6376Trends in Biosciences 8(22), Print : ISSN 0974-8431,Trends 6376-6380, in Biosciences 2015 8 (22), 2015 New Record of Pteridophytes for Delhi Flora, India ANAND KUMAR MISHRA Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi-110062 *email: [email protected] ABSTRACT species of pteridophytes that occur in the World flora, more than 1,000 species belongs to 70 The Pteridophytes are considered to be one of the families and 191 genera likely to occur in India primitive groups in vascular plants which are scattered all over the world. More than 1000 species (Dixit and Vohra, 1984 ). Out of 1000 species of of fern & fern allies have been reported from India. pteridophytes occurring in India, 170 species have Being a group of lower plants, they were always been found to be used as food, flavour, dye, uncared for and their valuable aspect has been ignored. medicine, bio-fertilizers, oil, fibre and biogas The present study to investigate the survey of wild production (Manickam and Irudayaraj, 1992). plants species of Delhi Flora. The study was Western Ghats and Himalayas are major centre of undertaken during the years 2011-2015. A brief distribution of Pteridophytes in India; these are two description of taxa, vernacular names, classification, important phytogeographical regions of India as family, phenological data, locality, distribution, reported by Chatterjee (1939). medicinal uses and voucher specimen no. are given According to a census, the Pteridophytic flora for this species. Photographs of this species are also of India comprises of 67 families, 191 genera and given in this manuscript. more than 1,000 species (Dixit, 1984) including 47 endemic Indian ferns, less than 10% of those Key words New Record, Pteridophytes, Delhi reported previously and 414 species of Flora, India Pteridophytes (219 At risk, of which 160 critically endangered, 82 Near-threatened and 113 Rare), Pteridophytes are group of seedless and spore constituting 41-43 % of the total number of 950- producing plants, formed by two lineages, 1000 Pteridophytes of India. Chandra, 2000 Lycophyta-fronds with no leaf gap in the stem stele recorded 34 families, 144 genera and more than and monilophytes-fronds with leaf gap in the stem 1100 species of ferns with about 235 endemic stele (Pryer et al., 2001, 2004; Smith et al., 2006). species from Indian region. They occupy unique position in the plant kingdom and are enormously fascinating from the angle of Delhi is located in northern India between the phylogenetic and morphological characters, latitudes of 28°-24'-17" and 28°- 53'-00" North and bridging the gap between non-seed-bearing longitudes of 76°-50'-24" and 77°-20'-37" East bryophytes and seed-bearing vascular plants. They (Figure 2) . Delhi shares borders with the States constituted an important part of earth’s flora for of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Delhi has an area of millions of years (Pryer et al., 2001), and are today 1,483 sq. Kms. Its maximum length is 51.90 kms widely distributed in tropic and temperate regions, and greatest width is 48.48 kms (Economic Survey especially at higher elevations. Report of Delhi-2001-2002). Monsoon arrives in Delhi in the last week of June or first week of July. About 250 millions years ago, they constituted The average annual rainfall in is 66.6 cm. Delhi the dominant vegetation on earth surface. However, contains mean annual maximum temperature is 460 they are now replaced by seed bearing plants in the C as well minimum is 40 C due to which December modern day flora. Pteridophytes grow luxuriantly is coldest and June is hottest month (Fig. 1). in moist tropical and temperate forest and their occurrence in different eco-geographically After the Publication of Flora of Delhi by threatened regions from sea level to the highest Maheshwari, 1963, some sporadic publications are mountain are of much interest (Perumal, 2010). available about new records such as, Dakshini, and India has a rich population of pteridophytes; most Vijayaraghavan, 1970, Viswananathan et al., 1982; of the species appear in either the region or in South 1984; Viswananathan, and Singh, 1986; Sharma, Indian Mountains called the Western and Eastern and Ahmad, 1990; 1991; Sharma, 1994; 1997; Ghats (Gowrisankar et al., 2006). Totally, 12,000 2002; Kumar, and Yadav, 2005; Naithani et al., 2006 MISHRA et al., New Record of Pteridophytes for Delhi Flora, India 6377 Fig. 1. Map of Study Area and Collection site location of Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link and Mishra et al., 2014; 2015a; 2015b. Late Dr. J. critical investigations author found that this taxa is K. Maheshwari, 1963 reported Marsilea minuta not reported from this region. Identification, L. and Azolla pinnata R. Br., while Naithani et al., vernacular names, classification, correct and 2007 Equisetum arvense L. and Christella dentata updated citation, a short description and medicinal (Forsk) Brown & Jermy from this region. During prosperities are depicted for this