Gammiella ceylonensis (Broth.) B. C. Tan et W. R. Buck, an epiphytic rare pleurocarpic moss of the family Sematophyllaceae is reported from the Kerala part of the Southern Western Ghats. This is a new record of the species from Kerala and described along with photo plate.
A study of seven different habitats was carried out to update the flowering plant diversity in Bangka Island, Indonesia, over 150 years. Data on native, introduced, and endemic species and their uses is an important database for conservation management and bioprospecting facing the post-tin-mining era. Voucher-based data were collected from transects and plots in 139 villages in the last nineteen years and enriched with secondary publications. The island supports 1,524 taxa from 32 families, 184 genera, 353 species, and 5 infraspecific taxa of Liliopsida plants, and 124 families, 524 genera, 1,114 species, and 52 infraspecific taxa of Magnoliopsida plants of terrestrial, aquatic, mangrove, coastal, and tin spoils in the island. As many as 594 species (39%) grow in lowland habitats and are mostly native, and 14 species are critically endangered. A quarter of the flora is naturalised species for their timber, fruit, flower, and revegetating tin spoils. A total of 366 native and naturalised taxa from 91 families are reported for their uses as ornamental plants, medicine, staple food, edible fruits, vegetables, spices, furniture, construction, etc., for which leaves are mostly used. While not all of Kurz’s 1864 list was recorded, this study documented an increase of 637 species (71%) to that list. The intensive and extensive exploration and re-identification of the unidentified specimens might reveal more species to add to the current list. Evaluating exotic species in the wild and bioprospecting become two of the main priorities for future conservation management and economics especially in the post-tin mining era.
Cololejeunea chittagongensis, Kurzia sinensis, Dicranoloma reflexum, Fissidens gedehensis and Te laranea semperiana are new for the bryoflora of Vietnam. Nine further species were reported with their expanded distribution from other parts of the country. The occurrence of the endemic Yakushimabryum brevigemmium at its type locality confirmed and its sporophyte described.
The genus Onosma L. (Boraginaceae) comprises 235 species worldwide, 47 of which are distributed in Iran, primarily in the Asian and Mediterranean regions. This study investigates the leaf micromorphological characteristics of 12 species within Onosma Section Onosma , subsection Haplotricha , collected from the various areas of Iran, to identify diagnostic traits for species delimitation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of both cauline and basal leaves. Qualitative and quantitative traits were analysed in detail. Multivariate statistical analyses, including cluster analysis and principal component analysis, revealed two main clusters, illustrating interspecies relationships based on micromorphological traits. Significant variation was observed in setae density, orientation, and ornamentation, with abaxial surfaces generally exhibiting greater ornamentation density. Key diagnostic features, such as setae density, base shape, and ornamentation pattern, were identified as critical for distinguishing among species. Additionally, five distinct basal setae shape types were described, providing refined criteria for species differentiation. These findings underscore the diagnostic value of micromorpho-logical characters in resolving taxonomic ambiguities within Onosma . They also contribute to a deeper understanding of species relationships and evolutionary patterns in the genus.
Berberis is a well-known genus represented by 55 species in India, and the majority (> 95%) of them are distributed in the Himalayan region. It has been utilized for various pharmacological activities. An alkaloid, ‘berberine’, obtained from it has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. Periodic estimation, monitoring, and reports indicate that the advent of herbal renaissance in recent times has led to heavy extraction of this medicinal plant from the wild, resulting in its categorization as an endangered plant. This article is aimed at highlighting the ecological, medicinal, and pharmaceutical importance, assessing the stress on the plant, and trying to trace the cause of their degradation and management practices in detail. Environmental awareness, local system, establishment of acts and legislation, national and international conservation strategies can play a key role in saving and restoring this unique medicinal plant.
