in ibid.: 269 (1880);

Vesicularia meyeniana (Hamp.) Broth. in Nat. Pfl., 1(3): 1094 (1908).

Autoicous, yellow-green, glossy and forming thin mat, main branches

irregular, spreading widely upto 2.5 cm long. Leaves erectopatent to

spreading, ovate, concave, 1.4 0.7 mm, apex acute, faintly denticulate

at top. Costa short double. Leaf cells lax, rhomboid to hexagonal at top, at

lower leaf, smooth, chlorophyllose. Sporophyte on main branches, capsule

pendulous, gibbous at base, ovate-cylindrical (Plate 57).


Specimen examined: Ellakkirai (1280 m), 10-07-2004, RHTM 055;

11-07-2004, RHTM 059.

56. Vesicularia vesicularis (Schwaegr.) Broth

Vesicularia vesicularis (Schwaegr.) Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam., 1(3):

1094 (1908); Hypnum vesicular Schwaegr., Sp. Musc. Suppl., 2(2): 167

(1827); Pterygophyllum montagnei Bel., Voyag. Ind. Or. Bot., 2: 85 (1834);

Hookeria meyeniana Hamp., Icon. Musc., 3 (1844); Hypnum montagnei

Schimp. in Montin, Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. Fis. Cuba Bot. Pl. Cell., 9: 530

(1845); H. meyenianum (Hamp.) C. Muell., Synop. Musc. Frond., 2: 233

(1851); Ectropothecium meyenianum (Hamp.) A. Jaeger, Ber. Senckenberg.

Naturf. Ges., 1877-78: 268 (1880); E. montagnei (Bel.) A. Jaeger, ibid., 269

(1880); Vesicularia montagnei (Bel.) Broth. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat.

Pflanzenfam., 1(3): 1094 (1908); Gangulee, Moss. E. India, 3(8): 2001


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149

(1980); Vesicularia meyeniana (Hamp.) Broth. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat.

Pflanzenfam., 1(3): 1094 (1908).

Yellowish-green, creeping, forming in mat, upto 16 cm long, irregular,

main branches and secondary branches are pinnately branched, leaves

ovate to ovate-oblong, upto 2 cm long, erectopatent when moist, tip acute,

smooth margin, faintly denticulate at apex, ecostate, cells rhomboid to

hexagonal (Plate 58).

Habitat : Corticolous in evergreen forests.


Family: BRACHYTHECIACEAE

Pleurocarpous, glossy, yellowish green, irregularly branched, stems

with a central strand. Leaves often plicate, costate, sometimes strongly

concave, alar cells present, cells at median half smooth or with projecting

ends, leaf base usually with differentiated or few small alar cells, seta long,

rough; capsule erect.

Genus: BRACHYTHECIUM

Plants yellowish-green, prostrate, creeping, in large loose tufts;

leaves heterophyllous, mostly plicate, loosely imbricate to somewhat erect,

ovate to broadly triangular, apex acute, sometimes very long-acuminate;

costa strong, ends below apex; median cells long or short, elongate-

rhombic to linear; alar cells distinct with quadrate or rectangular cells; seta

rough, sometimes partially or entirely smooth, 1.5-2 cm long; capsule


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150

inclined to horizontal, brownish to reddish-brown; spores rounded,

brownish, 11-16 mm diagonally.

57. Brachythecium salebrosum (Web. & Mohr) B. S. G.

Brachythecium salebrosum (Web. & Mohr) B. S. G. in Bryol. Eur., 6:

20 (1 ??); Hypnum salebrosum Hoffm. ex Web. & Mohr in Bot. Taschenb.,

312 (1807); Hypnum plumosum Hoedw. ssp. salebrosum (Web. & Mohr) C.

Muell. in Syn., 2: 359 (1851); Brachythecium laevisetum Kindb. in Bull.

Torr. Bot. Cl., 17: 278 (1890); Chamberlainia salebrosa (Web. & Mohr)

Robins. in Bryologist, 65: 105 (1962).

Autoicous, yellow-green forming mats, main stem creeping upto 4 cm

with sub-pinnate, erect, to ascendant branches. Leaves terete, small,

lanceolate, plicate, up to l.75 mm long and 0.83 mm wide, apex apiculate,

margin dentate up to base. Costa single, strong, covering 32 of leaf length.

Leaf cells elongate rhomboid at tip, basal cells rectangular, alar present, all

basal cells are very lax. Sporophyte on main stem. Perichaetial leaves as

long as vegetative leaves. Seta erect, long and smooth. Capsule erect,

arcuate, oblong-ovate, operculum conical, beak somewhat long (Plate. 59).

Habitat: Corticolous in evergreen forest.

Specimen examined: Solakkadu (1200 m), 06-02-2005, RHTM 076,

RHTM 077.


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5.2 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY OF BRYOPSIDA OF THE KOLLI HILLS

From the phytogeographical analysis of the mosses with reference to the

Kolli hills, it is understood that mosses are familiar, attractive ingredients and

an important element for the diverse vegetation present there. It is interesting

to note that these mosses play an important role in the terrestrial ecosystems,

such as modification of habitat, nutrient cycling, maintenance of nutrient status

of the soil and primary production. They provide suitable environment for seed

and spore germination and subsequent seedling and sporeling growth for

several species of pteridophytes. Some of them also provide refuge to certain

hibernating invertebrates. Their matty coverings on branches and boulders

form a habitat other smaller plant species. A total of 57 species under 37

genera were identified (Table 5.1).

Mosses in the Kolli hills occur in a wide range of natural habitats; soil,

rock, bark, rotting wood, dung, animal carcasses and leaf cuticles. Terrestrial

mass communities are the most common in the study area. Most of the

species are corticolous (Table 5.2, Fig. 3). Fissidens are seen as aquatic or

near streams. Species such as Hyophile involuta are living in abundance in

termite mounds. Bryum argenteum and Hyophilaa involuta are also found in

creeks and crevices of rocks. According to the vegetation types, most of the

species (48 species) were found in evergreen forest (Table 5.3, Fig.4). The

mosses were distributed almost in all altitudes, ranges from 850 to 1450 m. But

occurrence is more in the ranges between 1020 and 1400 (Table 5.4, Fig.5).


