Pteridology

This study assessed the diversity and abundance of ferns species in ten 10 m × 10 m plots which were established each, in less disturbed forest, most-disturbed forest and urbanized areas within the main campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia. Distance of at least 50 m was maintained between plots in each study site. The life forms of the fern species were documented together with their relative abundances. Also, diversity indices of the study sites such as Shannon index, Simpson index, Margalef index and Fisher's alpha were determined. Non-asymptotic rarefaction-extrapolation analysis was carried out to determine the significance differences between the species richness of each study site. One way anova using pairwise permutation test was done to determine the significance differences between the diversity indices in the sites. A total of twenty-three fern species belonging to 14 families were identified. The most abundant ferns are Lindsaea napaea (63.4% in less-disturbed forest), Pyrrosia lanceolata (36.0% in most-disturbed forest and 47.0% in urbanized area). Urbanized area was observed to have more epiphytic ferns while less-disturbed forest was more popupated by terrestrial ferns. The most accommodating host tree with the highest number of epiphytic fern species is Samanea saman. The result of rarefaction-extrapolation analysis showed that less-disturbed forest is significantly richer in species than the other sites while the diversity indices of more-disturbed forest and urbanized area are significantly higher than less-disturbed forest. This was attributed to the common fern species which were found almost in all plots sampled in the more-disturbed sites. The Shannon index in all the sites was less than 2. Therefore,

An intensive field survey was carried out from the hilly regions, plains of different climatic regimes and agricultural land of Gujarat state. About 23 species were collected from Gujarat state, from which eight species viz., Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link, Adiantum caudatum L., A. incisum Forssk., Lygodium flexuosum (L.) Sw., Pteris vittata L., Selaginella ciliaris (Retz.) Spring, S. delicatula (Desv. ex Poir.) Alston, and S. repanda (Desv. ex Poir.) Spring. were added as new distributional record for the Gujarat state. Increasing anthropogenic pressure, destruction of forest ecosystem and development of infrastructure facilities including road widening and rainwater harvesting program by deepening of the natural ponds are additional reasons for declining terrestrial and aquatic pteridophyte diversity respectively. Our survey concludes that E. debile is regionally extinct in the wild while Isoetes coromandeliana, will be lost from its natural habitat in short time if not conserved properly. Therefore, there is an urgent need of in situ conservation by developing action plans in collaboration with the state forest department.

Extensive field work in hilly regions, plain lands, wet lands, agricultural fields and arid regions of the Gujarat state was carried out in all 33 districts in 2013-14. From the total collection, five species differed from the earlier reported species. On critical study and detailed analysis they were identified as Ophioglossum parvifolium Grev. & Hook, Aleuritopteris bicolor (Roxb.) Fraser-Jenk., Athyrium hohenackerianum T. Moore, Tectaria coadunata (Wall. ex Hook. & Grev.) C. Chr. and Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitch. All newly identified species are found to be new record for the Gujarat state. Previous studies reported other species of Ophioglossum and Aleuritopteris while genera like Athyrium, Salvinia and Tectaria is reported for the first time from Gujarat forest. Present paper recommends further extensive studies to survey the diversity of pteridophytes in Gujarat. Moreover, Aleuritopteris bicoloris common in different forests while Tectaria coadunata is reported from only at two locations and possibly it may occur at other locations.

There has been paucity of information and inadequate studies on the invasive potentials of ferns as most invasive ecological studies have so far focused on higher plants across the continents. This paper therefore, reviews ferns invasions, mechanisms of invasions and management of invasive ferns that have been reported in literatures. We searched four databases including Jstor, Science direct, Willey online library and Scopus for relevant literature between 1990 – 2018. A total of seventy articles reporting ferns invasions in various countries in six continents were harvested. Eighteen ferns reported to be invasive across the world include Lygodium microphyllum, Lygodium japonicum, Azolla pinnata, Pteridium arachnoideum, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Azolla filiculoides, Acrostichum spp, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Dryopteris carthusiana, Dryopteris intermedia, Polystichum acrostichoides, Cyclosorus afer, Sphaeropteris cooperi, Angiopteris evecta, Salvinia molesta and Pteridium aquilinum. Most of these ferns were reported to have invaded parts of North America than other continents. Prevalent mechanisms of invasion for these ferns include their polyploidy nature, ability to disperse spores for long distance, allelopathy, adaptation to disturbed areas and unfavourable environmental conditions. It was suggested that using biological approaches which enable ecological succession and ecosystem restoration is preferable to other methods of controlling these invasive ferns.

