Till date the work on East Himalayan Plagiochila was confined to merely listing and fragmentary taxonomic description, hence an attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive taxonomic monograph in the light of modern taxonomic parameters. The book entitled "Genus Plagiochila in Eastern Himalaya (India)" is a long awaited work on the genus Plagiochila of a vast territory of Eastern Himalaya (India), insufficiently known so far in this country. This work is a result of an exhaustive, Critical Morpho-Taxonomic Study of East Himalayan Plagiochila, based on extensive plant collection from various bryologically rich localities of the country as well as from overseas herbaria, and constitutes the first attempt by the authors on this highly plastic genus. It incorporates the morpho-taxonomic description of 38 species of Plagiochila belonging to t subgenera: Plagiochila subgen Paraplagiochila Inoue and Plagiochila subgen. Plagiochila Carl. The latter with 12 sections, namely Caducilobae Inoue, Cardotiae Inoue, Ciliatae Schiffn., Cobanae Carl, Contiguae Car, Dendroideae Gott., Lindenb. et Nees, Firmae Carl, Plagiochila (Nees) Nees, Poeltiae Inoue, Subtropicae Carl, Tayloriae Carl, Zonatae Carl, supplemented with 72 plates of line drawing illustrations, scanning electron micrograph and photographs, 2 tables and 13 maps. Data provided under each species includes full citation, relevant synonymy, detailed taxonomic description, reference to the specimens examined, characteristics of species and critical comparative notes with related taxa, and range of distribution in India and elsewhere. New records for India as well as species described as new to science are included, while some taxa are considered as doubtful records. Besides relevant taxonomic description of species there is a comprehensive chapter on phylogeny of East Himalayan Plagiochila. This book will not only infuse interest in students, researchers and college/university faculty working on bryophytes but would also inspire younger workers to carry out similar studies on species of Plagiochila and other leafy liverworts from rest of the bryologically rich territories of India.
There are no reviews yet.