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Phytodiversity of chasmophytic habitats at Olichuchattam Waterfalls, Kerala, India

Arun Christy & Binu Thomas

26 June 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 9 | Pages: 16099–16109 DOI: 10.11609/jot.4554.12.9.16099-16109

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Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2020 | 12(9): 16099–16109 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.4554.12.9.16099-16109

#4554 | Received 10 December 2018 | Final received 25 May 2020 | Finally accepted 01 June 2020

C o m Phytodiversity of chasmophytc habitats at Olichuchatam Waterfalls, m u n Kerala, India i c 1 2 a Arun Christy & Binu Thomas t i 1,2 Department of Botany, Centre for PG studies & Research, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomus), Devagiri, Kozhikode, Kerala 673008, India. o 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected] (corresponding author) n

Abstract: The present study was conducted to analyse the Phytodiversity of Chasmophytc habitats at Olichuchatam waterfalls, Kerala, India. The studies on the plants in such special type of habitats are very less. Hence the present study will help to know more about them. Field exploraton and observatons were made, plants were collected, identfed and herbarium was prepared. Analysis of plants and soil samples from diferent regions of the study area based on alttudinal variatons was also done. As a result of the study, a total of 120 plant species that belonging to 49 families and 93 genera were documented. Of these 5 species are bryophyte, 10 species are pteridophytes and 105 species are angiosperms. The ornamental potentality of the plants in the study area was also analysed and it shows that a total of 47 species have ornamental potentalites. The present study also highlighted some threatening factors can afect the distributon of plants in the present study area. The present study highlights that, the rocky clifs and crevices serves as an excellent habitat for many interestng plant groups. The plants in these habitats are very unique and are atractve.The rocky clifs and crevices represents a good indicator of rich biodiversity within small areas.

Keywords: Floristc diversity, chasmophytes, Olichuchatam, invasive species, threats.

Editor: B. Ravi Prasad Rao, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ananthapuramu, India. Date of publicaton: 26 June 2020 (online & print)

Citaton: Christy, A. & B. Thomas (2020). Phytodiversity of chasmophytc habitats at Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(9): 16099–16109. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.4554.12.9.16099-16109

Copyright: © Christy & Thomas 2020. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.

Funding: None.

Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests.

Author details: Arun Christy currently working as project fellow at Department of Botany, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam and dealing with the lichenological studies of Kerala. The present artcle is based on the results of taxonomic studies carried out by him during his post graduaton studies in Department of Botany, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomus). Dr. Binu Thomas currently working as Assistant professor in Department of Botany, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomus). He has authored three books, seven book chapters in edited books and more than 100 artcles in various natonal and internatonal Journals. He also being an actve reviewer in various reputed Journals. His areas of research interests are in angiosperm taxonomy and phytochemistry.

Author contributon: AC—conducted the feld trip, collecton, Identfcaton and compilaton of various datas on chasmophytc plants in the study area. BT— planned the outline of this research work and provided necessary guidelines for the research.

Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to the Principal, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, Kozhikode. We also acknowledged the faculty members and Research scholars of Department of Botany, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri for their support and valuable suggestons.