Germination of spores, growth and development of gametophytes in Pteris Vittata were investigated mainly to study sexual development and morphology of the gametophyte. Fifty spores of Pteris Vittata were sown in four sterile Petri dishes containing agar solidified Parker's medium and one Petri dish containing water which serves as the control. Germination of the spores, sexual development and gametophytes development were monitored daily using dissecting microscope. The mean percentage germination of the spores ranges from 90% to 100%. The results also showed that maximum germination of the spores took place by the end of the 3 rd week in all the Petri dishes except the control where no growth was observed. Germination is vittaria type while the prothallial development is Ceratopteris type. Gametophyte has slow growth rate and it is bisexual. Gametangia developments are of the common type for leptosporangiate ferns and the adult gametophytes were hairy. Archegonia were multiserate while antheridia were uniserate. There was high rate of germination of freshly harvested spores of P. Vittata in Parker's medium and this reveals the viability and suitability of this plant to be raised from spores whenever the need arises. These gametophyte morphological features are highly useful in the taxonomy of this plant.

Praptosuwiryo TNg. 2017. Spore germination and early gametophyte development of Platycerium wandae (Polypodiaceae) from Papua, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 18: 175-182. Studies on gametophyte development in ferns are very important, as the data generated is often useful for supporting taxa delimitation in ferns and fern-allies. This data is also very important for understanding the ecology, reproductive biology, evolution and distribution of ferns. The study reported here aimed to develop a deeper understand of morphogenesis in the fern Platycerium wandae Racib. by investigating the process of spore germination and early gametophyte development of the species on natural media. Fresh spores of P. wandae were germinated in a mixed media consisting of minced roots of Cyathea contaminans and charcoaled rice hulls (1: 1) under green house condition. Spores of P. wandae are monolete, ellipsoid, non-chlorophyllous, dark brown, and lacking perine. Spores germinated between 7 to 14 days after sowing (DAS). Spore germination of P. wandae is of the Vittaria-type and the prothallial development is of the Aspidium-type, characterized by early development of unicelullar trichomes (30-40 DAS). Only unisexual gametophytes were observed at 60-80 DAS. New data is provided concerning the morphogenesis of P. wandae from Papua, Indonesia, on natural media. The findings are relevant to reproductive biology, would contribute to establish an efficient ex situ propagation strategies for the conservation of epiphyitic ferns and to facilitate further in situ studies of gametophyte ecology.

Se presenta el catálogo comentado de las especies colombianas de Pecluma M.G. Price (Polypodiaceae). Se analiza la variabilidad morfológica del género en Colombia, se presentan comentarios para facilitar su reconocimiento y claves para las especies y variedades. Para cada taxón se presentan los datos del protólogo, sus tipos nomenclaturales y sinónimos, datos del hábitat y distribución geográfica, comentarios, ejemplares de referencia, ilustraciones y mapas de distribución en Colombia. También, se explica la etimología de la mayoría de los epítetos. Como resultado de esta revisión se transfiere P. absidata a la sinonimia de P. curvans; se registran por primera vez para Colombia P. pastazensis, P. pilosa y P. robusta, y se redescubre P. paradiseae en el país.

This work presents a commented checklist of the Colombian species of Pecluma M.G. Price (Polypodiaceae). The morphological variability of the genus in Colombia is analized; comments for its easy recognition and keys for the species and varieties are presented. For each taxon, the original publication, nomenclatural types, synonyms, habitat, geographic distribution, pertinent comments, reference specimens, figures and maps are presented. In addition, the etymologies of most of the epithets are explained. As a result of this revision P. absidata was transferred to the synonymy of P. curvans; the species P. pastazensis, P. pilosa, and P. robusta were recorded for the first time to Colombia, and P. paradiseae is rediscovered in the country.