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152

Table 5.1

List of Bryopsida Species in the Kolli Hills

S. № Genus Species Family

1. Pogonatum P. aloides Polytrichaceae

2. Campylopus Campylopus sps Dicranaceae

3. C. flexuosus

4. C. ericoides

5. Leucobryum L. nilghiriense Leucobryaceae

6. L. mitteni

7. Octoblepharum O. albidium

8. Fissidens F. sylvaticus Fissidentaceae

9. Hyophila H. comosa Pottiaceae

10. H. involuta

11. Oxystegus O. cylindricus

12. Leptodontium L. viticulosoides

13. Funaria F. hygrometrica Funariaceae

14. Physcomitrium Physcomitrium sps

15. Bryum B. argenteum Bryaceae

16. B. capillare

17. B. medianum

18. B. wightii

19. Pyrrhobryum P. spiniforme Rhizogoniaceae

20. Homaliodendron H. flabellatum Neckeraceae

21. H. obtusatum

22. Pinnatella Pinnatella sps

23. Macromitrium M. moorcroftii Orthotrichaceae

24. M. sulcatum

25. Macromitrium sps

26. Drummondia D. stricta

27. Racopilum R. cuspidigerum Racopilaceae

28. R. orthocarpum


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153


29. Pterobryopsis P. acuminata Pterobryaceae

30. P. orientalis

31. Symphysodentella S. borii

32. Cryptopapillaria C. fuscescens Meteoriaceae

33. Floribundaria F. armata

34. F. walkeri

35. Aerobryidium A. filamentosum

36. Aerobryum A. speciosum

37. Meteoriopsis M. squarrosa

38. M. reclinata

39. Hypopterygium H. tamarisci Hypoterygiaceae

40. Cyathophorella C. hookeriana Hookeriaceae

41. Cyathoporella sps

42. Thuidium T. tamariscellum Thuidiaceae

43. Entodon E. scariosus Entodontaceae

44. E. myurus

45. E. flavescens

46. Sematophyllum S. phoeniceum Sematophyllaceae

47. S. humile

48. Trichostelium T. punctipapillosum

49. T. boschii

50. Trolliella T. euendostoma

51. Ctenidium C. lychnites Hypnaceae

52. Taxiphyllum T. maniae

53. Isopterygium I. albescens

54. Hypnum H. subimponens

55. Vesicularia V. montagnei

56. V. vesicularis

57. Brachythecium B. salebrosum Brachytheciaceae

Genus: 37 Total Species: 57 Family: 20


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154

Table 5.2

Species Occurrence in Different Habitat Types

Species Terri-

colous Rupi-

colous Ligni- colous

Corti-colous

Polytrichaceae

Pogonatum aloides + – – –

Dicranaceae

Campylopus sps – + – –

C. flexuosus – + – –

C. ericoides – + – –

Leucobryaceae

Leucobryum nilghiriense – – – +

L. mittenii – + – +

Octoblepharum albidium – – + +

Fissidentaceae

Fissidens sylvaticus – + – –

Pottiaceae

Hyophila comosa + + – –

H. involuta + + – –

Oxystegus cylindricus – + – –

Leptodontium viticulosoides – – – +

Funariaceae

Funaria hygrometrica – + – –

Physcomitrium sps – + – –

Bryaceae

Bryum argenteum + + – –

B. capillare + – – +

B. medianum + – – –

B. wightii + – – –

Rhizogoniaceae

Pyrrhobryum spiniforme – – – +


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155

Species Terri-

colous Rupi-


Corti-colous

Neckeraceae

Homaliodendron flabellatum – – – +

H. obtusatum – – – +

Pinnatella sps – – – +

Orthotrichaceae

Macromitrium moorcroftii – – – +

M. sulcatum – + – +

Macromitrium sps – – – +

Drummondia stricta – – – +

Racopilaceae

Racopilum cuspidigerum – – + –

R. orthocarpum – – – +

Pterobryaceae

Pterobryopsis acuminata – – – +

P. orientalis – – – +

Symphysodentella borii – – – +

Meteoriaceae

Cryptopapillaria fuscescens – – – +

Floribundaria armata – – – +

F. walkeri – – – +

Aerobryidium filamentosum + – – –

Aerobryum speciosum + – – –

Meteoriopsis squarrosa – – – +

M. reclinata – – – +

Hypoterygiaceae

Hypopterygium tamarisci + – – –

Hookeriaceae

Cyathophorella hookeriana – – – +

Cyathoporella sps – – – +

Thuidiaceae

Thuidium tamariscellum – + – –


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156

Species Terri-

colous Rupi-


Corti-colous

Entodontaceae

E. scariosus – – – +

Entodon myurus – – – +

E. flavescens – – – +

Sematophyllaceae

Sematophyllum phoeniceum + – – –

S. humile + – – –

Trichostelium punctipapillosum – – + –

T. boschii – – + –

Trolliella euendostoma – – – +

Hypnaceae

Ctenidium lychnites + – – –

Taxiphyllum maniae + – – –

Isopterygium albescens – – – +

Hypnum subimponens + – – –

Vesicularia montagnei – – – +

V. vesicularis – – – +

Brachytheciaceae

Brachythecium salebrosum – – – +

Total 15 13 4 32


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157

Terri-colous Rupi-colous Ligni-colous Corti-colous

15 13 4 32

Figure 3 Species Occurrence in Different Habitat Types


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158

Table 5.3

Species Occurrence in Different Vegetation Types

Species Evergreen

Forests

Semi- Evergreen

Forests

Deciduous Forests

Degraded/ Scrub

Forests

Planta-tions

Polytrichaceae

Pogonatum aloides – – + + –

Dicranaceae

Campylopus sps + + – – –

C. flexuosus + – – – –

C. ericoides + – – – –

Leucobryaceae

Leucobryum nilghiriense + + + + –

L. mittenii + – – – –

Octoblepharum albidium + – – – –

Fissidentaceae

Fissidens sylvaticus – – + – +

Pottiaceae

Hyophila comosa + – – – +

H. involuta – + – + +

Oxystegus cylindricus + – – – –

Leptodontium viticulosoides + – – – –

Funariaceae

Funaria hygrometrica – + + + –

Physcomitrium sps + – – – –

Bryaceae

Bryum argenteum + – – – +

B. capillare + – – – +

B. medianum + – – – –

B. wightii + – – – –

Rhizogoniaceae

Pyrrhobryum spiniforme + – + – +


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159

Species Evergreen

Forests

Semi- Evergreen

Forests

Deciduous Forests

Degraded/ Scrub

Forests

Planta-tions

Neckeraceae

Homaliodendron flabellatum + – – – –

H. obtusatum + – – – –

Pinnatella sps + – – – –

Orthotrichaceae

Macromitrium moorcroftii + – – – –

M. sulcatum + + – – –

Macromitrium sps + – – – –