16099 J TT Phytodiversity of Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala Christy & Thomas

INTRODUCTION supports them on the clifs and allows for maximum exploitaton of the litle water and nutrients contained Floristc diversity refers to the variety and variability in minimal soil. This habitat is also susceptble to strong of plants in a given region. It refers to the number of types winds and full sunlight, as there is no tall vegetaton to or taxa in a given region or group. India is one of the 12 protect it from these climatc factors (Binu & Rajendran mega diversity centres of the world where the Western 2012). Ghats and the Himalayan region consttute two of the The growth of chasmophytc plants mainly depends 34 biodiversity hotspots representng a storehouse of on the availability of water and depth of soil with several promising economically important plants (Myers nutrients. The number of plants is more during the wet 1990). Species richness and endemism are, however, season than during the dry season. The rocky clifs and not uniformly distributed along the Western Ghats. The crevices represent a good indicator of rich biodiversity southernmost regions which have the most favourable within small areas (Binu et al. 2012). The pioneering climatc conditons with high, but not excessive rainfall plants such as lichens, mosses, ferns & fern allies, small and short dry season are the ones with the highest herbs, and grasses grow in the weathered soil in the rock biodiversity and contain the highest number of endemic crevices and loosen the weathered partcles of rocks and species (Pascal et al. 2004). Southern Western Ghats is add an organic material to the developing soil. These one of the two mega endemic centres in Western Ghats plants trap water and wind-blown soil and can add soil (Nair & Daniel 1986; Nayar 1996). Kerala forms a major content in the crevices. Finally, dead organic mater species-rich part of southern Western Ghats harbouring of such a pioneer community can add more suitable a total of 4,679 fowering plants (Sasidharan 2004). substrata for the growth of the next community (Roy et The vegetaton on the surface of rocks or stones al. 1983). are lithophytes, while the vegetaton in the crevices The objectves of the present study were: (i) to of rocks are chasmophytes (Schimper 1898). Rock document the chasmophytc diversity of the study area, crevices form a major habitat for many plants and host (ii) to study the various factors afectng the growth and rich biodiversity within a small area. The rocky habitat survival of chasmophytes in the study area, and (iii) to provides an extremely harsh physical environment for characterize the chasmophytc plants in the study area. plants that leads to the development of specialized plant communites with endemic and habitat specifc species. Microhabitats like rock crevices possess diverse forms of MATERIALS AND METHODS plants, which are mainly seasonal herbs. These habitats difer from each other due to changes in geographical Study Area terrain and soil cover (Porembski 2000). The study area Olichuchatam is situated in Chasmophytes are plants rooted in clefs of rocks Thiruvambady Panchayath of Kozhikode District of that are flled with detritus. In these clefs, partcles Kerala State, India (11.435˚N & 76.079˚E; Figure 1, of earth conveyed by wind and water accumulate. The Image 1). Olichuchatam area comes under the amount and rate of accumulaton depends upon the jurisdicton of Vellarimala Forest Range which is a part width and situaton of the clefs (Davis 1982). The soil of the Western Ghats. Most of the hill range falls in thus consttuted facilitates plants to establish and their the Meppadi Forest Range of South Wayanad Division, dead fragments further add to the supply of the nutritve with some parts falling in the Thamarassery Range of material in the clefs (Bashan et al. 2002). Rocky clifs Kozhikode Division (Image 2–5). Olichuchatam is a are microhabitats which are slightly mineral rich and can waterfall of Iruvanji River situated in evergreen forests support the growth and survival of many chasmophytc on the way to Vellarimala Hills. The hill ranges are species. The occurrence of such habitats ultmately accessible on foot from Muthappanpuzha, a small town depends on a number of factors such as geographical which is about 50km from Kozhikode. By trekking for locaton, levels of exposure, high evaporaton rates, about 4–5 km (approximately three hours) one can nature of soil geology, and water runof during the rainy explore the Olichuchatam Waterfalls. By trekking season (Danin et al. 1982). The chasmophytc species from Olichuchatam to the upper foothills one can growing on rock crevices and clifs have to deal with an explore diferent places like Vellarimala, Vavulmala, and extremely inhospitable environment. Therefore, they Masthakappara. From the top of Olichuchatam itself have developed several adjustments such as strong one can clearly notce the changes in vegetaton and roots and reduced life form structure. This root system the changes in the landscape because of the alttudinal

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Figure 1. Map of India and Kerala State (Source: GIS) Image 1. Satellite image of the study area (Souce: Google Map) variatons. The entre waterfall area and adjacent areas Photographs of the study area in diferent seasons as are full of wet and moist rocky patches especially in well as the images of plants were taken. In additon to the monsoons and become dry during the summer. these, suitable maps, tables, fgures, and images are This characteristc habitat enables diferent plants to given in appropriate places. survive and adapt in a special way based on the diferent seasons. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Data collecton and analysis The current study was based on extensive exploraton Chasmophytc diversity and feld observatons during the period September Results of the present study reveal 120 species (106 2017–February 2018. In the present study an atempt natve species and 14 non-natve species) belonging to was made to document and analyse the chasmophytc 49 families and 93 genera documented in general (Table vegetaton of Olichuchatam Waterfall areas of Kozhikode 1). Of these, fve species are bryophytes of fve families District, Kerala. The documentaton was mainly based and fve genera. Similarly, in pteridophytes, a total of on feld observatons, discussions with local people as 10 species belonging to nine families and nine genera well as scrutnizing the literature. For efectve and are recorded. Angiosperms are dominant among these accurate study, the area was visited and analysed in groups, which include 105 species that belong to 35 diferent climatc conditons in diferent periods such as families and 79 genera (Table 2, Figure 2). rainy season, winter season, and summer season. The The dominant natve chasmophytc plant families study was mainly based on the rock crevices in nearby of the study area are analysed. The dominant natve areas of the upper regions of the waterfalls (1,400m), families are as follows, Poaceae with 15 species followed near the waterfalls (1,250m), and the lower foothills by Balsaminaceae with seven species, Asteraceae and of the waterfalls (700m) which showed considerable Commelinaceae with six species each, Malvaceae variatons in their alttudes ranging 700–1,400 m. and Melastomataceae with fve species each, and During the feld visits, the plant specimens were Scrophulariaceae represented by three species (Figure collected to prepare herbariums. The collected 3). specimens were identfed taxonomically with the help Similarly, the analysis of the dominant natve genera of available foras and literature (Gamble 1915–1936; reveals that the genus Impatens dominates with seven Sasidharan 2004). The specimens were processed species followed by Blumea, Cyanots, Eriocaulon, and for the preparaton of the herbarium by standard Arundinella each with three species, respectvely (Figure methods. The voucher specimens are deposited in the 4). Herbaria of PG & Research Department of Botany, St. The analysis of the overall plant habits/growth form Joseph’s College, Kozhikode (DEV) for future reference. reveals that herbs are the dominant with 100 species,

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2 3

4 5

Image 2–5. Diferent views of the study area. © Arun Christy.

followed by 16 species of shrubs and four species of climbers.

