Checklist of the bryophytes of India

The checklist reports total 2489 taxa of bryophytes recorded from India, comprising 1786 species in 355 genera of mosses, 675 species in 121 genera of liverworts and 25 species in six genera of hornworts. Some of the genera of mosses like Fissidens, Barbula, Campylopus, and Bryum are found to have largest number of species. In liverworts Riccia, Porella, Frullania, Lejeunea, Plagiochila and Jungermannia are recorded to be species rich genera and in hornworts Anthoceros is well represented by species. Pottiaceae, Lejeuniaceae and Notothyladaceae are largely represented in India. Nearly 340 species are endemic to India

Evaluation of Species Richness of Acrocarpous Mosses in Imphal District, Manipur, India

Mosses are remarkably successful colonizer on the variety of habitats. They can survive in extreme environmental conditions where only a few other plants grow. The main attributes of mosses are compact growth form, ability to retain moisture, ectohydric nature, poikilohydry and low growing habit. The occurrence of a particular species may reflect the microclimate of the locality. The present study reveals 75 species of acrocarpous mosses belonging to 23 genera and nine families from Imphal district which is an urban site of tropical climate. The most frequently occurring family is observed to be Pottiaceae with 28 species and 11 genera. The genus Bryum with 13 species is found to have highest number of species followed by Fissidens and Physcomitrium. Splachnobryum sp. and Bryum argenteum are found to be distributed on the nitrophilous substrata. It seems that changing climatic conditions and pollution are restricting the sexual reproduction and subsequently the genetic variability and adaptability in the moss taxa