Bioscience Discovery, 9(1): 209-212, Jan - 2018 © RUT Printer and Publisher Print & Online, Open Access, Research Journal Available on http://jbsd.in ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print); ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Research Article Notes on an Accidental Epiphytic Banana: Musa acuminata Colla (Musaceae) from Tripura, Northeast India Dipankar Deb1*, Dipan Sarma2, Sourabh Deb1 and BK Datta3 1*Agroforestry & Forest Ecology Laboratory Department of Forestry & Biodiversity Tripura University, Suryamaninagar- 799022, Tripura India 2,3Plant Taxonomy & Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of Botany, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar- 799022, Tripura India *Email: [email protected] Article Info Abstract Received: 06-10-2017, In the present communication we report a new accidental epiphytic banana, Musa Revised: 02-12-2017, acuminata Colla which grows above the height of 8 m in the trunk cavity of the Accepted: 08-01-2018 host plant Azadirachta indica A. Juss (local name: Gheto neem). The size of collar Keywords: diameter of this specimen is about 22 cm, smaller shoot growing up with 4 Accidental epiphyte, Musa spreading leaves. It is an unconditional and accidental shows the possibility of acuminata, Tripura. plant growth by vegetative reproduction or by seed germination process on host plant cavity. INTRODUCTION and functionality of some important ecosystems and Epiphytes are specialist plant that grows on another they may even act as keystone species (Gabriela et plant commonly referred to as air plants. They grow al., 2015). Many biotic and abiotic factors on the surface of barks, cavity, dead decompose determine the miscellany of epiphytes, such as part of tree but remain physiologically independent climate, water availability, edaphic factors, host tree (Benzing, 2004) and do not extract nutrients from size, species identity, bark features and architecture the host's vascular system. Thus, they are generally (Boelter et al., 2014). The stem characteristic of defined as non-parasitic because they grow upon angiosperm hosts suggested that bark characteristics another plant for support only. The life forms of the might favor the germination and establishment of vascular epiphytes were included true epiphytes, certain species (Mehltreter, 2005). Since tree species that normally spend their entire life span as species differ in many traits (e.g. bark properties epiphytes; hemi-epiphytes species that germinate on and foliage density), the growing conditions for trees and later establish root contact with the ground these structurally dependent plants may strongly and accidental epiphytes predominantly terrestrial depend on the particular host species. Epiphytes are plants that accidentally germinate in the tree trunk a well-known feature in tropical rain forests. They crevices. contribute to the local and regional floristic Epiphytes plays an useful role in nutrient diversity (Benzing, 2004). Most studies addressing cycling, provide shelter and nesting materials for epiphyte diversity focused on relationships with some insects, bird species and are important sources host trees (Boelter et al., 2014) or the distribution in of food for some foraging animals (Stuntz et al., a single vegetation type. However, Madison (1977) 2002). They also provide unique microclimates for reported list of 65 vascular plant families contain other species; thus, their decline may negatively 850 genera and 28,200 species of epiphytes affect many animals and plants those depends upon accounted about 10% from all vascular plants. them. These plants play a key role in biodiversity http://biosciencediscovery.com 209 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print) Dipankar Deb et al., In a recent study collated a global list of 27,614 acuminata Colla and the host plant is Azadirachta species of vascular epiphytes, which is about 9% of indica A. Juss. The adjacent dominated plants ware all vascular plant species (Zotz, 2013). also identified. The location was marked with The present communication reports the discovery of Global Positioning System. new adaptive feature of Musa acuminata from Tripura, NE India. This region of Northeast India is RESULTS AND DISCUSSION important as the type locality of a large number of We found a small banana species on a tree cavity. It wild Musa species (Gogoi and Borah 2013). The has obviously been developed on a tree and hard area is considered as a micro centre of evolution of crooked tuber root is indicating that the specimen is Musa species extended from the mega centre in quite old. The tuber like root of the epiphytic Southeast Asia. In the beginning of 21st century, banana plant indicates that the species can grow on the taxonomic study of Musa gained momentum trees under conditions of