Distributon patern of chasmophytc plants The diversity and distributon of the recorded 120 chasmophytc plants in the study area reveals that there are only about 25 species which are commonly distributed. Fify-eight species are uncommon or sporadically distributed and 37 of them are very rarely occurring in the study area. The high number of uncommon and rare plants in the study area indicates

that they need very specifc ecological conditons. Figure 2. Floristc analysis of natve chasmophytes in the study area. It was observed the distributon of the plants greatly Figure 2. Floristc analysis of natve chasmophytes in the study area. vary with respect to the diferent seasons. In the monsoon season, the diversity of water loving chasmophytc plants are seen more. The taxa like Impatens, Sonerila, species are seen thriving well. Also with the variatons Eriocaulon, Utricularia are dominant vegetaton cover in the alttudes, the vegetaton changes. Plants like during this period. While in the summer period, fewer Pellaea falcata, Bolbits appendiculata, Impatens sp., species survive in the area but grasses and some weedy Sonerila sp., Osbeckia sp., Arundinella sp., Pouzolzia

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Table 1. Total plant checklist of the study area.

Natve/ Natve/ Botanical name Family Non- Botanical name Family Non- natve natve Chrysopogon hackelii Bryophytes 18 Poaceae Natve (Hook.f.) C.E.C. Fisch 1 Bryum argenteum Hedw. Bryaceae Natve Cleome burmannii Wight 19 Capparaceae Natve Campylopus fexuosus & Arn. 2 Dicranaceae Natve (Hedw.) Brid. 20 Cleome viscosa L. Capparaceae Natve Cyathodium cavernarum 3 Targioniaceae Natve Kunze 21 Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinaceae Natve Pogonatum aloides (Hedw.) 4 Polytrichaceae Natve 22 Commelina clavata Clarke Commelinaceae Natve P. Beauv. Costus speciosus (Koenig) 23 Zingiberaceae Natve 5 Riccia crystallina L. Ricciaceae Natve J.E. Smith Crassocephalum crepidioides Pteridophytes 24 Asteraceae Natve (Benth.) S. Moore Adiantum raddianum C. 1 Adiantaceae Natve Presl 25 Cyanots arachnoidea Clarke Commelinaceae Natve Bolbits appendiculata 2 Dryopteridaceae Natve 26 Cyanots cristata (L.) D. Don. Commelinaceae Natve (Willd.) K. Iwats. Cyanots papilionacea 27 Commelinaceae Natve 3 Drynaria quercifolia (L) J. Sm. Drynariaceae Natve (Burm. f.) Schult. f. Lepisorus nudus (Hook.) Cymbopogon fexuosus 4 Polypodiaceae Natve 28 Poaceae Natve Ching (Nees ex Steud.) Wats. 5 Lygodium fexuosum (L.) Sw. Lygodiaceae Natve 29 Cyperus tenuispica Steud. Cyperaceae Natve Parahemionits cordata 30 Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. Caryophyllaceae Natve 6 (Roxb. ex Hook. & Grev.) Hemionitdaceae Natve Fras. 31 Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC. Asteraceae Natve 7 Pellaea falcata (R.Br.) Fee Pteridaceae Natve 32 Eriocaulon quinquangulare L. Eriocaulaceae Natve Pteridium aquilinum (L.) 8 Dennstaedtaceae Natve 33 Eriocaulon rhodaeFyson Eriocaulaceae Natve Kuhn. Eriocaulon xeranthemum Selaginella involvens (Sw.) 34 Eriocaulaceae Natve 9 Selaginellaceae Natve Mart. Spring Euphorbia vajraveluiBinoj. Selaginella tenera (Hook. & 35 Euphorbiaceae Natve 10 Selaginellaceae Natve & Balakr. Grev.) Spring Geissaspis cristata Wight 36 Fabaceae Natve Angiosperms & Arn. Abelmoschus angulosus Glinus oppositfolius (L.) 1 Malvaceae Natve 37 Aizoaceae Natve Wall. ex Wight & Arn. A. DC. Non- Hemidesmus indicus (L.) 2 Aeschynomene americana L. Fabaceae 38 Apocynaceae Natve natve R. Br. Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. 3 Apluda mutca L. Poaceae Natve 39 Poaceae Natve Beauv. ex Roem. &Schult. Arundina graminifolia (D. 4 Orchidaceae Natve Don) Hochr. 40 Hibiscus hispidissimus Grif. Malvaceae Natve Arundinella leptochloa (Nees 5 Poaceae Natve 41 Homonoia riparia Lour. Euphorbiaceae Natve ex Steud.) Hook. F. Non- Arundinella metziiHochst. 42 Hypts suaveolens (L.) Poit. Lamiaceae 6 Poaceae Natve natve ex Miq. Impatens cordata Arundinella pumila (Hochst. 43 Wight Balsaminaceae Natve 7 Poaceae Natve ex A. Rich.) Steud. Impatens diversifolia Wall. 44 Balsaminaceae Natve ex 8 Barleria courtallica Nees Acanthaceae Natve Wight & Arn Impatens gardneriana 45 Balsaminaceae Natve 9 Blumea barbata DC. Asteraceae Natve Wight 10 Blumea belangeriana DC. Asteraceae Natve 46 Impatens herbicola Hook. f. Balsaminaceae Natve Blumea membranacea Wall. 11 Asteraceae Natve 47 Impatens modesta Wight Balsaminaceae Natve ex DC. Impatens scapifora Heyne Bulbophyllum sterile (Lam.) 48 Balsaminaceae Natve 12 Orchidaceae Natve ex Roxb. Suresh 49 Impatens viscosa Bedd. Balsaminaceae Natve 13 Burmannia coelests D. Don Burmanniaceae Natve Ipomoea deccana Canscora difusa (Vahl) R. Br. 50 Austn Convolvulaceae Natve 14 Gentanaceae Natve ex Roem. & Schult. Isachne bourneorum C.E.C. 51 Poaceae Natve 15 Canscora perfoliata Lam. Gentanaceae Natve Fisch. Isachneglobosa (Thunb.) Christsonia tubulosa (Wight) 52 Poaceae Natve 16 Orobanchaceae Natve O. Ktze. Benth. ex Hook. f. Ischaemum dalzelii Stapf Chromolaena odorata (L.) Non- 53 Poaceae Natve 17 Asteraceae ex Bor King & Robins. natve