Drummondia stricta + – – – –

Racopilaceae

Racopilum cuspidigerum + + – – –

R. orthocarpum + – – – –

Pterobryaceae

Pterobryopsis acuminata + – – – –

P. orientalis + – – – –

Symphysodentella borii + – – – –

Meteoriaceae

Cryptopapillaria fuscescens + – – – –

Floribundaria armata + – – – –

F. walkeri + – – – –

Aerobryidium filamentosum + + – – +

Aerobryum speciosum + – – – –

Meteoriopsis squarrosa + + + + +

M. reclinata – – – – +

Hypoterygiaceae

Hypopterygium tamarisci + + – – –

Hookeriaceae

Cyathophorella hookeriana + – – – –

Cyathoporella sps + – – – –


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160

Species Evergreen

Forests

Semi- Evergreen

Forests

Deciduous Forests

Degraded/ Scrub

Forests

Planta-tions

Thuidiaceae

Thuidium tamariscellum + – + + –

Entodontaceae

E. scariosus + – – – –

Entodon myurus + – – – –

E. flavescens + – – – –

Sematophyllaceae

Sematophyllum phoeniceum – – – – +

S. humile – – – – +

Trichostelium punctipapillosum + – – – –

T. boschii + – – – –

Trolliella euendostoma + – – – –

Hypnaceae

Ctenidium lychnites – – – + –

Taxiphyllum maniae – + – – –

Isopterygium albescens + – + – –

Hypnum subimponens + – – – –

Vesicularia montagnei + – – – –

V. vesicularis + – – – –

Brachytheciaceae

Brachythecium salebrosum + – – – –

Total 48 10 8 7 11


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161

Evergreen Semi- Deciduous Scrub Plantations

48

10

8 7

11

Figure 4 Species Occurrence in Different Vegetation Types


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162

Table 5.4

Altitude Range of Moss Plants of Kolli Hills

S. № Species Attitude Range (m)

1. Pogonatum aloides 1200-1300

2. Campylopus sps 1400

3. C. flexuosus 1220

4. C. ericoides 1220-1400

5. Leucobryum nilghiriense 1200-1400

6. L. mitten 1200-1450

7. Octoblepharum albidium 1220-1300

8. Fissidens sylvaticus 1300

9. Hyophila comosa 1020-1200

10. H. involuta 850-1450

11. Oxystegus cylindricus 1020

12. Leptodontium viticulosoides 1200

13. Funaria hygrometrica 1200-1450

14. Physcomitrium sps 1200

15. Bryum argenteum 1300-1450

16. B. capillare 1000-1400

17. B. medianum 1450

18. B. wightii 1300

19. Pyrrhobryum spiniforme 1000-1400

20. Homaliodendron flabellatum 1220

21. H. obtusatum 1200

22. Pinnatella sps 1220

23. Macromitrium moorcroftii 1200-1450

24. M. sulcatum 1050-1450

25. Macromitrium sps 1200

26. Drummondia stricta 1200

27. Racopilum cuspidigerum 1300

28. R. orthocarpum 1400-1450


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163

S. № Species Attitude Range (m)

29. Pterobryopsis acuminata 850-1200

30. P. orientalis 1450

31. Symphysodentella borii 1450

32. Cryptopapillaria fuscescens 1220

33. Floribundaria armata 1300

34. F. walkeri 1000-1200

35. Aerobryidium filamentosum 1220-1450

36. Aerobryum speciosum 1050

37. Meteoriopsis squarrosa 1200-1220

38. M. reclinata 1020-1220

39. Hypopterygium tamarisci 1020-1220

40. Cyathophorella hookeriana 1200-1250

41. Cyathoporella sps 1200

42. Thuidium tamariscellum 850-1450

43. Entodon scariosus 1220

44. E. myurus 1200

45. E. flavescens 1450

46. Sematophyllum phoeniceum 1450

47. S. humile 1220

48. Trichostelium punctipapillosum 1450

49. T. boschii 1450

50. Trolliella euendostoma 1200-1250

51. Ctenidium lychnites 1200

52. Taxiphyllum maniae 850

53. Isopterygium albescens 1200-1300

54. Hypnum subimponens 1220

55. Vesicularia montagnei 1250

56. V. vesicularis 1220

57. Brachythecium salebrosum 1200


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164

Figure 3: Altitude range of Moss Plants of Kolli Hills

Mosses

850

860

870

880

890

900

910

920

930

940

950

960

970

980

990

1000

1010

1020

1030

1040

1050

1060

1070

1080

1090

1100

1110

1120

1130

1140

1150

1160

1170

1180

1190

1200

1210

1220

1230

1240

1250

1260

1270

1280

1290

1300

1310

1320

1330

1340

1350

1360

1370

1380

1390

1400

1410

1420

1430

1440

1450

1. Pogonatum aloides

2. Campylopus sps

3. C. flexuosus

4. C. ericoides

5. Leucobryum nilghiriense

6. L. mitteni

7. Octoblepharum albidium

8. Fissidens sylvaticus

9. Hyophila comosa

10. H. involuta

11. Oxystegus cylindricus

12. Leptodontium viticulosoides

13. Funaria hygrometrica

14. Physcomitrium sps

15. Bryum argenteum

16. B. capillare

17. B. medianum

18. B. wightii

19. Pyrrhobryum spiniforme

20. Homaliodendron flabellatum

21. H. obtusatum

22. Pinnatella sps

23. Macromitrium moorcroftii

24. M. sulcatum

25. Macromitrium sps

26. Drummondia stricta

27. Racopilum cuspidigerum

28. R. orthocarpum

29. Pterobryopsis acuminata

30. P. orientalis

31. Symphysodentella borii

32. Cryptopapillaria fuscescens

33. Floribundaria armata

34. F. walkeri

35. Aerobryidium filamentosum

36. Aerobryum speciosum

37. Meteoriopsis squarrosa

38. M. reclinata

39. Hypopterygium tamarisci

40. Cyathophorella hookeriana

41. Cyathoporella sps

42. Thuidium tamariscellum

43. E. scariosus

44. Entodon myurus

45. E. flavescens

46. Sematophyllum phoeniceum

47. S. humile

48. Trichostelium punctipapillosum

49. T. boschii

50. Trolliella euendostoma

51. Ctenidium lychnites

52. Taxiphyllum maniae

53. Isopterygium albescens

54. Hypnum subimponens

55. Vesicularia montagnei

56. V. vesicularis

57. Brachythecium salebrosum


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165

A total of 57 species have been identified from 37 genera and 20

families. Among the genera 22 are monotypic (single species). There are

three genera represented by three species each (Campylopus,

Macromitrium and Entodon). There are 11 genera with two species each

Bryum has the maximum number of four species (Table 5.1).

