Ashish Kumar Asthana

• M.Sc., Ph.D. (Botany)
• Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Botanical Research, Institute, Lucknow-226001, India

The present study outlines the current status of the moss family Erpodiaceae in Eastern Ghats region of south India. During the taxonomic evaluation of the moss flora, five taxa of Erpodiaceae have been encountered belonging to three genera viz., Erpodium (Brid.) Brid., Solmsiella Müll. Hal. and Aulacopilum Wilson. In Erpodium, leaves were monomorp...

Present study reveals the occurrence of 15 taxa of the genus Fissidens Hedw. from Assam. Eight species viz. Fissidens biformis Mitt., F. bryoides Hedw., F. ceylonensis Dozy. & Molk., F. curvatoinvolutus Dixon., F. flaccidus Mitt., F. griffithii Gangulee, Thwait ex Mitt., F. pellucidus Hornsch. and F. zollingeri Mont. are new to Assam, while F. cras...

New records of 18 species of mosses and liverworts are presented, with detailed notes on their taxonomy, distribution, and ecological characteristics. These findings provide valuable insights for advancing research in biogeography, ecology, and conservation.

A study on the quantitative estimation of diversity in 32 selected grids in the bryophyte-rich localities of Assam, North East India has been carried out. Assessment was done in 160 macroplots of 10 m  10 m, randomly esta-blished in the forest and within each macroplot, five microquadrats (10 cm  10 cm) were placed at differ-ent habitats, viz. sa...

Present study on liverworts diversity of some underexplored areas of Manipur has revealed the occurrence of 23 genera and 32 species of liverworts belonging to 17 families. Fourteen species have been reported for the first time from Manipur while three Indian endemic species (Cephalozia kashyapii Udar, Microlejeunea indica (Udar et U. S. Awasthi) Y...

During an investigation on mosses of some underexplored regions of Nagaland, 121 taxa of mosses belonging to 74 genera and 29 families have been identified. Atrichum crispulum Schimp. & Besch. and Plagiothecium neckeroideum var. niitakayamae (Toyama) Z. Iwats. are new records for India. Five taxa namely Fissidens crassinervis var. laxus (Sull & Les...

The present paper deals with the investigation of moss taxa of some underexplored regions of Manipur, Northeast India. During the assessment of moss diversity in various localities of Manipur a total 126 species of mosses belonging to 84 genera in 34 families have been investigated and enumerated. Ten species, namely Amblystegium serpens,Entodontop...

New findings of bryophytes are presented

The book provides an original account of the mosses of Govind wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand and has 211 taxa belonging to 113 genera and 33 families supported by 110 color plates. This work includes six species new to the bryflora of India, 3 species new to Himalaya, 28 species new to Western Himalaya and 32 species new to Uttarakhand. The study...

Pohlia leucostoma (Bosch & Sande Lac.) M. Fleisch. has been identified and described as a new addition to the bryoflora of India from Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. The taxon is characterized by acrocarpous, bright green, glossy plants with linear and filiform leaf propagules with 1-2 peg-like leaf primordia, forming clusters i...

Plagiobryum zieri (Dicks. ex Hedw.) Lindb. inhabitant of higher altitude has been recorded for the first time from Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand of the Western Himalaya earlier known from Sikkim (Eastern Himalaya). About 25 species of Plagiobryum are known worldwide. A morpho-taxonomic account of Western Himalayan plants of Plagiobryum zieri is provided.

Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus sp. are one of the extremely potent toxins of fungal origin that create serious health hazards in plants, animals and humans. The present study aims to search for a reliable and eco-friendly biocontrol of aspergillus by validating the use of some traditionally used bryophytes applying standard antifungal assays. T...

During study on the family Mniaceae in Darjeeling and its neighbouring areas, three genera and six species (Mnium lycopodioides, Orthomnion bryoides, Plagiomnium acutum, P. confertidens, P. rhynchophorum and P. succulentum) have been identified. Of these Plagiomnium acutum is reported here for the first time from eastern Himalaya. A detailed morpho...