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Natve/ Natve/ Botanical name Family Non- Botanical name Family Non- natve natve Isodon lophanthoides (Buch.- Pogonatherum crinitum 54 Lamiaceae Natve 79 Poaceae Natve Ham. ex D.Don) H.Hara (Thunb.) Kunth Jansenella grifthiana (C. 55 Poaceae Natve 80 Pouzolzia wighti Bennet, Urtcaceae Natve Muell.) Bor Rotala malampuzhensis Nair 81 Lythraceae Natve 56 Justcia japonica Thunb Acanthaceae Natve ex Cook Knoxia sumatrensis (Retz.) 57 Rubiaceae Natve 82 Rungia pectnata (L.) Nees Acanthaceae Natve DC. Non- Non- 83 Scoparia dulcis L. Scrophulariaceae 58 Lantana camara L. Verbenaceae natve natve 84 Sida alnifolia L. Malvaceae Natve 59 Leucas ciliata Benth. ex Wall. Lamiaceae Natve 85 Smithia gracilis Benth. Fabaceae Natve Lindernia ciliata (Colsm.) 60 Scrophulariaceae Natve Pennell Sonerila rheedei Wight & 86 Melastomataceae Natve Lindernia crustacea (L.) F.v. Arn. 61 Scrophulariaceae Natve Muell. Sonerila versicolor Wight var. 87 Melastomataceae Natve Melastoma malabathricum axillaris 62 Melastomataceae Natve L. Non- 88 Spermacoce latfolia Aubl. Rubiaceae natve 63 Melochia corchorifolia L. Sterculiaceae Natve Non- Merremia umbellata (L.) 89 Spilanthes radicans Jacq. Asteraceae 64 Convolvulaceae Natve natve Hall. Stemodia vertcillata (Mill.) Non- Microstachys chamaelea (L.) 90 Scrophulariaceae 65 Euphorbiaceae Natve Sprague natve Muell.-Arg. 91 Strobilanthes lanatus Nees Acanthaceae Natve Mimosa diplotricha C. Wight Non- 66 Mimosaceae ex Sauvalle natve Themeda sabarimalayana 92 Poaceae Natve Non- Sreek. & V.J. Nair 67 Mimosa pudica L. Mimosaceae natve 93 Themeda triandra Forssk. Poaceae Natve Non- 68 Mitracarpus hirtus (L.) DC. Rubiaceae natve 94 Torenia bicolor Dalz. Scrophulariaceae Natve Non- 69 Mollugo pentaphylla L. Aizoaceae Natve 95 Tridax procumbens L. Asteraceae natve Murdannia semiteres (Dalz.) 70 Commelinaceae Natve Sant. 96 Triumfeta annua L. Tiliaceae Natve Naregamia alata Wight 97 Triumfeta rhomboidea Jacq. Tiliaceae Natve 71 Meliaceae Natve & Arn. 98 Urena lobata L ssp. lobata Malvaceae Natve 72 Oldenlandia corymbosa L. Rubiaceae Natve 99 Urena lobata L. ssp. sinuata Malvaceae Natve 73 Osbeckia aspera (L.) Blume Melastomataceae Natve 100 Utricularia graminifolia Vahl. Lentbulariaceae Natve Osbeckia virgata D. Don ex 74 Melastomataceae Natve Wight & Arn. 101 Utricularia striatula Smith Lentbulariaceae Natve Peliosanthes teta Andr. ssp. 75 Haemodaraceae Natve 102 Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less. Asteraceae Natve humilis Pennisetum polystachyon Xenostegia tridentata (L.) 76 Poaceae Natve 103 Convolvulaceae Natve (L.) Schult. Austn & Staples Peperomia pellucida (L.) Non- 104 Xyris indica L. Xyridaceae Natve 77 Piperaceae Kunth natve Zeuxine longilabris (Lindl.) 105 Orchidaceae Natve Non- ex 78 Pilea microphylla (L.) Liebm. Urtcaceae Benth. Hook. f. natve

Table 2. Analysis of chasmophytc diversity in the study area.

Analysis of plant diversity Families Genera Species Bryophyta 5 5 5 Pteridophyta 9 9 10

Polypetalae 12 20 *29(3)

26 56 73 Dicotyledons Gamopetalae 11 30 *26(9)

Monochlamydae 3 6 *4(2) Monocotyledons 9 23 32 Total 49 93 120

*—natve species | ()—Non-natve species

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Figure 4. Analysis of dominant natve genera.