By a comparative study of this 57 species in reference to several

national and regional flora, it is estimated that 19 species were common to

Shervaroy hills (Eastern Ghats, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu) adjacent to

Kolli Hills, where 69 moss species were recorded recently by Senthilkumar

(2002). Both the hills together have a cumulative of 107 species

(Table 5.5, Fig.6). It is observed that 27 species of the Kolli Hills were

common to the list of 113 moss species enumerated (Wayanad Hills of

Western Ghats) from Kerala by Manju and Madusoodhanan (2005)

(Table 5.6, Fig. 7). When compared to the mosses recorded in the South-

western Ghats by Daniel (2003), out of 112 species enlisted 19 were

common to the Kolli hills (Table 5.7, Fig. 8).

The following taxa are new records to South India

Campylopus ericoides,

Drummondia stricta,

Floribundaria walkeri,

Cyathophorella hookeriana,

Sematophyllum phoeniceum and

Trolliella euendostoma.


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166

Table 5.5

List of the Mosses of Kolli Hills Common to Shervaroy Hills



2. P. flexuosus




6. H. involuta



9. B. capillare


11. M. sulcatum

12. Drummondia D. stricta




16. A. scariosus

17. Sematophyllum S. phoeniceum Sematophyllaceae

18. S. humile

19. Vesicularia V. montagnei Hypnaceae



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167

Table 5.6

List of the Mosses of Kolli Hills Common to Wayanad Hills (Kerala)


1. Campylopus C. flexuosus Dicranaceae

2. C. ericoides


4. Hyophila H. involuta Pottiaceae

5. Oxystegus O. cylindricus



8. B. capillare

9. B. wightii



12. M.sulcatum


14. R. orthocarpum


16. P. orientalis

17. Cryptopapillaria C. fuscescens Meteoriaceae

18. Floribundaria F. walkeri

19. Aerobryum A. speciosum

20. Meteoriopsis M. squarrosa

21. M. reclinata

22. Hypopterygium H. tamarisci Hypoterygiaceae

23. Thuidium T. tamariscellum Thuidiaceae

24. Entodon E. flavescens Entodontaceae

25. Ctenidium C. lychnites

26. Isopterygium I. albescens

27. Vesicularia V. vesicularis Hypnaceae



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168

Table 5.7

List of the Mosses of Kolli Hills Common to Southern Western Ghats



2. Campylopus C. ericoides Dicranaceae



5. Fissidens F. sylvaticus Fissidentaceae


7. H. involuta


9. B. capillare

10. Pyrrhobryum P. spiniforme Rhizogoniaceae


12. H. obtusatum


14. M. sulcatum


16. Floribundaria F. walkeri Meteoriaceae


18. Meteoriopsis M. reclinata

19. Sematophyllum S. humile Sematophyllaceae



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169

Table 5.8

List of the Mosses Common for All Four Hills


1. Octoblepharum O. albidium Leucobryaceae

2. Hyophila H. involuta Pottiaceae


4. B. capillare


6. M. sulcatum




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170

P. aloides

P. flexuosus

L. nilghiriense

O. albidium

H. comosa

H. involuta

F. hygrometrica

B. argenteum

B. capillare

M. moorcroftii

M. sulcatum

D. stricta

R. cuspdigerum

P. acuminate

A. filamentosum

A. scariosus

S. phoeniceum

S. humile

V. montagnei

Mosses of Kolli Hills Common

to Shervaroy Hills

C. flexuosus

C. ericoides

O. albidium

H. involuta

O. cylindricus

F. hygrometrica

B. argenteum

B. capillare

B. wightii

H. flabellatum

M. moorcroftii

M.sulcatum

R. cuspdigerum

R. orthocarpum

P. acuminate

P. orientalis

F. walkeri

M. squarrosa

M. reclinata

A. speciosum

C. fuscescens

H. tamarisci

T. tamariscellum

E. flavescens

V. vesicularis

C. lychnites

I. albescens

Mosses of Kolli Hills Common to Wayanad Hills (Kerala)

Figure 6 Figure 7


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171

O. albidium

H. involuta

B. argenteum

B. capillare

M. moorcroftii

M. sulcatum

R. cuspdigerum

Mosses Common for

All Four Hills

P. aloides

C. ericoides

L. nilghiriense

O. albidium

F. sylvaticus

H. comosa

H. involuta

B. argenteum

B. capillare

P. spiniforme

H. flabellatum

H. obtusatum

M. moorcroftii

M. sulcatum

R. cuspdigerum

F. walkeri

M. reclinata

A. filamentosum

S. humile

Mosses of Kolli Hills Common to

Southern Western Ghats

Figure 8 Figure 9


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172

Some species are found to be indicators of high degree of habitat

degradation: Pogonatum aloides, Hyophila involuta, Funaria hygrometrica

and Bryum argenteum. Certain species cannot tolerate change in habitat

that are still not modified greatly: Drummondia stricta. Some mosses were

found to adapt themselves to all conditions and are commonly found

throughout the Kolli Hills: Pogonatum aloides, Campylopus flexuosus,

Leucobryum nilghiriense, Hyophila involuta, H. comosa, Funaria

hygrometrica, Bryum argenteum, Drummondia stricta, Macromitrium

moorcroftii, Racopilum cuspidigerum, etc. Species such as Pogonatum

aloides, Campylopus flexuosus, Leucobryum nilghiriense, Hyophila

involuta, H. comosa, Funaria hygrometrica, Bryum argenteum,

Macromitrium moorcroftii are also found in the Western Ghats.

There are only 11 species that are common to all the four hills

recently studied (Table 5.8, Fig. 9).