drought stress. The size of with the appearance of a good number of collar diameter of this specimen is about 22 cm, publications, including reports of many new taxa smaller shoot growing up with 4 spreading leaves. from northeast India (Uma et al. 2011; Gogoi 2013; (Fig: A-D). In reality the species Musa acuminata is Gogoi and Häkkinen 2013a; 2013b; Gogoi and not an epiphytic or parasitic plant but the present Rabha 2013; Joe et al. 2013a; 2013b; Sabu et al. report develops on an unsuitable habitat where 2013a; 2013b; Sreejith et al. 2013). Wild Musa minimum resources were present as a species were largely distributed in some tropical microenvironment. The uncertain growth of its rain forests, wet evergreen forests to deciduous species over the trunk of Azadirachta indica A. Juss forests. The hilly tracts of these areas harbor a (local name: Gheto neem) plant cavity act as a host mosaic of tropical forests where Musa species occur that offers the place of microenvironment including very abundantly. In India eight species of Musa water availability as well as light, humidity and were found viz. Musa acuminata Colla, Musa temperature, substrate stability, mineral nutrition to balbisiana Colla, Musa itinerans Cheesman, Musa grow. The location was marked with GPS nagensium Prain, Musa aurantiaca G.Mann ex (23º50’36.04” North Latitude and 91º33’14.29” Baker, Musa sikkimensis Kurz and Musa cheesmani East Longitude) with an altitude of 158m asl., N.W. Simmonds and Musa flaviflora N.W. situated at the Baramura Reserve Forest area near Simmonds (Simmonds 1962). Various workers Khamtingbari. The adjacent forest was mainly reported these species from different parts of India deciduous, dominated by Tectona grandis L.f., as well as from northeast India. Taxonomically Albizia procera (Roxb.)Benth, Annoguissus Musa is a perennial plant that arising from acuminata (Roxb. ex DC.) Guill, Atrocarpus underground rhizomes. The pseudo-stem formed by chaplasha Roxb. and Microcos paniculata L. etc. upright concentric layers of leaf sheaths constitutes mixed with sparse distribution of other small tree the functional trunk. The Musa species is species. The Musa acuminata Colla grows above characterized by vegetative means from stolon as the height of 8 meter on the host plant cavity. well as seed germination by sexual reproduction. However, the unconditional and accidental habitat However, in a large extent Musa undergoes of Musa acuminata develops by the seed vegetative means of multiplication. Because limited germination. In this case it is not possible to and variable seed germination exhibited by Musa conclude whether the plant grows by vegetative may be due to seed mortality caused by endosperm reproduction or by seed germination process on host failure. Physical barriers that include embryo plant cavity. It might be a possible cause that any impermeability, seed coat and chemical barriers like frugivores were responsible for the seed dispersal inhibitors imposing seed dormancy hinder into the unconditional habitat. This result is perhaps germination of seeds. not surprising because trees are essentially only providing structural support for the growth of MATERIALS AND METHODS epiphytes, and the epiphytic habitat in mature forest During explorative field work we found an is highly homogenous at regional scales (Zhao et al. accidental and unconditional growth of epiphytic 2015). But the host tree surface has specific devices Musa sp in a plant trunk at the Baramura Reserve that reduce the likelihood that epiphytes can Forest. The plant was identified using the help of colonize, such as alleopathic chemicals in the bark, local flora and revealed that the species is Musa peeling bark or very smooth bark that may http://jbsd.in 210 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Bioscience Discovery, 9(1): 209-212, Jan - 2018 physically shed epiphytes that may remove epiphyte Gogoi R and Rabha NN, 2013. Notes on Musa seedlings, then host tree characteristics, other than aurantiaca Hook.f. and its ex-situ conservation in size, may not be so important (Sillett and Antoine BSI, ERC, Shillong. ENVIS Newsletters, 18: 6-7. 2004). Conclusion: The short time observation does Gogoi R, 2013. Musa nagensium var. hongii not allow concluding the nutritional consumption, Häkkinen – a new addition to the flora of India. survival mechanism and epiphytic adaptive features Taiwania, 58: 49 – 52. without critical scrutiny on physical and chemical Joe A, Sabu M and Sreejith PE, 2013a. A new property of microclimates, growth parameters, and variety of Musa velutina H. Wendl. & Drude interaction with the host plant to grow within the (Musaceae) from Assam, northeast India. Plant plant cavity. The valid scientific reasonable Systematics and Evolution, 300 (1), 13–17 hypothesis is necessary to conclude for the Joe A, Sabu M,