Trichosteleum stigmosum , a new plant species found in the the Silent Valley National Park.
The recent discovery of new plant species from national parks in Kerala has triggered interest in the study of bryophytes, a group of small plants that plays a significant role in the ecosystem.
A team of botanists from the Malabar Botanical Garden, Kozhikode, recently reported the existence of a rare moss from the Silent Valley National Park. This is the first report of the bryophyte named Trichosteleum stigmosum from India, though it has been known to exist in China, Borneo, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Fiji.
Of the estimated 30,000 species of bryophytes in the world, including liverworts, hornworts, and mosses, 3,000 occur in India and 1,500 in Kerala. Bryophytes not only act as the first stage in the food chain, but also provide a microhabitat for many other species, including insects. By retaining moisture, they act as beds for other plants to germinate and establish. Birds use these plants for building nests.
It was during a recent exploration in the Silent Valley that the team led by C.N. Manju found the plant growing on trees in the dense evergreen forests. The study supported by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) figures in the recent issue of Taiwania , an international journal of life sciences.
In India, scientists have recorded seven species of the genus Trichosteleum , all except one from the Himalayan region. In 2009, another team comprising Dr. Manju, K.P. Rajesh and P.V. Madhusoodanan reportedTrichosteleum boschii from the Agasthyamala forests in Thiruvananthapuram. Trichosteleum stigmosum is the second species of the genus known to occur in Kerala.
“ Trichosteleum is a genus found across the tropics and the occurrence of its species is significant in the study of the geographic distribution of plant species in the Western Ghats,” says Dr. Manju who has reported 15 new species of bryophytes from India.
“The Silent Valley National Park, though well-known for the wealth of its flora and fauna, was not thoroughly explored for its bryophyte diversity,” says R. Prakashkumar, managing director, Malabar Botanical Garden, and co-author of the paper. “The Malabar Botanical Garden has taken the initiative to document the bryophytes in Kerala. We are establishing a conservatory for bryophytes. A moss garden is also being set up.”
Meanwhile, another team including Dr. Manju has described a new species of bryophyte from the Eravikulam National Park. Collected from Kattumala during an exploration in 2001, the plant was subjected to molecular studies to establish its novelty. The researchers named the species Aerobryopsis eravikulamensis .
The study supported by the KSCSTE and the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, appeared in the latest issue of the international journal Bryologist . “This is the fifth new species of bryophytes described from Kerala in recent years,” Dr. Manju says.
The plant was found growing on the branches of trees in shola forests inside the Eravikulam National Park. Later, it was also reported from Athirappilly, Thrissur. The scientists extracted DNA samples from the plant and compared it with other related species. The team included Dr. Rajesh from Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode; V.B. Sreekumar of the Centre for Research in Indigenous Knowledge, Science and Culture, Kozhikode; and K.P. Martin, a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, U.S.
Source : The Hindu,1st July 2012