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173

5.3 ANTIMICROBIAL STUDIES

5.3.1 Antibacterial Studies

5.3.1.1 Streak Method

The results of various solvent extracts of different mosses on

selected test Bacteria has been studied and the results are given in the

Tables 5.9 to 5.12.

a) Leucobryum nilghiriense

The various solvent extracts of this moss did not show any significant

inhibitory effect on most of the bacteria studied by streak method. However,

the chloroform extract and ethyl acetate extracts showed partial inhibition

on the growth of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at higher

concentrations (50%, 70% and 100%) (Table 5.9).

b) Pyrrhobryum spiniforme

Among the various solvent extracts of this moss, the chloroform

extract at higher concentration (75% and 100%) showed partial inhibition

on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The highest concentration

of ethyl acetate extract at 100% concentration showed inhibitory effect on

Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus

(Table 5.10).

c) Meteoriopsis squarrosa

The ethanolic extract of this moss exhibited to have inhibitory effect

on a number of bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus faecalis,


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174

Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

There was partial inhibition at 75% concentration and strong inhibition at

100% concentration. Other extracts did not show significant effect on the

test organisms (Table 5.11, Plate 60).

d) Thuidium tamariscellum

The chloroform extract as well as the ethyl acetate extract of this

moss showed notable inhibitory effect on several bacteria. However the

effect was observed only at the highest concentration (100%). At this

concentration organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli

and Klebsiella pneumoniae were inhibited. The ethyl acetate extract

however produced inhibitory effect on all the tested bacteria except

Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the concentrations of 50%, 75% and 100%

(Table 5.12).

These results are correlated with the results obtained by Banerjee

and Sen (1979) who tested with ethanolic extracts of 52 species of

bryophytes and observed the antibacterial activity against 3 gram-positive

and 5 gram-negative bacteria.


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175

Table 5.9

Sensitivity of the various extracts of Leucobryum nilghiriense against bacteria (Streak method)

Organism Ethanolic extract (%) Chloroform extract (%) Ethyl acetate extract (%) Aqueous extract (%)

C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100

Gram-positive bacteria:

Bacillus cereus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Streptococcus faecalis 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Staphylococcus aureus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Gram-negative bacteria:

Escherichia coli 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Proteus vulgaris 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Enterobacter aerogenes 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Salmonella typhi 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Klebsiella pneumoniae 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

C : Control 3+ : Excessive growth (no inhibition) 2+ : Moderate growth (partial inhibition) 1+ : Trace growth (strong inhibition)


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176

Table 5.10

Sensitivity of the various extract of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme against bacteria (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100


Bacillus cereus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+












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177

Table 5.11

Sensitivity of the various extract of Meteoriopsis squarrosa against bacteria (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100


Bacillus cereus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 1+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+












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178

Table 5.12

Sensitivity of the various extract of Thuidium tamariscellum against bacteria (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100


Bacillus cereus 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 1+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+












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179

5.3.1.2 Disc Diffusion Method


The antibacterial activity of various extracts of Leucobryum

nilghiriense against the test bacteria by disc diffusion method has shown in

the Table 5.13. It is observed from the result that the chloroform extract

was found to have inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli and

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the zone of inhibition was from 1.5 and 2.0

mm respectively.

However ethyl acetate extract showed inhibitory effect against

Bacillus cereus in addition to the above said two bacteria, with almost same

diameter of inhibition zone.


The various solvent extracts of this plant were found to be inhibitory

against the growth of several bacteria. The chloroform as well as ethyl

acetate extracts showed partial inhibition against Bacillus cereus,

Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and

Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Maximum zone of inhibition (2.5 mm) was

produced by the chloroform extract on Escherichia coli.

The aqueous extract of this plant was found to have inhibitory effect

on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Table 5.14).


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180


The ethanolic extract of this plant was effective on almost all bacteria

screened for antimicrobial activity. Inhibition zone was observed in the agar

plates of all tested bacteria except Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus

vulgaris and Salmonella typhi. Maximum zone (3.4 cm) was observed on

Escherichia coli. This observation is in agreement with the report of earlier

workers Singha et al. (2006), who reported that the alcoholic extract of

Plagiochasma appendiculatum (Marchantiales) showed significant

antibacterial activity against 11 bacterial including Staphylococcus aureus,

Proteus mirabilis and Salmonella typhimurium.

The chloroform extract showed inhibitory effect on gram-negative

bacteria only and the zone of inhibition was comparatively lesser than the

ethyl acetate extract (Table 5.15, Plate 61).


Ethanolic extract of this moss was found to have inhibitory effect on

all the tested bacteria except Salmonella typhi. The zone of inhibition

ranged from 0.4 to 2.5 mm. Maximum zone was observed on Bacillus

cereus and Enterobacter aerogenes. Chloroform extract showed little effect

on a few bacteria (Table 5.16).


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181

Table 5.13

Antimicrobial activity of Leucobryum nilghiriense against various bacteria

(Disc diffusion method)

Organism

Diameter of inhibition zone in mm (Mean*)

Ethyl acetate extract

(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic


Bacillus cereus – – 1.5 0.5 – 4.2

Streptococcus faecalis – – – – 5.0

Staphylococcus aureus – – – – 4.0


Escherichia coli – 1.5 0.1 1.00.12 – 4.4

Proteus vulgaris – – – – 4.5

Enterobacter aerogenes – – – – 4.2

Salmonella typhi – – – – 2.4

Klebsiella pneumoniae – – – – 5.0

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

– 2.0 0.21 2.2

0.15

– 4.1

* : Mean of triplicate

: Standard Deviation # : Gentamycin (Hi-media) – : Absence of measurable inhibitory action


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182

Table 5.14

Antimicrobial activity of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic




Staphylococcus aureus – 2.2 0.4 1.8 0.5 – 4.0


Escherichia coli 2.2 1.5 2.5 0.8 1.8 0.4 – 4.4




Klebsiella pneumoniae – 1.4 1.2 2.1 0.3 2.2 1.0 5.0

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – 2.0 1.4 2.0 0.4 3.0 0.9 4.1




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183

Table 5.15

Antimicrobial activity of Meteoriopsis squarrosa against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic



Streptococcus faecalis – 0.5 0.13 2.3 0.8 – 5.0

Staphylococcus aureus – – 0.4 0.1 – 4.0


Escherichia coli – – 2.2 1.0 – 4.4

Proteus vulgaris 0.2 1.0 – 0.4 0.1 – 4.5

Enterobacter aerogenes 0.2 0.01 1.5 0.16 3.0 1.2 – 4.2


Klebsiella pneumoniae – 1.8 0.5 2.0 1.2 – 5.0

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – – 1.9 0.3 – 4.1




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184

Table 5.16

Antimicrobial activity of Thuidium tamariscellum against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic



Streptococcus faecalis – – 2.4 1.1 – 5.0



Escherichia coli 2.4 1.2 2.8 0.3 3.4 1.2 – 4.4


Enterobacter aerogenes – 1.8 0.15 2.8 1.2 – 4.2



Pseudomonas aeruginosa 0.4 0.12 1.8 0.4 2.9 1.3 0.4 0.2 4.1




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185

5.3.1.3 Agar Well Diffusion Method


The various solvent extracts of this moss did not show any

significance result against most of the tested bacteria. However the ethyl

acetate extract produced little effect on Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas

aeruginosa and the diameter of inhibition zones were very less (Table 5.17)


The ethyl acetate extract showed inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli,

Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Maximum zone

(3.2 mm) was observed in the agar plate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The chloroform extract produced little effect on Staphylococcus

aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Table 5.18).