Titien Ngatinem Praptosuwiryo & Dedy Darnaedi. 2014. The Stelar Anatomy of Stipe and its Taxonomic Significant in Diplazium (Athyriaceae). Floribunda 4(8): 195–201. —. Anatomical study on transection of stipe near lamina were carried out on 27 species of Diplazium from Western part Malesia (Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan). The aim of this study is to examine stelar anatomical characters for supporting species delimitation in Diplazium. The leaf-trace shape of Diplazium stipe is varying among species and constant among the adult individuals in a species. Leaf-trace shapes of Diplazium can be classified into five main types: (1) uninterrupted V-shaped, (2) interrupted V-shaped, (3) uninterrupted U-shaped, (4) interrupted U-shaped, and (5) W-shaped. Each type diversifies into some different derivative forms that enable to determine a species among closely related species. Therefore the leaf-trace shapes are important diagnostic character which support species delimitation in Diplazium.

An annotated synonymic inventory of Italian Selaginella taxa, a practical key for their identification and their dot distribution
maps are presented, as a result of our work on the Selaginellaceae account for the Flora Critica d’Italia. The names Lycopodium helveticum L. and Selaginella denticulata var. platystachya Hieron. are typified.

There are few inventories of ferns and lycophytes of the Brazilian Amazon and most of them were made in areas of poor soils. The general species richness found in previous studies is low. This study presents an annotated list containing 122 species and three varieties of ferns and lycophytes from Biological Reserve of Uatuma, a large reserve that includes small patches of rich soils in Central Amazonia. The study site is located ca. 200 kIn north of Manaus, AM, Brazil. Inventories were made more intensively inside a grid system of trails of 5 x 5 km and less intensively in some white-sand forests and waterfalls in the surroundings of Balbina's Village. Reference to the original description, habit, habitat, material examined, geographic distribution and voucher information are presented for each taxon. This is the first floristic survey of ferns and lycophytes from areas with relatively rich soils of Central Amazonia. The high number of species found challenges the concept that Central Amazonia is species-poor for the two groups studied and the strong relationship with soil conditions reinforces the proposal to include ferns and lycophytes as indicator groups of the distribution of biodiversity in the region.

Based on known data sets and maximum entropy distribution data of fern and lycopod species registered in the Yucatán Peninsula, track and parsimony analyses were undertaken to evaluate the contribution of these groups to the establishment of biogeographical relationships of the peninsula with other areas. The resulting generalized tracks clearly agree with the geological origin of the peninsula and the previously recognized relationship with the Greater Antilles is not supported for ferns and lycopods. Instead, a Central American generalized track connects the Yucatán Peninsula with southeastern México and Central America. Floristically, the peninsula harbours 66 species of ferns and lycopods. Seven are registered for the first time in the Yucatán Peninsula and one is a new species for México. These species do not follow the latitudinal pattern expected if ecological factors, such as humidity and rainfall, were the most important in determining their distributions. Groups of areas recognized with parsimony analysis of endemicity could not be defined as provinces as a result of the lack of endemic species. Nevertheless, a regionalization scheme based on maximum entropy distribution data and supported by track analyses is proposed. Two separate districts are recognized within the Yucatán Peninsula: arid/dry Yucatán in the north and El Petén (humid) in the south.

The importance of pteridophytes as biogeographic indicators in Ihe Iberian Peninsula andBaleares has been studied. Three analyses have been applied: m/t index, index of similarity with the adjacent regions and historical analyses. Finally, the chorological units of this area have been pteridogeographycally characterized.

Titien Ngatinem Praptosuwiryo. 2013. The Rare Pteridophytes of Mt. Slamet with Three Species New Records for Java. Floribunda 4(6): 138–146. –– It is estimated that Java has about 500 species of
Pteridophytes. Nevertheless conservation status of the Pteridophytes in Java has not been provided yet. Therefore inventory on the Pteridophytes of Java and assessing their conservation status are need to be done. The objectives of this study are: (1) to provide the preliminary list of the rare species of Pteridophytes in Mt. Slamet, (2) determine the distribution and habitat of each species. The species was categorized as rare species if it was encountered in less then 10 sites and or the population was less then 20 plants. Random search with belt transect (20 m x 500 m with a sub set 20 m x 100 m) was set up to record the occurence of species in one or more hektar. Twelve species included in 10 genera are recorded as the rare species in Mt.
Slamet namely: (1) Asplenium paradoxum Blume, (2) Christensenia aesculifolia (Blume) Maxon, (2) Cyathea glabra (Blume) Copel., (4) Cyathea oinops Hask., (5) Huperzia phlegmaria (L.) Rothm., (6) Pityrogramma austroamericana Domin, (7) Psilotum complanatum Sw., (8) Pteris insignis Mett. Ex Kuhn, (9) Pteris wallichiana J. Agardh., (10) Pyrrosia asterosora (Baker) Hovenkamp, (11) Tectaria zollingeri
(Kurz) Holttum, dan (12) Thylacopteris papillosa (Blume) J.Sm. Three species are reported as new records for Java, viz. Pteris insignis, P. wallichiana, and Pyrrosia asterosora. Every species has its own distribution range and habitat characteristics
Keywords: Mt. Slamet, Java, rare fern species, Pteridophytes, Ferns.

