Fern Flora of the Palni Hills: South India

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All the species and varieties of ferns collected by the author during 1969-74 were sent to Kew periodically for determination by Dr. F.M. Jarret and Prof. R.E. Holttum. The former determined majority of the species while the latter dealt with the family Thelypteridaceae. The author spent June-September, 1973 in Kew, examineing all the South Indian specimens available at Kew, belonging to the genera Ophioglossum, Pteris, Vittaria, Dicaranopteris, Diplazium, Polystichum, etc. The Palni species of Diplazium, were also compared with other South Indian specimens of this genus borrowed from Paris, Leiden and Coimbatore through the Kew Herbarium. As a result of this study, some new taxa have been tentatively recognized in Diplazium, Vittaria, Pteris, Dicranopteris, Christella and Pseudocyclosorus. The genera are classified according to Holttum in Willis (ed. 7, 1966) while the families and higher groups are those followed by Pichi-Sermolli (1958). In order to bring out the relative abudance of the genera of Palni ferns, a comprehensive list of all known South Indian genera of ferns (personal communication from Dr. F.M. Jarrett) is given. Those genera which do not occur in the Palnis are marked with asterisk.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR V.S. Manickam

Rev. Dr. V.S. Manickam S.J., F.I.F.S. is the Director of both Centre for Biodiversity and Biotechnology (Research base) and Kodaikanal Botanic Garden (Environmental base). He is a well-known field botanist of India particularly for his floristic works in south India. He did his M.Sc. in St. Josephâ€™s College. Tiruchirapalli (1969) and Ph.D. in Kerala University (1974). He joined as lecturer in St. Josephâ€™s College, Tiruchirapalli and retired as Reader from St. Xavierâ€™s College, Palayamkottai on 2002. During the last three decades Rev. Dr. V.S. Manickam has carried out intensive botanical explorations in the Western Ghats of south India. Under his leadership, various families of south Indian ferns have been subjected to cytological, ecological, micromorphological, phyto-chemical and biotechnological studies. He has published 7 books and about 100 research papers. He participated in several National and International (China, Netherlands, Australia, USA) symposia and organized two National Symposia on ferns and medicinal plants. He is coordinating â€œAll India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy (Pteridophytes & Gymnosperms)â€ (20002-2005).