Various solvent extracts of this moss have shown significant result by

agar well diffusion method against the tested bacteria. The ethanolic

extract in particular showed inhibitory effect on almost all bacteria and the

zone of inhibition were found to be better than the other plants.

In Escherichia coli the diameter of the inhibition zone was higher

(2.5 mm) than the standard antibiotic (4.1 mm) which clearly reveals that

this result is highly significant, and this extract could be used to control

Escherichia coli after purification of the active compound. Similarly this

extract was also found to be effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa


_________________________________________________________________________


186

also since it has produced greater zone of inhibition (4.4 mm) which is

closer to the standard value (5.1 mm).

Chloroform extract as well as ethanolic extract were also found to

have inhibitory effect on the tested bacteria to some extent. The ethanolic

extract produced inhibition zone against Pseudomonas aeruginosa where

the diameter of the inhibition zone in the experimental as well as in the

standard was found to be same (5.1 mm) (Table 5.19, Plate 62).


The ethanolic extract was found to possess inhibitory effect on almost

all bacteria. The inhibitory effect is significant on Escherichia coli and

Klebsiella pneumoniae where the diameter of the inhibition zone was higher

than the standard. It was 4.2 mm against the standard 4.1 mm and 5.6 mm

against the standard 5.2 mm respectively (Table 5.20).

Similar observations were made by Semra Ulhan et al. (2006) while

studying the antibacterial activities of Palustriella commutate against 11

bacteria, 1 yeast and 8 moulds.


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187

Table 5.17

Antimicrobial activity of Leucobryum nilghiriense against various bacteria

(Agar Well diffusion method)

Organism



(30 g/ ml)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ ml)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ ml)

Aqueous extract

(30g/ml)

Standard#

antibiotic


Bacillus cereus – – – – 5.2













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188

Table 5.18

Antimicrobial activity of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ ml)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ ml)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ ml)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ ml)

Standard#

antibiotic


Bacillus cereus – – – – 5.2


Staphylococcus aureus – 2.4 0.2 – – 5.0


Escherichia coli – – 2.0 0.8 0.4 1.1 4.1


Enterobacter aerogenes – – 1.9 1.0 – 4.4



Pseudomonas aeruginosa – 1.1 0.3 3.2 1.4 – 5.1




_________________________________________________________________________


189

Table 5.19

Antimicrobial activity of Meteoriopsis squarrosa against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ ml)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ ml)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ ml)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ ml)

Standard#

antibiotic


Bacillus cereus – – 3.0 1.4 – 5.2 2.1

Streptococcus faecalis – – 2.4 1.2 – 4.0 1.6

Staphylococcus aureus – 2.4 0.5 2.8 0.8 – 5.0 1.9


Escherichia coli 2.4 0.8 2.0 0.4 2.5 1.8 – 4.1 1.8

Proteus vulgaris – 2.1 0.6 2.4 0.7 – 4.7 1.3

Enterobacter aerogenes – – 2.9 0.4 – 4.4 2.0

Salmonella typhi – – – – 2.8 1.4

Klebsiella pneumoniae 3.4 1.5 2.2 1.2 2.2 1.0 2.4 1.6 5.2 2.1

Pseudomonas aeruginosa 5.1 1.2 5.0 1.4 3.4 1.2 4.4 1.2 5.1 1.7




_________________________________________________________________________


190

Table 5.20

Antimicrobial activity of Thuidium tamariscellum against various bacteria


Organism



(30 g/ ml)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ ml)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ ml)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ ml)

Standard#

antibiotic



Streptococcus faecalis – – 1.4 0.9 – 4.0

Staphylococcus aureus – – 2.1 0.8 – 5.0



Proteus vulgaris – – 0.4 0.1 – 4.7

Enterobacter aerogenes – – 2.5 0.5 – 4.4







_________________________________________________________________________


191

5.3.2 Antifungal Studies

5.3.2.1 Streak Plate Method

Plants such as Leucobryum nilghiriense and Pyrrhobryum spiriforme

did not show any significant inhibitory effect against any of the fungal

organism screened for sensitivity test. However Meteoriopsis squarrosa

showed moderate inhibitory effect on Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus

and Geotricum candidum. Similarly Thuidium tamariscellum did not show

any inhibitory effect against all the fungal organisms except Aspergillus

flavus whole it showed moderate inhibition against fungus alone (Tables

5.21 to 5.24, Plate 63).


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192

Table 5.21

Sensitivity of the various extracts of Leucobryum nilghiriense against various fungi (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100

Aspergillus niger 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Aspergillus flavus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Aspergillus parasiticus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Aspergillus fumigatus 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Candida albicans 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Geotricum candidum 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+

Microsporium gypseum 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+



_________________________________________________________________________


193

Table 5.22

Sensitivity of the various extracts of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme against various fungi (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100










_________________________________________________________________________


194

Table 5.23

Sensitivity of the various extracts of Meteoriopsis squarrosa against various fungi (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100










_________________________________________________________________________


195

Table 5.24

Sensitivity of the various extracts of Thuidium tamariscellum against various fungi (Streak method)


C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100 C 25 50 75 100










_________________________________________________________________________


196

5.3.2.2 Disc Diffusion Method

Mosses such as Leucobryum nilghiriense, Pyrrhobryum spiriforme did

not show any inhibitory effect on the fungal organisms tested. However the

ethanolic extract of Meteoriopsis squarrosa showed inhibitory effect on

Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans (Plate 64a). The

diameter of the inhibition zone is only lesser than the standard antibiotic.

The moss Thuidium tamariscellum also produced only less effect

against the tested fungi. The ethanolic extract inhibited the growth of

Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Geotricum candidum. The

diameter of inhibition zone, however, was insignificant in all these plates

(Table 5.25 to 5.28).

This work confirm the previous report of Sabovljevica et al. (2006),

who established that ethanolic extract of moss plant Bryum argenteum

inhibited the growth of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium ochrochloron, Candida

albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophyes.