This study is the first record of the exotic fern species of Pteris tripartita Sw. (Pteridaceae) for the Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. Here we present a description of the species, based on examined material and comments about its geographical distribution in the world and Brazilian states. Our data increases the knowledge of the number of change for: fern species recorded for the state, and help to delimit the geographical distribution pattern of this introduced species in the country, determining
its invasive potential and possible impacts that it can cause to the native flora.

The paucity of published data on the diversity and richness of ferns in Bukit Hijau recreational forest and Sungai Sedim forest in Kedah, Malaysia, prompted this study. This was to provide a baseline checklist of the ferns in these two forests. We conducted a field survey covering a distance of about 4000 m from the entrance of the forests. Preferential non-random sampling was employed, whereby all the encountered ferns were collected and identified. The incidence data were used to estimate the species richness and diversity indices through rarefaction and extrapolation analysis. It was observed that Bukit Hijau forest was more abundant in fern species and more diverse than Sungai Sedim forest. A total of 44 ferns were documented at Bukit Hijau forest while 28 were observed at Sungai Sedim forest with the family Polypodiaceae dominating the two forests. Thirteen ferns were observed to be similar in the two forests, thereby giving a Sorensen similarity index of 36.11%. Data on the IUCN conservation status of 56 ferns out of 58 were lacking. Suitable microhabitat conditions such as abundant moisture and low light intensity may be responsible for the higher richness of ferns at Bukit Hijau forest than Sungai Sedim forest. Future study is needed in relating the presence of the ferns with environmental gradients to better understand the conditions enhancing the ferns of these two forests.

The three Isoetes species recorded from Thessalia (Thessaly) in N Greece by Haussknecht, in 1899, under the names I. setacea, I. heldreichii, and I. phrygia, were reassessed using megaspore and microspore ornamentation in addition to macromorphological features. “Isoetes setacea” is not the SW European I. delilei to which the name I. setacea was generally misapplied, nor “I. echinospora” as it has been called due to a misunderstanding, but a so far undescribed species here named I. haussknechtii; it has not been found again in Haussknecht’s locality but has recently turned up in Peloponnisos and the E Aegean Islands. I. heldreichii, described from Haussknecht’s gathering, is apparently extinct. The record of I. phrygia was based on misidentified I. gymnocarpa. Even so, contrary to prevailing opinion, Haussknecht was justified in raising Boissier’s I. histrix var. phrygia to specific rank; genuine I. phrygia has recently been discovered in Kriti (Crete). The inventory of Greek Isoetes now comprises seven species, of which I. phrygia and I. todaroana are newly recorded here. Greek specimens studied are cited for all of them, and a key for their identification is presented. The names I. heldreichii and I. phrygia are typified.

Heavy metals particularly Arsenic has been reported to alter the internal structures of plants in various ways due to higher levels of toxicity. The impacts of varying concentrations (0 mg/Kg, 30 mg/Kg, 90 mg/Kg and 150 mg/Kg) of Arsenic contamination on leaflet and stipe anatomy of Pteris vittata and P. ensiformis were investigated. The aim was to assess how Arsenic contaminations influence the anatomical properties of these plants. One fernlet was transplanted into each pot containing 5 Kg of soil treated with different concentrations of arsenic. After 12 weeks of planting, the transverse sections of the leaflets and stipes in all the treatments were made, stained and mounted for microscopic observation. The result showed slight changes in the shape and reduction in thicknesses of epidermal and mesophyll cells of P. vittata unlike P. ensiformis in which the Original Research Article

Osmunda angustifolia Ching ex Ching et Wang (Osmundaceae) was, formerly, known to be distributed in China (Guandong), Hainan, Hongkong, and Taiwan. Now, O. angustifolia is reported as a newly recorded species in Sumatra. A complete morphological description with photographs is presented. It is defined as a rare species in Indonesia. A cytological record is also reported for the first time for the Sumatran species. The somatic chromosome number of root tip cells of O. angustifolia is 2n = 44 (diploid).

