Bryoflora from Hyderabad British Residency--a new report.

INTRODUCTION

Liverworts and Mosses together constitute the bryophytes. Bryophytes a fascinating group of plants found all over the world, growing in diverse habitats. Four genera were identified. All the genera belongs to different orders such as Pottiales, Grimmiales and Fissidentales, chiefly grown on calcareous substrate.

Two genera, Pottia lanceolata and Tortula subulata belonging to the order Pottiales were seen growing in the college campus and described here with. Pottia lanceolata is a moss plant belongs to the order Pottiales and family Pottiaceae are grown in dense tufts, small plants with a bright glossy green colour with distinct rhizoids, stem and leaves. The plant is attached to the substratum by means of rhizoids. Rhizoids are found in tufts, smooth walled, long and brown in colour. Stem is distinct with closely packed leaves. Leaves are small numerous oblong to lanceolate in shape tapering at the apex with a nerve running out into a point of variable length leaves have recurved margins and the lower cells elongate smooth with upper cells rounded. Sporophyte is found in abundance with foot, seta and capsule. Foot is embedded in the gametophyte. Seta very long orangish red in colour without any protruberences. Capsule erect ovoid to ellipsoidal with well developed peristome. Capsule shows a long beaked lid with smooth calyptra.

Tortula subulata are small plants growth in dense cushions bright green colour with erect leafy shoot. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate leaf apex rounded mucronate but the nerve projects only as a short point beyond the blunt leaf apex. Margins of the leaf is smooth. Plants are attached to the substratum by means of rhizoids. They are long, slender and brown in colour. A number of long narrow cells form a border to the leaf which is of several cells wide near the base but disappears at the apex cells are elongate at the base and short towards the apex. A prominent strong nerve which is yellow in colour is observed. Sporophyte is differentiated into foot, seta and capsule. Foot is buried in the gametophyte. Seta very long smooth and fully grown set a is dark red in colour. Capsule is narrowly cylindrical, slightly curved and long. The lid or operculum is thick conical and has a distinct beak.

It is interesting to note that the three species of Grimmia, Grimmia pulvinata,Grimmia trichophylla, Grimmia doniana, belonging to the order Grimmiales were found growing in the college campus closely associated with each other.

Grimmia pulvinata [Hedw.] : A compact moss forming cushions with the long hair--points of the leaves, which is distinguished by the stems which are nearly Icm tall. The leaves are oblong lanceolate broad at the base narrow towards the tip beyond which the hair point extending the distance, that is almost equal to the length of the leaf , with distinctly toothed tip. Cell shape is uniform with elongated cells with distinct thick midrib which is orangish yellow in colour. Capsule is ovoid.

Grimmia trichophylla Grev.: It is yellowish green in colour and was identified based on its looser growth and grown in irregular patches. The leaves are linear lanceolate with a short tip or pointed spine when compared with G.pulvinata presence of highly toothed hair point . The cells are distinctly longer with distinct Chlorophyll. Mid rib thick and prominent ceasing towards the apex and yellowish orange in colour.

Grimmia doniana Sm.: Plants were identified by blackish green colour in the from of cushions found associated with G. trichophylla. The leaf is lanceolate tapering to a narrow apex beyond which the hair point of variable length which is toothed ,nerve is prominent. The cells of the base are elongated.

Fissidens taxifolius Hedw. : Plants are small and simple found in variety of situations. It is found on old walls and on bricks. Cells parenchymatous polygonal or pentagonal with chlorophyll. Leaves arising in two ranked arrangement and dark green in colour. Leaves are linear lanceolate. Prominent border is present. Mid rib is thick with elongated cells. Rhizoids are brown branched and smooth. Nerve is shortly excurrent. Capsule is erect borne on a longish red seta which arises near the base of the stem .

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Moss specimens were gathered from different parts of college campus Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad which was a British Legacy and now preserved as World Monument Building, during April 2003 to January 2005. In total 4 genera of mosses belonging to different orders under Bryidae were identified. Identification of specimens were carried out, using appropriate literature by Watson (1968) and Chopra (1975). Two bryoflora which belongs to the order Pottiales, Pottia lanceolata and Tortula subulata, whereas one genera Grimmia belongs to the order Grimmiales with three species viz.,Grimmia pulvinata,Grimmia trichophylla and Grimmia doniana, while the last genera is represented by Fissidens taxifolius belonging to the order Fissidentiales. Extensive studies has been carried out in order to evaluate the factors responsible for growth and means of propagation. Various ecological parameters such as atmospheric temperature and humidity were taken into consideration during the study period.

ECOLOGY

Ecological studies reveal the nature of the place on which the flora is grown. In the present investigations Pottia lanceolata and Tortula subulata and three species of Grimmia were found growing most extensively on temple old walls and tops of the college campus a substrate which is rich in chalk or lime stone,whereas Fissidens is found grown on bricks. Pottia lanceolata is a rich genera of the area growing singly without any combination with other moss nearly occupying an area of 100 sft, which is undisturbed and quite spreading of these plants is observed. Plants are very fertile as the sporophytes are found in abundance. Grimmia trichophylla, Grimmia doniana and Grimmia pulvinata are found associated with each other forming loose cushions , whereas Fissidens is found on the bricks growing singly. All the species of Grimmia mentioned are also found on the old walls. The atmospheric temperature of the region ranges from 30[degrees]C- 32[degrees]C and the humidity 66-69%. Growth of these plants were luxuriant during rainy season and they are able to thrive the conditions during summer, which indicates the xerophytic nature.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The present study deals with different mosses belonging to bryidae of various orders. i.e., Pottiales, Grimmiales and Fissidentales , d istributions pattern, morphological nature and structural details were studied with the aid of microscope in order to understand the plant.