_________________________________________________________________________


197

Table 5.25

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Leucobryum nilghiriense

against various fungi (Disc diffusion method)

Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic

(30 g/ disc)

Aspergillus niger – – 1.8 1.0 – 8.2

Aspergillus flavus – – – – 5.4

Aspergillus parasiticus – – – – 4.5

Aspergillus fumigatus – – – – 7.2

Candida albicans – – – – 8.4

Geotricum candidum – – – – 8.0

Microsporium gypseum – – – – 6.5


: Standard Deviation # : Nystatin – : Absence of measurable inhibitory action


_________________________________________________________________________


198

Table 5.26

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic

(30 g/ disc)

Aspergillus niger 3.1 0.8 – 0.5 0.2 – 8.2

Aspergillus flavus – – – – 5.4









_________________________________________________________________________


199

Table 5.27

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Meteoriopsis squarrosa


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic

(30 g/ disc)


Aspergillus flavus – – 3.1 1.7 – 5.4



Candida albicans – – 2.9 1.4 – 8.4






_________________________________________________________________________


200

Table 5.28

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Thuidium tamariscellum


Organism



(30 g/ disc)

Chloroform extract

(30 g/ disc)

Ethanolic extract

(30 g/ disc)

Aqueous extract

(30 g/ disc)

Standard#

antibiotic

(30 g/ disc)

Aspergillus niger 1.4 0.8 – 2.4 0.4 – 8.2

Aspergillus flavus – 1.5 0.3 – – 5.4

Aspergillus parasiticus 1.2 0.6 – – – 4.5



Geotricum candidum – – 0.7 0.2 – 8.0





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201

5.3.2.3 Agar Well Diffusion Method

Antifungal activity of various solvent extracts of test mosses against

various fungi by agar well diffusion method has revealed that only the

ethanolic extract of all the mosses showed some notable effect, on

Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Geotricum candidum.

The ethanolic extract of Meteoriopsis squarrosa showed significant

effect on Aspergillus flavus and the diameter of the inhibition zone was

greater (6.2 mm) than the standard antibiotic (5.9 mm). Similar type of

result was observed in Thuidium tamariscellum where the ethanolic extract

produced greater zone of inhibition (4.8 mm) against the standard antibiotic

(5.9 mm) which is of greater significance. The other extracts did not show

any effect on most of the test organism (Tables 5.29 to 5.32, Plate 64b).

Similar type of work was previously done by Bodade et al. (2008),

who reported that the ethanolic, acetone and chloroformic extract of

Plagiochasma appendiculatum and Bryum argenteum caused growth

inhibition of several fungi such as Aspergillus niger.


_________________________________________________________________________


202

Table 5.29

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Leucobryum nilghiriense

against various fungi (Agar well diffusion method)

Organism



10 mg/ml

Chloroform extract

10 mg/ml

Ethanolic extract

10 mg/ml

Aqueous extract

10 mg/ml

Standard#

antibiotic 10 mg/ml









: Standard Deviation # : Griseofulvin – : Absence of measurable inhibitory action


_________________________________________________________________________


203

Table 5.30

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Pyrrhobryum spiriforme


Organism



10 mg/ml

Chloroform extract

10 mg/ml

Ethanolic extract

10 mg/ml

Aqueous extract

10 mg/ml

Standard#

antibiotic 10 mg/ml


Aspergillus flavus – 3.5 1.1 4.5 2.1 – 5.9









_________________________________________________________________________


204

Table 5.31

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Meteoriopsis squarrosa


Organism



10 mg/ml

Chloroform extract

10 mg/ml

Ethanolic extract

10 mg/ml

Aqueous extract

10 mg/ml

Standard#

antibiotic 10 mg/ml

Aspergillus niger – 1.8 0.7 4.8 1.5 – 8.2










_________________________________________________________________________


205

Table 5.32

Antifungal activity of various extracts of Thuidium tamariscellum


Organism



10 mg/ml

Chloroform extract

10 mg/ml

Ethanolic extract

10 mg/ml

Aqueous extract

10 mg/ml

Standard#

antibiotic 10 mg/ml

Aspergillus niger – – 4.5 1.0 – 8.2 2.2

Aspergillus flavus – 4.8 2.0 4.8 2.5 – 5.9 1.8

Aspergillus parasiticus – – – – 6.5 1.2

Aspergillus fumigatus – – – – 5.0 0.8

Candida albicans – – – – 8.2 2.5

Geotricum candidum – – 4.0 1.2 – 4.9 1.8

Microsporium gypseum – – – – 8.5 2.2




_________________________________________________________________________


206

5.4 PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES

The phytochemical study involves the qualitative analysis of ethanolic

extract of the moss plant Meteoriopsis squarrosa, since it has shown more

inhibitory actions against both bacteria and fungi when compared with all

other solvent extracts of the four plants chosen for antimicrobial studies.

The various components present in the ethanolic extracts of the

detected by the UV-Vis, FTIR, 1H and 13C-NMR and GC-MS are shown in

the following Figures and Tables 5.33 and 5.34


_________________________________________________________________________


207

Figure 10

ACIC

St. Joseph's College (Autonomous)

Tiruchirappalli - 620 002

Date: 26-06-2006

UV spectrum Spectrum Name: MET-E

Scan Speed : 960.00 nm/min

Slit Width : 2.0000 m

Date Created : Mon Jun 26 10:08:32 2006

Instrument Model : Lambda 35

Date Inverval : 1.0000 nm


_________________________________________________________________________


208

Figure 11

ACIC

St. Joseph's College (Autonomous)

Tiruchirappalli - 620 002

Date: 26-06-2006

FTIR spectrum Spectrum Name: MET-E


_________________________________________________________________________


209

Table 5.33

FTIR interpretation

Identification of compounds by FTIR in the given samples

S.№ Wave number cm

-1

[Test Sample] Wave number cm

-1

[Reference Article] Functional group

assignment

1. 652.08 700-600 (Ref-1) Aliphatic Bromo compounds, C-Br stretch

2. 3436.87

3490-3430 (Ref-1) Heterocyclic amine, N-H stretch

3. 1637.33 1650-1550 (Ref-1) Secondary amine, N-H Bend

4. 1414.96

1490-1410 (Ref-1)