Keywords: Osmunda angustifolia, rare species, somatic chromosome number, Sumatra.

Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Swartz (D. esculentum) or better known as fern vegetables have consumed and used by people to cure various diseases. Methanol extract of young leave of D. esculentum contains phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. This phytochemical compounds act as an antibacterial agen, so it can be used as an alternative treatment of infection caused by S. aureus and E. coli. Result of an observation at RSSA Malang, November 2015 showed the number of patients infected by S. aureus and E.coli increased from 2013 to 2014. It takes an alternative antibacterial agen to overcome bacterial infection. The purpose of this research was to examine the effest of methanol extract of young leave D. esculentum in various concentrations in the growth of S. aureus and E. coli in vitro and compare the diameter of inhibition zone. The method used in this study is experimental with quantitative approach. The result revealed an effect of the methanol extract of young leave D. esculentum in various concentration on the growth of S. aureus and E. coli in vitro. The concentration extract which produces the greatest inhibition to inhibit the growth of S. aureus ia concemtration 100% whereas on the growth of E. coli is concentration 70%. Abstrak: Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Swartz (D. esculentum) atau lebih dikenal dengan pakis sayur telah banyak dikonsumsi dan digunakan oleh orang terdahulu untuk menyembuhkan berbagai penyakit. Ekstrak metanol ental muda D. esculentum mengandung senyawa fitokimia seperti alkaloid, terpenoid, dan saponin. Senyawa fitokimia tersebut berperan sebagai antibakteri sehingga dapat digunakan sebagai terapi alternatif infeksi yang disebabakan S. aureus dan E. coli. Hasil Observasi di RSSA Malang bulan November 2015 menunjukan jumlah pasien yang terinfeksi S. aureus dan E coli mengalami peningkatan dari tahun 2013 hingga 2014. Dibutuhkan antibakteri alternatif yang berpotensi mangatasi infeksi bakteri. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menguji ekstrak metanol ental muda D. esculentum dalam berbagi konsentrasi terhadap pertumbuhan S. aureus dan E. coli secara in vitro serta membandingkan diameter zona hambat yang dibentuk oleh ekstrak. Metode yang digunakan eksperimental dengan pendekatan kuantitatif secara in vitro. Hasil penelitian diketahui ada pengaruh pemberian ekstrak metanol ental muda D. esculentum dalam berbagai konsentrasi terhadap pertumbuhan S aureus dan E. coli. Konsentrasi ekstrak yang membentuk zona hambat pa-ling besar pada pertumbuhan S. aureus adalah konsentrasi 100%, sedangkan pada pertumbuhan E. coli adalah konsentrasi 70 % Kata kunci kunci: ekstrak metanol, ental D. esculentum , daya hambat, S. aureus, E. coli.

Establishing which factors determine species distributions is of major relevance for practical applications such as conservation planning. The Amazonian lowlands exhibit considerable internal heterogeneity that is not apparent in existing vegetation maps. We used ferns as a model group to study patterns in plant species distributions and community composition at regional and landscape scales. Fern species composition and environmental data were collected in 109 plots of 250 9 2 m distributed among four sites in Brazilian Amazonia. In-terplot distances varied from 1 to ca 670 km. When floristically heterogeneous datasets were analyzed, the use of an extended Sørensen dissimilarity index rather than the traditional Sørensen index improved model fit and made interpretation of the results easier. Major factors associated with species composition varied among sites, difference in cation concentration was a strong predictor of floristic dissim-ilarity in those sites with pronounced heterogeneity in cation concentration. Difference in clay content was the most relevant variable in sites with uniform cation concentrations. In every case, environmental differences were invariably better than geographic distances in predicting species compositional differences. Our results are consistent with the ideas that: (1) the relative predictive capacity of the explanatory variables depend on the relative lengths of the observed gradients; and (2) environmental gradients can be hierarchically structured such that gradients occur inside gradients. Therefore, site-specific relationships among variables can mask the bigger picture and make it more difficult to unravel the factors structuring plant communities in Amazonia. Abstract in Portuguese is available in the online version of this article.