Riccia boliviensis Jovet-Ast is recorded for the first time in Asia from the Eastern Ghats area of Andhra Pradesh (India). It is a disjunct distribution of this taxon recorded in Asia beyond South America as earlier it was reported from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia (South America). The species can be readily distinguished in having spor...

Plagiomnium insigne (Mitt.) T. J. Kop. known as Badge moss has been reported for the first time from Asia (Gulmarg, India). It was earlier known from North America (California, Canada and USA). The species is characterized by its dioicous sexuality, elliptical leaves with small ± pitted isodiametric cells and more number of two-celled teeth on leaf...

During the course of intensive exploration of the Govind Wild Life Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya, some interesting specimens of genus Paraleucobryum (Lindb. ex Limpr.) Loeske have been identified. A critical morpho-taxonomic study of these plants has revealed its close resemblance with P. enerve (Thed.) Loeske; however, it differs from t...

During studies on family Mniaceae in India, plants of Orthomnion javense Koponen have been recognized which is a new record for India and East Nepal, earlier it was known from China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Vietnam. O. javense is characterized by its fragile leaves, costa ending below the leaf apex, 1–3 cells wide...

Mylia taylorii (Hook.) Gray, a rare taxon has been collected from Singalila National Park, Darjeeling (West Bengal), in the subalpine region, on way to Phalut from Sandakphu (ca 3657 m). A detailed morpho-taxonomic and illustrated account of the Indian plants is provided. Keywords: Eastern Himalaya, India, Liverwort, Mylia, Rare.

43 contributors from Central, Eastern and NE Europe as well as from Ecuador and India report on findings of 30 bryophyte species in different regions of the world. Among them, there are interesting records from Italy (Mannia californica, Ptychostomum arcticum), Czech Republic (Ortholimnobium handelii), Poland (Lophoziopsis propagulifera), Latvia (P...

Ellis L.T., Almeida L.A., Peralta D.F., Bačkor M., Baisheva E.Z., Bednarek-Ochyra H., Burghardt M., Czernyadjeva I.V., Kholod S.S., Potemkin A.D., Erdağ A., Kırmacı M., Fedosov V.E., Ignatov M.S., Koltysheva D.E., Flores J.R., Fuertes E., Goga M., Guo S.-L., Hofbauer W.K., Kurzthaler M., Kürschner H., Kuznetsova O.I., Lebouvier M., Long D.G., Mamon...

A recent exploration and study on bryophytes of Eastern Ghats’ area of Andhra Pradesh has revealed the occurrence of two pleurocarpous mosses viz., Thuidium assimile (Mitt.) A. Jaeger and Anomodon minor subsp. integerrimus (Mitt.) Iwatsuki as new addition to the moss flora of South India. A detailed morpho-taxonomical account and illustration of th...

A recent exploration and study on bryophytes of Eastern Ghats' area of Andhra Pradesh has revealed the occurrence of two pleurocarpous mosses viz., Thuidium assimile (Mitt.) A.Jaeger and Anomodon minor subsp. integerrimus (Mitt.) Iwatsuki as new addition to the moss flora of South India. A detailed morpho-taxonomical account and illustration of the...

The present study elucidates the current status of moss family Hypnaceae in Pachmarhi Sanctuary that is part of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR). On taxonomic assessment, Hypnaceae emerged as one of the dominant families of the Sanctuary with seven genera and 12 species being present. The diversity and species composition of the taxa was asses...

The genus Plaubelia Bridel has been identified at Shillong (Meghalaya) for the first time in India. Interestingly the plants are distinctly different from hitherto known species of the genus hence described here as P. khasiana sp. nov. It is characterized by rosulate habit of plants, leaves appressed falcate when moist, upper leaves larger than the...

