by Manju C. Nair, K.P. Rajesh & P.V. Madhusoodanan (2005)

With a foreword by

Dr Virendra Nath 

(National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), India)

"....... The present work also has great significance as the Wayanad, the mountainous district in the Western Ghats, forms a major part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The authors have provided taxonomic account of 171 species and two varieties belonging to 105 genera and 47 families; including two new species viz., Trichostomum wayanadensis  and Amphidium gangulii. Many of them are new distribution records of phytogeographical significance. Descriptions and keys to families, genera and species supported with good quality line drawings and photographs make this book an excellent identification manual for the bryophytes of South India at large. I hope this book may inspire many to undertake studies on South Indian bryophytes. The country needs more bryological enthusiasts and researchers to document its bryo-wealth."

Virendra Nath (from the Foreword)

Hard bound; D ¼ Size (A4), i -iv + 284 pages; over 200 colour photographs in 14 plates, 1 map; over 160 B&W illustrations.

Contributory price: 

INR 2,500-(inside India)  / US$ 100 (outside India) plus postage

For copies and payment details, contact:

Dr KP Rajesh

Botany Department, Calicut University, Malappuram Dist., Kerala-673 635, INDIA

Email: kprajesh.botany A#T gmail.com

The studies on this group are comparatively lesser in India and most of them are confined to the Himalayas. Even though the Southern India despite with its blessed climatic and geographical features of the Western Ghats is equally rich as the Himalayas, still remains bryologically under explored.

This book is the result of extensive explorations on the bryophytes of Wayanad, the mountainous district in the Western Ghats of Kerala, notable for its unique geographical location with varied topography and associated habitat diversity supporting unique assemblage of biodiversity. Except for the coast and backwaters, almost all habitat types of South India, from low altitude to the high altitude grasslands and shola forests, occur in Wayanad, which forms the major part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

This book contains illustrative accounts of 171 species and two varieties of bryophytes belonging to 105 genera and 47 families; including two new species viz., Trichostomum wayanadensis  and Amphidium gangulii. Seven species and one variety are new distribution records to India, 31 species and one variety are new records to Peninsular India and 43 are new records to Kerala.

Easy to follow keys and descriptions of family, genus and species are provided, supported with more than 160 figures and 200 photographs. Each species is treated in detail with the updated scientific name, important synonyms relevant to the Indian context and taxonomic description. Its macro and microhabitat details, Indian as well as global distribution and details of the voucher specimens are also given.

Most of the bryophytes described in this book enjoys a wider distribution in South India, makes this book usable as an identification manual in almost all parts of the Western Ghats. This book fulfils the long felt need for a comprehensive taxonomic identification manual on the bryophytes of South India.

Amphidium gangulii Manju, Rajesh & Madhusoodanan

Trichostomum wayanadensis Manju, Rajesh & Madhusoodanan

Bryum wightii

Bryophyte Project (Ongoing):

Eco-Systematic Studies on the Bryophytes of Kerala

This Project funded by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Govt. of Kerala, aims to document the bryophyte diversity of the Kerala State.

The Kerala State, located in the southwest corner of the Indian Peninsula, is one among the notable areas of rich biodiversity in the world. Its unique location and long geological history as the part of Gondwanaland moulded its ideal climate and diverse vegetation types that support rich flora including bryophytes. Eventhough the bryophytes form an important component in the forest ecosystems of Kerala, it was not subjected to thorough studies.

When compared to other group of plants, even a checklist containing at least 50% of the estimated bryoflora of the State is still lacking. This clearly reveals the degree of neglect shown towards this ecologically significant group. The less economic importance and the lack of taxonomic literature, or the difficulty of obtaining it, faces those wishing to study bryophytes. This is, of course, a rather common experience in the tropical countries, the difficulties are perhaps more acute in India, especially in South India. Much of the taxonomic literature is scattered and, for some groups, old and of limited value for identifying specimens.

The first mention of the bryophytes of this area was that appeared in Van Rheede’s monumental work Hortus Malabaricus. He described with illustration one species as ‘puem-peda’ (in Latin) in volume 12 (t. 37, p. 71, 1693), which later identified as Bryum bicolor Dickson. (synonym of B. dichotomum). 

The 17^th century colonial plant collectors, made some sporadic collection of bryophytes from the then Malabar, Cochin and Travancore areas of Kerala. These collections remained unstudied for a long period and some of these were subjected to studies by European bryologists recently, which resulted in occasional publications, but most of them with the comments ‘precise locality not known’. Random collections were also made recently by Indian botanists. But it was never subjected to a thorough documentation. 

Our preliminary explorations yielded many interesting new records for India. It is not a wonder if many of the specimens collected turned into novelties. 

A preliminary check list of the bryophytes of Kerala is under preparation, which will be posted here shortly.