Figure 3. Analysis of dominant natve families of angiosperms. Developing a normal garden for balsams will not be efectve because many balsams (especially scapigerous species) cannot survive in normal greenhouses. So there wighti, Strobilanthes lanatus, Arundina graminifolia, is a need for a special type of gardening for balsams. and Themeda sp. are distributed in high alttude areas Bhaskar (2012) developed special gardening methods for (1,200–1,400m). balsams by providing splash watering, water drippings, and shady conditons which are essental for developing Ornamental chasmophytes the Impatens’ microclimate inside greenhouses (Image The present study analysed that 47 species of plants 6). have ornamental potental. Among the 47 species, four of them are pteridophytes and the rest of the 43 species are Invasive chasmophytes angiosperms. Of the 47 species distributed in the area, The present study also observed that, there are family Balsaminaceae is dominant with seven species 14 plant species, which are introduced from various followed by Melastomataceae and Commelinaceae with countries as well as diferent regions of the world and fve species each, Scrophulariaceae and Convolvulaceae now they are naturalized in chasmophytc habitats of with three species each. Considering the ornamental the present study area. The natvity of these species potental of the plants of documented chasmophytes, includes central America, South America, tropical 32 species have a good looking habit, seven species have America, and tropical Africa (Sasidharan 2004). These atractve foliage and about 37 species have good looking species are invasive in our country and have established fowers (Table 3). The colour of the fowers along with themselves, thereby a threat to other natve fora (Table good looking habit of many chasmophytc plants is an 4). aspect of ornamental potentality, therefore, such taxa has also been identfed for possible cultvaton in rock Soil analysis gardens or rockeries for ornamental purposes (Binu et Soil samples from diferent regions of the study al. 2012). area (three samples were collected based on alttudinal variatons such as lower, middle, higher alttudes) were Impatens for rockery/rock gardening used for the soil analysis. Soil samples were analysed Balsams or Impatens are ofen called ‘Jewel Weeds’ with the help of Indian Insttute of Spices Research, or ‘Orchid Balsams’. They are handsome plants bearing Kozhikode as per the methods adopted by Jackson (1971). curious and variously coloured fowers. Southern The parameters analysed are pH value, percentage of Indian species of Impatens have a wealth of new organic Carbon, amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and ornamentally desirable fower colours like red, and Potassium and the results are presented in Table 5 pink, orange, scarlet, yellow and may have diferent (Furley 1968). combinatons of these colours. This beautful wild The soil analysis indicates that the rocky crevices of fower can be seen on wet perpendicular rocks or old the lower foothills (700m) is more nutrient rich than walls in the hills of high elevatons. The balsam thrives the middle and high alttude soils. This may be due best during monsoon months (June–September) and the to the washing of the soil and nutrients from the high best collectons can only be acquired in the monsoon. alttude areas to low alttude areas and the subsequent

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Table 3. List of ornamental chasmophytes from the Olichuchatam area of Kozhikode District, Kerala.