The present study highlights the disjunct distribution of the moss Trachyphyllum borgenii (Renauld & Cardot) Broth. Trachyphyllum borgenii, was earlier known as an endemic to Madagascar, has recently been identified at Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR), central India. The discovery of T. borgenii is a new record for Indian subcontinent with extende...

Abstract: The diversity of the liverwort genus Porella is studied in the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (GWLS), Uttarakhand. A total of 12 species and infraspecific taxa are described, all being reported for the first time from the area. A working key is provided for identification along with the taxonomic description of each of them. As Porella is repr...

A recent survey and investigation on the mosses of Meghalaya has revealed the occurrence of Fissidens gymnogynus Besch. (family Fissidentaceae) in India for the first time. Plants of Fissidens gymnogynus are characterized by presence of lingulate to lanceolate leaves, distinctly mamillose cells of apical lamina, costa ceasing few cells below apex,...

During the present study an effort has been made to propagate (in-vitro) the endangered and endemic Indian liverwort Stephensoniella brevipedunculata Kashyap using different culture media under controlled Laboratory conditions. Axenic cultures of the taxon have been established using tubers as explants. Seven combinations of media with Full Strengt...

The growth pattern of Marchantia polymorpha subsp. ruderalis, using gemmae as explant, in different culture media in combination with auxin and cytokinins has been studied. The plant growth was maximum in ½ KNOP’s followed by KNOP’s, Hoagland and Murashige & Skoog media. The normal growth of gemmae was inhibited at higher concentrations of hormone...

ABSTRACT: During investigation on the bryophytes of The Govind Wildlife Sanctuary. Grimmia nepalensis has been identified for the first time from this region. It is a new record for India and has been collected after about 150 years since its original collection from Nepal. The species is endemic to the Himalaya. KEYWORDS: Grimmia nepalensis, Govin...

Frullania larjiana S.K. Singh & D.K. Singh has recently been identified from Eastern Ghats region in Tamil Nadu which is a new addition to the Bryoflora of South India. Thus range of distribution of this taxon has been extended from western Himalaya to South India. The species was earlier known from western Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh) by its circum...

An exploration carried out to study the bryophytes of Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh has revealed the occurrence of 3 mosses viz., Platygyriella aurea (Schwägr.)W. R. Buck (Hypnaceae), Brachymenium sikkimense Renauld & Cardot (Bryaceae) and Dicranodontium didymodon (Griff.) Paris (Dicranaceae) which are new additions to the moss flo...

In vitro propagation of Splachnum sphaericum Hedw. has been carried out to study its growth pattern and morphogenetic attributes. Plants of this species were freshly collected from Se La Pass, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. Axenic culture of the species has been established using spores as explants. Half Knop's macronutrients, Half Knop's + Vitamins, H...

During the course of the present study, two species of Fissidens viz. F. formosanus Noguchi and F. oblongifolius Hook. f. & Wilson have been encountered from Pachmarhi biosphere reserve, which are new additions to the bryoflora of India. Considering that these species are restrictedly distributed worldwide, their occurrence in India holds much impo...

Hypnum Hedw. is a moss genus of family Hypnaceae which mostly occurs in temperate and sub tropical regions having ample moisture regime. The present study explicates the distribution and diversity of eight taxa of Hypnum viz. H. aduncoides (Brid.) Müll. Hal., H. cupressiforme Hedw., H. cupressiforme ssp. imponens, H. macrogynum Besch., H. sikkimens...

Anthelia julacea (L.) Dumort., a less known plant of Indian bryoflora, has been rediscovered from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand after a gap of around eight decades. The study confirms its presence in the country and also makes its first ever report from Uttarakhand.

The present study deals with the investigation of moss flora of Govind Wild Life Sanctuary (GWLS), Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. It includes an account of 216 species of mosses belonging to 103 genera of 32 families. Families Pottiaceae and Bryaceae seem to be more dominant in the region with 32 species, followed by Brachytheciaceae and Thuidiaceae. Bot...