Carbonate ion

5. 1610–1550

1559.07 Carboxylate

6. 3790.52 3917.82 3889.78

>3000 Unsaturated compounds, C=C

Chapter 5 Results and Discussion

_________________________________________________________________________


210

Figure 12

MET-E


_________________________________________________________________________


211

Figure 13

MET-E


_________________________________________________________________________


212

Figure 14

MET-E


_________________________________________________________________________


213

Figure 15

MET-E


_________________________________________________________________________


214

Figure 16


_________________________________________________________________________


215

Figure 17


_________________________________________________________________________


216

Figure 18


_________________________________________________________________________


217

Figure 19


_________________________________________________________________________


218

Figure 20


_________________________________________________________________________


219

Figure 21


_________________________________________________________________________


220

Figure 22


_________________________________________________________________________


221

Figure 23


_________________________________________________________________________


222

Figure 24


_________________________________________________________________________


223

Figure 25


_________________________________________________________________________


224

Figure 26


_________________________________________________________________________


225

Figure 27


_________________________________________________________________________


226

Figure 28


_________________________________________________________________________


227

Figure 29


_________________________________________________________________________


228

Figure 30


_________________________________________________________________________


229

Table 5.34

Phyto components identified in the ethanolic extract of the plant sample

S. №

RT Name of the compound Molecular Formula

MW % Peak

Area

1. 4.19 Benzene, 1,4-dichloro- C6H4Cl2 146 3.91

2. 9.30 1-Cyclohexene-1-methanol, 4-(1-methylethenyl)-

C10H16O 152 0.23

3. 9.94 Sucrose C12H22O11 342 3.40

4. 10.16 di-t-Butylacetylene C10H18 138 2.01

5. 10.56 1,6,10-Dodecatrien-3-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-, [S-(Z)]-

C15H26O 222 0.71

6. 11.26 p-Menth-3-en-9-ol C10H18O 154 5.76

7. 14.08 Aromadendrene C15H24 204 0.88

8. 14.80 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol

C20H40O 296 5.19


C20H40O 296 1.50

10. 16.55 n-Hexadecanoic acid C16H32O2 256 13.75

11. 18.86 Phytol C20H40O 296 2.35

12. 19.16 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, (E,E)-

C19H34O2 294 4.20

13. 19.26 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)-

C19H32O2 292 15.85

14. 19.57 Oleic Acid C18H34O2 282 3.97

15. 32.71 Squalene C30H50 410 36.29


_________________________________________________________________________


230

Table 5.35

Activity of Phyto components identified in the Ethanolic extract of the plant sample

S. №


MW % Peak

Area Compound

Nature **Activity

1. 4.19 Benzene, 1,4-dichloro- C6H4Cl2 146 3.91 Aromatic compound

Antimicrobial

2. 9.30 1-Cyclohexene-1-methanol, 4-(1-methylethenyl)-

C10H16O 152 0.23 Alkene compound

No activity reported

3. 9.94 Sucrose C12H22O11 342 3.40 Sugar compound

Preservative

4. 10.16 di-t-Butylacetylene C10H18 138 2.01 Alkene compound

No activity reported

5. 10.56 1,6,10-Dodecatrien-3-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-, [S-(Z)]-

C15H26O 222 0.71 Sesquiterpene alcohol

Antimicrobial, Antiinflammatory

6. 11.26 p-Menth-3-en-9-ol C10H18O 154 5.76 Monoterpene alcohol

Insecticide, Sedative, Antiseptic, Antibacterial Nematicide, Antiacne, Termiticide, Anticancer, Anticarcinogenic

7. 14.08 Aromadendrene C15H24 204 0.88 Sesquiterpene Anti-tumor, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antiinflammatory, Sedative, Fungicide


C20H40O 296 5.19 Terpene alcohol



C20H40O 296 1.50 Terpene alcohol


10. 16.55 n-Hexadecanoic acid C16H32O2 256 13.75 Palmitic acid Antioxidant, Hypocholesterolemic Nematicide, Pesticide, Lubricant, Antiandrogenic, Flavor, Hemolytic 5-Alpha reductase inhibitor


_________________________________________________________________________


231

S. №


MW % Peak

Area Compound

Nature **Activity

11. 18.86 Phytol C20H40O 296 2.35 Diterpene Antimicrobial Diuretic Antiinflammatory Anticancer

12. 19.16 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, (E,E)-

C19H34O2 294 4.20 Linoleic acid Antiinflammatory, Hypocholesterolemic Cancer preventive, Hepatoprotective, Nematicide, Insectifuge, Antihistaminic Antieczemic, Antiacne, 5-Alpha reductase inhibitor Antiandrogenic, Antiarthritic, Anticoronary, Insectifuge

13. 19.26 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)-

C19H32O2 292 15.85 Linolenic acid Antiinflammatory, Hypocholesterolemic Cancer preventive, Hepatoprotective, Nematicide Insectifuge, Antihistaminic, Antieczemic, Antiacne, 5-Alpha reductase inhibitor Antiandrogenic, Antiarthritic, Anticoronary, Insectifuge

14. 19.57 Oleic Acid C18H34O2 282 3.97 Oleic acid Anti-inflammatory, Antiandrogenic, Cancer preventive, Dermatitigenic Hypocholesterolemic, 5-Alpha reductase inhibitor, Anemiagenic Insectifuge, Flavor

15. 32.71 Squalene C30H50 410 36.29 Triterpene Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Cancer preventive, Immunostimulant, Chemo preventive, Lipoxygenase-inhibitor, Pesticide

**Source: Dr.Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases


_________________________________________________________________________


232

The FTIR studies of the ethanolic extract of the plant showed that

the Aliphatic Bromo compound was present, by the wave number of

652.08 cm–1. The N-H stretching of Heterocyclic amine group was indicated

by the 3436.87 cm–1 wave number. Similarly others such as the secondary

amine, carbonate amine, carboxylate and unsaturated compounds were

also identified. Asakawa (2007) identified the presence of aromatic

compounds and terpenoids in liverworts.

And from the 1H and 13C NMR and GC-MS studies using the

alcoholic extract revealed the presence of 15 phytochemical compounds

such as Benzene, 1,4-dichloro- (Aromatic compound), 1-Cyclohexene-

1-methanol, 4-(1-methylethenyl)- Alkene compound, Sucrose, di-t-Butyl-

acetylene (Alkene compound), 1,6,10-Dodecatrien-3-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-,

[S-(Z)]- (Sesquiterpene alcohol), p-Menth-3-en-9-ol (Monoterpene alcohol),

Aromadendrene (Sesquiterpene), 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol

(Terpene alcohol), n-Hexadecanoic acid (Palmitic acid), Phytol (Diterpene),

9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, (E,E)- (Linoleic acid), 9,12,15-

Octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)- (Linolenic acid),Oleic Acid and

Squalene. Some compounds mentioned above were also reported by

Saritasa et al. (2001) and sequiterpenes were identified by NMR and

GC-MS in Mnium hornum. Dr. Duke’s phytochemical and ethanobotanical

databases also confirmed that all the fifteen compounds enumerated above

possess a wide range of thereupetical activity.

Documents

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