Praptosuwiryo TNg, Mumpuni M. 2018. Chromosome numbers of some species of Pteris (Pteridaceae) in Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 2118-2126. Pteris L. (Pteridaceae) is a large fern genus consisting of about 250 species which distributed predominantly in tropical and subtropical countries. The genus grows in a diversity of ecosystems, either terrestrially or lithophytically, although most species occur in the forest. A study of the cytology of Pteris in Java is being undertaken for the conceptual understanding of the interrelationships between various fern species in the Malesian region. This aims of our study are: (1) to observe somatic chromosome number of some species of Pteris in Java; (2) to determine the reproduction types of the observed species by counting the spore number per sporangium; (3) to discuss polyploidy in the species in relation to plant morphological variation across their geographical distribution. Chromosome counts for eight species are reported. Pteris biaurita is an apogamous diploid species (2n = 58). Pteris ensiformis var. ensiformis has chromosome numbers of 2n = 87 (apogamous triploid) and 2n = 116 (sexual tetraploid), while P. ensiformis var. victoriae has a chromosome number 2n = 58 and is a sexual diploid. Pteris fauriei is an apogamous triploid species (2n = 87). Pteris longipinnula has a chromosome number of 2n = 116 (tetraploid). Pteris multifida and P. vittata are sexual tetraploids (2n=116). Pteris tripartita has two ploidy levels (sexual diploid and tetraploid). Another currently unplaced Javanese Pteris sp. has 2n = 87 (apogamous triploid). Diploid P. biaurita, tetraploid P. ensiformis, triploid P. fauriei, diploid P. tripartita, and teraploid P. vittata are new record cytotypes for Central Java. Polyploidy in the genus in relation to plant morphological variation across its geographical range is discussed.

The new names Asplenium luzonicum and A. perplexum are published to replace the homonyms A. cristatum Brack. and A. riparium Brack.; their nomenclatural history is reviewed and data are provided to support their retention as separate species. The legitimate name A. baileyanum should be used instead of the homonym A. gracile Fée.

The study was carried out to investigate the taxonomic occurrence of Pteridophytes in Lafia and Doma Metropolis of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A total of 16 locations were sampled in Lafia and Doma respectively. These locations include wetlands, swamps, forest shade and trees. From these locations, ferns were collected, pressed and identified. Their relative abundances in each location were calculated and their ethnobotanical uses by the local dwellers were documented using structured questionnaires. Ferns were observed only in 12 locations in Lafia and nine locations in Doma. Seven species of ferns were identified namely, Pneumatopteris afra, Nephrolepis biserrata, N. undulata, N. cordifolia, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Adiantum sp. and Pityrogramma calomelanos. Pneumatopteris afra was found to be the most widely distributed fern. Of the ferns observed, terrestrial ferns had the highest occurrence  (85.7%) in Lafia with only 50% in Doma. Pneumatopteris afra was found to have the highest relative frequency while Nephrolepis biserrata and N. undulata had the lowest relative frequency in Lafia and Doma. All these species have been reported by the local dwellers to have ethnobotanical uses such as in the treatment of ulcer, fever, typhoid, chest pain, stomach pain and diabetes. Also, Pityrogramma calomelanos had the highest percentage awareness by the local dwellers. It is concluded that Lafia is more rich and diverse in fern species than Doma. Locations where ferns were absent are due to the long-term alterations in the microclimatic conditions by various human activities in those places.

Fern gazette 20(7): 245-254

Ethnobotany gives the basic idea about the medicinal properties of plants. Identification of active compounds of the medicinal plants and their standardization is essential for the production of new drugs. In the present work, different parts of the five medicinal plants (Curcuma caesia, Cheilocostus speciosus, Drymaria cordata, Leea macrophylla, Plumbago zeylanica) were washed, air dried and crushed. Three different extracts of each powdered material were prepared and standard phytochemical analysis procedure was followed for the analysis of physicochemical properties of plants and the identification of active chemical constituents. Among 5 plants, the highest moisture content (14.83%) was found in Plumbago zeylanica, higher total ash (9.22%) and acid insoluble ash (4.43%) were observed in Curcuma caesia. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of 12 varieties of bioactive chemicals in all 5 different plants. The plants of the area have a great diversity of phytochemicals of n...