taxon followed my field survey, many angiospemic taxa along with by a note on ecology and taxonomic identity. The this taxa were collected from Delhi province. After voucher specimens are deposited in Department 6378 Trends in Biosciences 8 (22), 2015 of Botany, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi. dark-brown, unicellular, scales brown. Bicolorous (central region black, margin light-coloured), Indentification margin entire, apex long acuminate. Stipes 4-10(- The plants were indentified with help of the 15) cm long, stramineous to light-brown, thin, help of Pteridophyte Flora of the Western Ghats- sparsely scaly, scales bicolorous to concolorous, South India, 1992; Fern Flora of Western light-brown with a blackish apical part or uniformly Himalayas, 1994; An Illustrated Fern Flora of the brown. Lamina flabellate, divided by a deep notch Kumaon Himalayas, 2003, and Final identification into 2 symmetrical halves, each half consisting of of the collected taxa was done by Prof. M. P. 5-6 further dichotomous branches, resulting in a Sharma, Dept. of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, New total of up to 48 lobes, each lobe about 3.0 x 1.0 Delhi and Dr. H.B. Singh, National Institute of cm, narrow, linear, apex divided into 2-4 acute Science Communication and Information teeth, margin entire; texture subcoriaceous. The Resources (NISCAIR), New Delhi. dried lamina rolls up and bends abruptly in its basal Vernaculars Names: According to review on region and forms a very narrow angle with the stipe medicinal plants of India given by I.C.M.R., New or becomes adherent to it, basal part of lamina with Delhi, 2004 stated that, the term Actiniopteris has a few scales; veins anastromosing, ultimate veins its origin from the Greek aktis (ray) and pteris few, diverging from the midrib at a very narrow (fern); refers to the radiating leaf segments 7. It acute angle, the distal part of each vein runs parallel contains various vernacular names for this taxa to the lamina margin and joins with its apex the such as, Mayursikha (Sanskrit), Mapursika corresponding part of the adjacent veins. Sori (Bombay), Morpach (North-Western Provinces of indusiate, long, continuous, spread along nearly the India), Nanmukhappullu (Kerala), Nemali adugu entire length of both margins of the ultimate lobes; (Andhra Pradesh) and Peacock’s tail (English indusial false formed by the revolute margin. Spores name). yellowish-brown. (Fig. 2: A, B, C, D, E, F, G) Taxonomic Classification Habitat: Grows on beanthe the Rocks of Mehrauli region (South Central Ridge). Superkingdom Eukaryota Specimen examined: Mehrauli Ridge Forest, South Kingdom Viridiplantae Central Ridge, Delhi, 05.09.2013, AKM, 001 (DEL). Phylum Embryophyta Distribution: Patiala (Punjab), Kalesar (Haryana), Class Filicopsida Almora, Jhula Devi Temple, Ranikhet, (Uttarkahand) Order Finicalness and Meerut, Agra, Aligarh and other places of Uttar Pradesh, Pakistan, Africa, East Egypt; Iran; Family Pteridaceae Afghanistan; Sri Lanka: Mascarene islands. Genus Actiniopteris Medicinal uses : Whole plant paste is applied on Species radiata cuts and wounds: past with sugar is given to kill Binomial Name Actiniopteris radiata intestinal worms twice for 3 days: paste with sugar is also given two times a day as an aphrodisiac, Description of Plant also used as tonic to increase the potency. The plant paste with sugar candy is given as a cooling agent Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link, Fil. Sp. Hort Ref. in case of syphilis. The paste of two fronds is given Bot. Berol. 80(1841); Hook., Syn. Fil. 246, (1874); daily two times a day to children to cure rickets. Nayar and Kaur, Comp. Beddome Handb. 47 The whole plant paste mixed with cow’s milk is (1974): Dixit and Vohra, Dict. Pterid. India, 1(1984); given for the treatment of piles and leucorrhoea. In Dixit, Cens. Ind. Pterid. 68 (1984); Manickam, Fern milk is given twice a day for 2-3 days. In case of Fl. Palni Hills, 27(1986) epilepsy, plant paste with sugar candy is given. The Actiniopteris dichotoma Kuhn. Bot. Zeit, 504, plant paste with honey is given twice a day for the 1871; Clarke, Trans. Linn. Soc., Lond., II, Bot., 1: treatment of leucorrhoea. Plants are soaked 505, 1880; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India, 197, overnight in a glass of water and taken orally in t.98, 1883; Pande, Indian for., 99:51, 1973. morning for control of blood pressure and tuberculosis. Plants are dried and one teaspoonful Rhizome short-creeping, scaly and hairy, hairs powder is taken orally, once a day for four days in MISHRA et al., New Record of Pteridophytes for Delhi Flora, India 6379 A B C Fig A. Mehrauli Ridge Fig B. Habitat of Fig C. Actiniopteris radiata Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) (Sw.) Link Link D E F G Fig D. Close view of Fig E. Complete specimen of Fig F & G. Dorsal and Ventral Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) view of Actiniopteris radiata Link in field Link (Sw.) Link Fig.