Botanical name Family Ornamental characters Pteridophytes 1. Adiantum raddianum C. Presl Adiantaceae Good looking habit and atractve foliage. 2. Bolbits appendiculata (Willd.) K.Iwats. Dryopteridaceae Good looking habit and atractve foliage. 3. Pellaea falcata (R.Br.) Pteridaceae Good looking habit and atractve foliage. 4. Selaginellainvolvens (Sw.) Spring Selaginellaceae Good looking habit and atractve foliage. Angiosperms 1. Abelmoschus angulosus Wall. ex Wight & Arn. Malvaceae Atractve large pink coloured fowers 2. Arundina graminifolia (D.Don) Hochr. Orchidaceae Good looking pink/purple coloured fowers also have a good looking habit 3. Barleria courtallica Nees Acanthaceae Atractve light blue coloured fowers. 4. Burmannia coelests D.Don. Burmanniaceae Atractve light pink coloured fowers. 5. Canscora difusa (Vahl) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult. Gentanaceae Good looking habit 6. Canscora perfoliata Lam. Gentanaceae Beautful cream coloured fowers 7. Christsonia tubulosa (Wight) Benth. ex Hook.f. Orobanchaceae Atractve purple-white tnged-yellow coloured fowers 8. Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinaceae Beautful blue fowers with good looking habit. 9. Commelina clavata Clarke Commelinaceae Good looking blue coloured fowers with atractve creeping plant habit. Good looking yellow-orange coloured fowers and also have atractve pappus 10. Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S.Moore Asteraceae hairs. 11. Cyanots arachnoidea Clarke Commelinaceae Atractve blue coloured fowers and also have atractve habit 12. Cyanots papilionacea (Burm.f.) Schult. Commelinaceae Atractve blue coloured fowers and nice habit. 13. Eriocaulon quinquangulare L. Eriocaulaceae Atractve plant habit with good looking white headed fowers. 14. Eriocaulon xeranthemum Mart. Eriocaulaceae Atractve plant habit with good looking white headed fowers. 15. Euphorbia vajravelui Binoj. & Balakr. Euphorbiaceae Good looking plant habit. 16. Geissaspis cristata Wight & Arn. Fabaceae Good looking habit, with delicate fowers and persistent fmbriate bracts 17. Impatens cordata Wight Balsaminaceae A good habit and pink coloured fowers. 18. Impatens diversifolia Wall. ex Wight Balsaminaceae Atractve pink coloured fowers. 19. Impatens gardneriana Wight Balsaminaceae Atractve plants with a good habit and pink coloured fowers. 20. Impatens herbicola Hook. f. Balsaminaceae Small atractve white coloured fowers 21. Impatens modesta Wight Balsaminaceae Atractve plants with rose coloured fowers. 22. Impatens scapifora Heyne ex Roxb. Balsaminaceae Atractve habit and light rose coloured fowers. 23. Impatens viscosa Bedd. Balsaminaceae Atractve small pink fowers and an atractve habit. 24. Ipomoea deccana Austn Convolvulaceae Good looking purple coloured fowers and atractve habit. 25. Leucas ciliata Benth. ex Wall. Lamiaceae Good looking white fowers. 26. Lindernia ciliata (Colsm.) Pennell var. ciliata Scrophulariaceae Good looking purple fowers with atractve habit. 27. Lindernia crustacea (L.) Muell. Scrophulariaceae Good looking purple fowers. 28. Melastoma malabathricum L. Melastomataceae Atractve large rose coloured fowers. 29. Merremia umbellata (L.) Hall. f. Convolvulaceae Atractve white coloured fowers. 30. Murdannia semiteres (Dalz.) Sant. Commelinaceae Atractve plant habit 31. Naregamia alata Wight & Arn. Meliaceae Good looking white coloured fowers. 32. Osbeckia aspera (L.) Blume var. aspera Melastomataceae Atractve large pink coloured fowers and a good looking habit. 33. Osbeckia virgata D. Don ex Wight & Arn. Melastomataceae Atractve large pink coloured fowers with good looking habit. 34. Pogonatherum crinitum (Thunb.) Kunth Poaceae Atractve plant habit and nice foliage 35. Rotala malampuzhensis Nair ex Cook Lythraceae Atractve plant habit with good looking foliage. 36. Smithia gracilis Benth. Fabaceae Atractve yellow fowers and a good looking habit. 37. Sonerila rheedei Wight & Arn. Melastomataceae Atractve pink coloured fowers Sonerila versicolor Wight var. axillaris (Wight) Atractve pink coloured fowers with good looking habit which have leaves with 38. Melastomataceae Gamble white dots on it. 39. Torenia bicolor Dalz. Scrophulariaceae Atractve dark purple-yellow coloured fowers. 40. Utricularia graminifolia Vahl. Lentbulariaceae Atractve plants with a good habit and blue coloured fowers. 41. Utricularia striatula Smith Lentbulariaceae Atractve plants with pink-yellow coloured fowers. 42. Xenostegia tridentata (L.) Austn & Staples Convolvulaceae Atractve cream to yellow coloured fowers. 43. Xyris indica L. Xyridaceae Good looking plants with beautful yellow fowers.

16106 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2020 | 12(9): 16099–16109 J TT Phytodiversity of Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala Christy & Thomas

Table 4. List of invasive chasmophytes of study area. Table 5. Analysis of soil samples from chasmophytc habitats.

Organic Botanical names Family Natvity Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium Alttudes pH carbon Aeschynomene americana (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) 1. Fabaceae Central America (%) L. Lower Chromolaena odorata 2. Asteraceae Central America alttude 5.00 5.95% 390 5.1 172 (L.) King (700m) Hypts suaveolens (L.) 3. Lamiaceae Central America Middle Poit. alttude 4.71 5.90% 380 4.1 145 (1,250m) 4. Lantana camara L. Verbenaceae Tropical America Higher Mimosa diplotricha Wight 5. Mimosaceae Tropical America alttude 4.52 5.85% 370 3.8 138 ex Sanv. (1,400m) 6. Mimosa pudica L. Mimosaceae South America Mitracarpus hirtus (L.) 7. Rubiaceae Tropical Africa DC. Peperomia pellucida (L.) depositon. The soil samples of rock crevices are rich in 8. Piperaceae Tropical America Kunth. organic carbon and nitrogen due to the weathering of Pilea microphylla (L.) 9. Urtcaceae South America Liebm. rocks and the depositon of them into the crevices. The 10. Scoparia dulcis L. Scrophulariaceae Tropical America present study also highlights that the growth patern of chasmophytes in the rock crevices mainly depends 11. Spermacoce latfolia Aubl. Rubiaceae Tropical Africa on the amount of essental elements in the soil of such 12. Spilanthes radicans Jacq. Asteraceae Tropical America micro habitats. 13. Stemodia vertcillata Mill. Scrophulariaceae Tropical America

14. Tridax procumbens L. Asteraceae Tropical America Threats to the chasmophytc habitats Generally, habitat loss is due to the anthropogenic actvites. It was notced that compared to anthropogenic actvites, the present study area was also afected by over grazing as well as unsustainable utlizaton of natural resources by natves. It may enhance the depth of threat

a b c

d e f

Image 6. Diferent species of Impatens from the study area: a—Impatens cordata Wight | b—Impatens gardneriana Wight | c—Impatens scapifora Heyne ex Roxb | d—Impatens diversifolia Wall. ex Wight | e—Impatens modesta Wight. | f—Impatens viscosa Bedd. © Arun Christy

Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2020 | 12(9): 16099–16109 16107 J TT Phytodiversity of Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala Christy & Thomas

a b c

d e f

g h i

j k l

to the study especially during peak monsoon period by the monsoon (Manudev et al. 2012). land slides and fooding of rivers. Invasive species are the biggest threat to many natve chasmophytes in the study area. Tourists trekking the Vellarimala cause destructon CONCLUSION to the existng ecosystem to some extent. There are also many study reports showing that the plants which were Chasmophytes to some extent determine the distributed earlier in the foothills of Olichuchatam area vegetaton of the valley. The rocky clifs and crevices are disappearing due to the frequent land slides during represent a good indicator of rich biodiversity within

16108 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2020 | 12(9): 16099–16109 J TT Phytodiversity of Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala Christy & Thomas small areas. The chasmophytc vegetaton hasn’t gained Furley, P.A. (1968). The relatonships between soil formaton and much atenton because of the lack of research carried gradient in the Oxford area. Geomorpholgy 12: 25 –42. Gamble, J.S. & C.E. CFischer (1915-1936). The Flora of Presidency of out in this feld and the lack of knowledge about this Madras. Part 1- 11 (Part 1-7 by Gamble and 8- 11 by Fischer) Adlard partcular vegetaton. and Sons Ltd., London. (Repr. ed. Vols. 13. 1957). Jackson, M.L. (1971). Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentce-Hall, New Delhi, India, 498pp. Manudev, K.M., A. Weber & S. Nampy (2012). Henckelia pradeepiana, REFERENCES a new species of Gesneriaceae from the southern Western Ghats, India. Rheedea 22(2): 119–123. Myers, N. (1988 and 1990). Threatened Biotas: hot spots in tropical Bashan, Y., C.Y. Li, V.K. Lebsky & M. Monero (2002). Colonizaton of forests. The Environment 8: 1–20; 10: 243, 256. chasmophytc plants in arid Baja California, Mexico. Plant Biology Nair, N.C. & P. Daniel (1986). The foristc diversity of the Western 4: 392–402. Ghats and its conservaton: A review. Proceedings of the Indian Bhaskar, V. (2012). Taxonomic monograph on Impatens L. Academy of Sciences (Animal Science/ Plant Science) Supplement (Balsaminaceae) of Western Ghats, South India. The Key Genus 127–163. for Endemism. Centre for Plant Taxonomic Studies, Bangalore, Nayar, M.P. (1996). Hot Spots of Endemic Plants of India, Nepal Karnataka, India, 11–14pp. and Bhutan. Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Insttute, Binu, T. & A. Rajendran (2012). Chasmophytc fern and fern allies of Thiruvananthapuram, India, 256pp. Coimbatore District, Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. Pascal, J.P., B.R. Ramesh & D. De Franceschi (2004).Wet evergreen Journal of Applied Biological Research 11: 1–10. forest types of the southern Western Ghats, India. Tropical Ecology Binu, T., A. Rajendran & V. Aravindhan (2012). Chasmophytes: the 45(2): 281–292. potental plants for Rock gardening, from Velliangiri Hills of Southern Porembski, S. (2000). Biotc diversity of isolated rock outcrops in Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. Botanical Report 1(1): 14–19. tropical and temperate regions. Journal of Ecology 146: 177–208. Danin, A., R. Gerson, K. Marton & J. Garty (1982). Paterns of Roy, D.L., R.W. Miller, C. John & C. Shickluna (1983). An Introducton to limestone and dolomite weathering by lichens and blue – green Soil and Plant growth. Prentce-Hall, Englewood Clifs, NJ, 67–75pp. algae and their paleoclimatc signifcance. Paleoecology 37: 221– Sasidharan, N. (2004). KFRI Handbook, No. 17; Biodiversity 233. documentaton for Kerala. Part 6: Flowering plants. Davis, P.H. (1982). Clif vegetaton in the Eastern Mediterranean. Schimper, A.F. (1898). Plant Geography up on a Physiological Basis. Journal of Ecology 39: 63–93. Oxford University Press, England.

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Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2020 | 12(9): 16099–16109 16109 PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. OPEN ACCESS All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)

June 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 9 | Pages: 15967–16194 Date of Publicaton: 26 June 2020 (Online & Print) www.threatenedtaxa.org DOI: 10.11609/jot.2020.12.9.15967-16194

Communicatons DNA barcode reveals the occurrence of Palearctc Olepa schleini Wit et al., 2005 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctinae) from peninsular India with morphological variatons Dusky Langurs Trachypithecus obscurus (Reid, 1837) (Primates: Cercopithecidae) in and a new subspecies Singapore: potental origin and conficts with natve primate species – Aparna Sureshchandra Kalawate, Shital Pawara, A. Shabnam & K.P. Dinesh, Pp. 16143– – Andie Ang, Sabrina Jabbar & Max Khoo, Pp. 15967–15974 16152

A new report on mixed species associaton between Nilgiri Langurs Semnopithecus johnii Present status of the genus Sphrageidus Maes, 1984 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: and Tufed Grey Langurs S. priam (Primates: Cercopithecidae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Lymantriinae) from India Reserve, Western Ghats, India – Amritpal Singh Kaleka, Devinder Singh & Gagan Preet Kour Bali, Pp. 16153–16160 – K.S. Chetan Nag, Pp. 15975–15984 Early stages of Nilgiri Grass Yellow Eurema nilgiriensis (Yata, 1990) (Lepidoptera: A review of the bacular morphology of some Indian bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) Pieridae), with a note on its range extension in the Kerala part of the Western Ghats, – Bhargavi Srinivasulu, Harpreet Kaur, Tariq Ahmed Shah, Gundena Devender, Asad Gopi, India Sreehari Raman & Chelmala Srinivasulu, Pp. 15985–16005 – Balakrishnan Valappil & V.K. Chandrasekharan, Pp. 16161–16165