All the genera belonging to different orders were very fertile because of the presence of sporophyte which is able to spread the genera to far distant places.The bryophytes Pottia lanceolata and Tortula subulata belonging to the order pottilaes are reported for the first time from Hyderabad ,Andhra pradesh. Lightowlers (1985) gave the taxonomic notes and habit details of South Georgion Antartica mosses with special reference to Tortula. Two species T. anderssonii and T. geheebiaeopsis were reported for the first time from the Island. Ecology of Tortula vahliana var.minor was reported by Andriessen et al (2002). A new xerophytic pottiaceous species Tortula mucronifera was described from the Arabian Peninsula and Jordan by Frey et al (1994). Tortula ruralis is new to the bryoflora of southern spain and Tortula handelii is reported for the first time from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa by Herbrard and Raymond (1994).

The Hyderabad British Residency is spread across 43 acres of land . A high wall is built around the campus and is separated from the rush of traffic and pollution of the city. The campus is rich with vegetation . Greven (1994) rediscovered the forgotten species of Grimmi- pilosissima from Mediterranean Islands. Greven (1995) recorded 29 spp of Grimmia, many of these are newly recorded. Allen (1995) recorded eight neglected spp of Grimmiaceae from North America .Dirkse and Grevan (1993) studied Grimmia meteorae from Canary Islands, Spain-variety of mosses belonging to Fissidentales particularly Fissidens. Bruggeman and Maria (1994) reported new species of Fissidens from Indonesia , F. iwatsukii. Pursell (1994) reported 2 new Fissidens from South America--Fissidens anguste--limbatus Mitt.var. colombiensis pursell, var. nov and F. xanoae pursell, sp. nov. 15 species of Fissidens are reported from Vanuatu [New Hebrides] by Iwatsuki and Tadashi (1995).

CONCLUSIONS

It may be concluded that the conservation of these plants Fissidens taxifolius ,Grimmia pulvinata,Grimmia trichophylla, Grimmia doniana, Pottia lanceolata, Tortula subulata, play an important role in ecological succession.i.e., xerarch. The present work carried out and reported from OsmaniaUniversity College for Women. Koti, Hyderabad , Andhra Pradesh, India.

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

Authors are thankful to the Principal and Department of Botany , Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) India, for the facilities provided.

REFERENCES

(1.) Allen, Bruce .1995. Eight neglected species of Grimmiaceae (Musci) from North America, Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica. 40 (1) :159-166

(2.) Andriessen, L., Nagels, C., Arts, T., Sotiaux, O. & Vanderpoorten, A. 2002. Taxonomic assessment, distribution and ecology of Tortula Vahliana. Var. minor (Pottiaceae, Bryopsida). Journal of Bryology. 24 (3) : 254-256

(3.) Bruggeman , N. and Maria, A. 1994. A new species of Fissidens from Indonesia. F. Iwatsukii, Hikobia. 11 (4) :361-362

(4.) Chopra , R.S. 1975 . Taxonomy of Indian Mosses. Publication and Information Directorate CSIR , Delhi, India. : 1-548

(5.) Dirkse, G.M. and Greven, Hc. 1993. Grimmia meteorae c.c Townsend new to the Canary Islands Spain, Lindbergia. 18 (3): 135-137

(6.) Frey , W., Harald, K. , Rosa Maria, Jaran, Guerra and Maria, Jesus. 1994. Tortula mucronifera (Pottiaceae, Musci) a new xerophytic species of the Arabian Peninsula and Jordan, Nova Hedwigia.59 (3-4): 345- 351

(7.) Greven, H.C. 1994. Grimmia Pilosissima Herzog rediscovery of a forgotten species, Lindbergia. 19 (2-3) :129-131

(8.) Greven ,H.C. 1995. Distribution of Grimmia Hedw. on Mediterranean Islands, Bryologie et Lichenologie. 16 (1) : 11-17

(9.) Herbrard and Raymond .1994. Didymodan bistrotosus (Pottiaceae, Musci) new species from Southern Spain, Nova Hedwigia. 59 (3-4) : 353 -364

(10.) Iwatsuki, Z. and Tadashi, S. 1995. Fissidens invanuatu (New Hebrides) collected by Dr. M.Higuchi, Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica .40 (1): 153-158

(11. Lightowlers, P. J. 1985. A Synoptic flora of South Georgian (Antarctic) Mosses, Br Antract Surv Bull. . 67: 41-78

(12.) Pursell , R. A. 1994. Two new Fissidens from South America Fissidens anguste limbatus Mitt Var. Colombiensis Pursell, Var. nov. and Fissidens xanoae Pursell, sp. nov, Hikobia. 11 (4) :357-360

(13.) Watson, E. V. 1968. British Mosses and Liverworts. (Second edition). Cambridge Univ. press, Cambridge :1-489

Mary Esther Cynthia Johnson, P.R. Sushama *, P.Surekha Rani and K. Shailaja

Botany Department, Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad-500195, India, * Email: [e-mail]