The Filmy Ferns are a unique group of plants among pteridophytes characterised by sporangia aggregated on cylindrical receptacles enclosed in characteristically shaped indusia and the one cell thick, delicate lamina lacking stomata. This book is the first of its kind on these delicate plants of the Western Ghats, one among the biodiversity hotspots of the world. Owing to their delicate plant body these plants are confined to the deeply shaded pristine evergreen forests, usually in the spray zones of waterfalls, on rocks and boulders of streamlets or attached to the bark and buttresses of shrubs and trees near the perennial water sources. This book is the result of extensive field studies done by the authors in the dense and deep evergreen forests of the Western Ghats of Southern India. Well-illustrated (61 colour photos and 28 figures) detailed accounts of 28 South Indian filmy ferns are provided in this book with updated nomenclature, including 6 new combinations and ecological notes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR C. Abdul Hameed
Dr. C. Abdul Hameed is a Reader of Botany and the Head of Botany Department at M.E.S.K.V.M. College, Valanchery Malappuran since 1987. He has been doing research on the filmy ferns of South India since long. Apart from teaching and research he has also associated with National Cadet Corps (NCC) as an Associate NCC Officer and now holds the rank of Captain.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR K.P. Rajesh
Dr. K.P. Rajesh is active in research since 1994 and has published more than 20 research papers in national and international journals on various aspects of fern taxonomy, ecology, orchids, bryophytes, conservation biology, etc and co-authored one book entitled ‘Filmy Ferns of South India’. He is a member of many professional bodies such as SEEK, MNHS, CRIKSC, IAAT, etc and is active in nature education and conservation movements. He has contributed several popular science articles both in English and Malayalam. He is continuing the research in the Botany Department of Calicut University as a Research Fellow in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Govt. of India funded All India co-ordinated project on Taxonomy Capacity building (AICOPTAX) for Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR P.V. Madhusoodanan
Prof. (Dr.) P.V. Madhusoodanan is the Head of the Botany Department, Calicut University and has been actively engaged in research and teaching since 1975. He has published over 100 research papers inj national and international journals on various aspects such as Fern taxonomy, morphology, ecology, cytology, palynology, weed biology, biofertilizers, Cyanobacteria. Plant tissue culture, Bryophytes, etc. The Calicut University has awarded PhD Degree to nine of his students, including co-authors of this book. He has co-authored two books entitled Fern Flora of South India-Taxonomic Revision of Polypodioid Ferns (1998) and Filmy ferns of South India (2003). Currently he is collaborating with the MoEF, Govt. of India funded All India co-ordinated project on Taxonomy Capacity building (AICOPTAX) for Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms and Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) funded project on Bryophytes of Kerala. He is a member of many academic and professional bodies.
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