The large area covered by the Amazonian domain and the limited financial support for biodiversity studies
demand efficient research programs. Aiming to evaluate the consequences of reduced sampling effort on the
retention of ecological information, we tested how differences in plot width affect the perceived relationship
between environmental variation and the composition of the pteridophyte community in Central Amazonia.
Measures of slope, canopy openness and soil clay content were taken in 37 terra-firme forest plots. All pteridophyte
individuals were identified and mapped according to three sample strips. We tested the effects of environmental
variables on pteridophyte composition of 250 x 2.5 meters-plots and on sub-samples of reduced width. The
reduction of plot width from 2.5 to 1 m (60% reduction in sampling effort) corresponded to a reduction of 24%
of the project’s costs concerning field work expenses. This would reduce the number of sampled species from
52 to 44. The reduction of 20% plot width (from 2.5 to 2 m) would cause a reduction of two (4%) sampled species
and a reduction of 8% of the costs. For all tested plot widths, community composition was associated with soil
clay content and was not associated with the terrain slope. The effect of canopy openness on pteridophyte species
composition was not consistent among sample sizes. These may be related to the relatively lower importance of
light availability in determining community structure at the studied spatial scale. We concluded that the smallest
plots were informative enough to detect the main gradients of composition and their association to environmental
factors. This would allow a reduction in total costs, or the allocation of available budget to more plots, which
could increase the power of the statistical analyses, reduce the confidence intervals and increase probability of
detecting more species.

Nineteen species of pteridophytes belongs to 11 families were authentically documented in Banajalaya region in Sagar taluk of Shimoga district. Pteridaceae was occurred as the dominant family in study area. The majority of the ferns are terrestrial, two of them are epiphytic, and one is hydrophytic species. Present study helpful for conservation programmes of these ferns, which are important for their academic, medicinal and ornamental values.

Extrapolation of local abundance–environment relationships to broader scales provides species distribution models used for conservation planning. We investigated the importance of environmental heterogeneity and geographic distance on pteridophyte species spatial distribution on 38 plots of 250 £ 2.5 m distributed over 90 km 2 in Central Amazon. Inclusion of canopy openness in our models increased the capacity of predicting community composition even under the narrow range of canopy openness found in our plots. Nevertheless, there was still a large amount of unexplained variance (55–65%). The response of the community to the light gradient was hierarchical and we did not Wnd evi-dences of light partitioning. Most species were concentrated in low light plots but a few common and abundant occurred along the entire gradient. Soil properties were the major determinants of community composition. Contrary to similar studies, slope was not a good predictor of pteridophyte community composition, indicating that this relationship may be site-speciWc. There was no correlation between Xoristic distances and geographic distances. We concluded that mesoscale turnover is low, although locally environmental variation determines high turnover of species. Studies among diVerent Amazonian physiognomies tend to Wnd high levels of beta-diversity. However, coarse comparisons can not reveal subtle patterns that are relevant for biodiversity conservation planning. This study found

Se ha analizado la pteridoflora del Arco de Alborán mediante la aplicación de índices pteridoflorísticos y su correlación con variables ambientales. Asimismo se han realizado análisis de agrupamiento de taxones para definir corotipos y de componentes principales para delimitar unidades pteridogeográficas. Con todos estos datos se realiza un análisis de conservación de taxones amenazados y se valora desde un punto de vista territorial la posible declaración del área de estudio con alguna figura de protección especial.

"Botrychium lunaria is considered as vulnerable to extinction (category V/VU) in Poland. The paper presents description of two newly discovered localities of the fern in the Western Sudetes. One locality was found in an abandoned quarry near Radomice (Izerskie Foothills), where Botrychium lunaria was a component of initial thermophilous grasslands of the Festuco-Brometea class. This population consists of
134 individuals. The second locality was discovered in the £omniczka Cirque (Karkonosze Mts). The fern was a component of hygrophilous tall-herb communities of the Adenostylion
alliariae alliance. This population is very small containing only 3 individuals. Phytocoenoses from both localities are documented in 3 relevés. Both populations occur in habitats which were transformed due to human activity. This finding confirms that rare and endangered plant species can be maintained in some anthropogenic habitats. The locality in the abandoned quarry in Radomice is threatened with natural succession and should
be regularly grazed, while population in the £omniczka Cirque seems not to be threatened with anthropopressure, however a dense cover of vegetation and small number of individuals can affect a Botrychium lunaria population."