Status of the Critcally Endangered Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis (Gmelin, 1789) in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal Notes – Hem Sagar Baral, Tek Raj Bhat, Sailendra Raj Giri, Ashok Kumar Ram, Shyam Kumar Shah, Laxman Prasad Poudyal, Dhiraj Chaudhary, Gitanjali Bhatacharya & Rajan Amin, Breeding site records of three sympatric vultures in a mountainous clif in Kahara- Pp. 16006–16012 Thathri, Jammu & Kashmir, India – Muzafar A. Kichloo, Sudesh Kumar & Neeraj Sharma, Pp. 16166–16169 Observatons on breeding behaviour of a pair of endangered Egyptan Vultures Neophron percnopterus (Linnaeus, 1758) over three breeding seasons in the plains of Punjab, India First distributon record of Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata (Blyth, 1853) – Charn Kumar, Amritpal Singh Kaleka & Sandeep Kaur Thind, Pp. 16013–16020 (Reptlia: Testudines: Testudinidae) from Bihar, India – Arif, Sourabh Verma, Ayesha Mohammad Maslehuddin, Utam, Ambarish Kumar Mall, Additons to the cicada (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadidae) fauna of India: frst report and Gaurav Ojha & Hemkant Roy, Pp. 16170–16172 range extension of four species with notes on their natural history from Meghalaya –Vivek Sarkar, Cuckoo Mahapatra, Pratyush P. Mohapatra & Manoj V. Nair, Pp. 16021–16042 The niche of shrimp stocks (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri Heller, 1862) from southeastern Brazil: a stable isotope approach The perceptons of high school students on the habitat of the crab Ucides cordatus – Keltony de Aquino Ferreira, Leandro Rabello Monteiro & Ana Paula Madeira Di (Linnaeus, 1763) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ucididae) in northern Rio de Janeiro State, Benedito, Pp. 16173–16176 southeastern Brazil – Laiza Fernanda Quintanilha Ribeiro, Laura Helena de Oliveira Côrtes & Ana Paula Madeira First record of the White Tufed Royal Pratapa deva lila Moore, [1884] (Lepidoptera: Di Benedito, Pp. 16043–16047 Lycaenidae: Theclinae) from Himachal Pradesh, extending its known range westwards – Sanjay Sondhi, Pp. 16177–16179 Woody species diversity from proposed ecologically sensitve area of northern Western Ghats: implicatons for biodiversity management Range extension of the Lilac Silverline Apharits lilacinus to southern Rajasthan and a – M. Tadwalkar, A. Joglekar, M. Mhaskar & A. Patwardhan, Pp. 16048–16063 review of the literature –K.S. Gopi Sundar, Swat Kitur, Vijay Kumar Koli & Utkarsh Prajapat, Pp. 16180–16182 Resolving taxonomic problems in the genus Ceropegia L. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) with vegetatve micromorphology A record of gynandromorphism in the libellulid dragonfy Crocothemis servilia (Insecta: – Savita Sanjaykumar Rahangdale & Sanjaykumar Ramlal Rahangdale, Pp. 16064–16076 Odonata) from India – R.V. Renjith & A. Vivek Chandran, Pp. 16183–16186 A checklist of angiosperm fora of low elevaton lateritc hills of northern Kerala, India – K.A. Sreejith, V.B. Sreekumar, P. Prashob, S. Nita, M.P. Prejith & M.S. Sanil, Pp. 16077– Carcass consumpton by Nasuttermes callimorphus (Blatodea: Isoptera) in highland 16098 forests from Brazil – Igor Eloi, Mário Herculano de Oliveira & Maria Avany Bezerra-Gusmão, Pp. 16187– Phytodiversity of chasmophytc habitats at Olichuchatam Waterfalls, Kerala, India 16189 – Arun Christy & Binu Thomas, Pp. 16099–16109 New records of nasutform termite (Nasuttermitnae: Termitdae: Isoptera) from Contributon to the macromycetes of West Bengal, India: 51–56 Meghalaya, India – Diptosh Das, Entaj Tarafder, Meghma Bera, Anirban Roy & Krishnendu Acharya, – Khirod Sankar Das & Sudipta Choudhury, Pp. 16190–16192 Pp. 16110–16122

Corrigendum Short Communicatons Correctons to A citzens science approach to monitoring of the Lion Panthera leo Catalogue of herpetological specimens from peninsular India at the Sálim Ali Centre for (Carnivora: Felidae) populaton in Niokolo-Koba Natonal Park, Senegal Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), India – Dimitri Dagorne, Abdoulaye Kanté & John B. Rose, Pp. 16193–16194 – S.R. Ganesh, S. Bhupathy, P. Karthik, G. Babu Rao & S. Babu, Pp. 16123–16135

Osteological descripton of Indian Skipper Frog Euphlycts cyanophlycts (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from the Western Ghats of India – Pankaj A. Gorule, Sachin M. Gosavi, Sanjay S. Kharat & Chandani R. Verma, Pp. 16136– Publisher & Host 16142

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