The study compares the effect of Arsenic (As) on some physiological metabolites and anti-oxidant enzymes in two thalloid liverworts Marchantia paleacea Bertol. and Marchantia papillata subsp grossibarba (Stephani) Bischel, having different morphological characteristics. The plants were administered with different concentrations of As ranging from 5...

The present study outlines the current status of moss family Dicranaceae in Pachmarhi Sanctuary, a part of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. During the taxonomic evaluation of the moss flora of this Reserve, eight taxa of Dicranaceae have been encountered belonging to three genera viz. Campylopus Bridel, Dicranella C. Muell. And Leuculoma Bridel. Among...

A recent study on the mosses of Meghalaya has revealed the occurrence of 6 taxa of the genus Entodon viz., E. concinnus (De Not.) Par. ssp. caliginosus (Mitt.) Mizushima, E. rubicundus (Mitt.) Jaeg., E. luridus (Griff.) Jaeg., E. plicatus C. Muell., E. scariosus Ren. & Card. and E. pulchellus (Griff.) Jaeg., out of which E. concinnus (De Not.) Par....

Eastern Ghats are discontinuous hill ranges passing through Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu located between 11⁰30' & 22⁰N latitude and 76⁰50' & 86⁰30'E longitude. Bryophyte flora of this region is still very less explored. During a recent field exploration to Eastern Ghats region of Tamil Nadu three moss taxa viz. Solmsiella biseriata (Austin...

62 contributors report on 55 bryophyte species, collected in Europe, Central and South America, Antarctica, Central and East Asia. Most of taxa are reported for different European countries: Denmark (14 species), Italy (3), Spain (2), Lithuania (2), Hungary (2 ones); the other countries (Portugal, Croatia, Ukraine, Greece, etc) are represented by o...

Gymnomitrion crenatilobum Grolle, earlier reported from Nepal and known from the type only, is reported from Uttarakhand, India. The plants are clearly distinguishable based on a 2-3 cells wide hyaline leaf margin which is crenulate in apical half of leaves and smooth in basal half.

p>A recent study on the mosses of Meghalaya has revealed the occurrence of 6 taxa of the genus viz., Entodon E. concinnus (De Not.) Par. ssp. caliginosus (Mitt.) Mizushima, E. rubicundus (Mitt.) Jaeg., E. luridus (Griff.) Jaeg., E. plicatus C. Muell., E. scariosus Ren. & Card. and E. pulchellus (Griff.) Jaeg., out of which E. concinnus (De Not.) Pa...

p>Eastern Ghats are discontinuous hill ranges passing through Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu located between 11⁰30' & 22⁰N latitude and 76⁰50' & 86⁰30'E longitude. Bryophyte flora of this region is still very less explored. During a recent field exploration to Eastern Ghats region of Tamil Nadu three moss taxa viz. Solmsiella biseriata (Aust...

Kurzia trichoclados (K. Müller) Grolle, is a disjunct liverwort known from Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. Its distribution in South Asia has now been expanded to include India.

During an investigation on the bryophytes of western Himalaya, Lejeunea aquatica Horik. was identified from Lohaghat area (Uttarakhand) and is reported as a new addition to the Indian bryoflora. Prior to this study, it was known only from China, Japan and Taiwan. The species is characterized by its monoicous sexuality, small lobules which is 1/5–1/...

Abstract This study compares the effect of Arsenic (As) on some physiological metabolites and anti-oxidant enzymes in two thalloid liverworts Marchantia paleacea Bertol. and Marchantia papillata subsp. grossibarba (Stephani) Bischl., having different morphological characteristics. The plants were treated with different concentrations of As ranging...

Present study provides an account of 72 taxa of mosses belonging to 24 families. During the study five mosses Fissidens polysetulus C. Muell. ex Gangulee & Norkett, Ectropothecium kerstanii Dix. & Herz., Isopterygium serrulatum Fleisch., Weissia edentula Mitt., Rhachithecium perpusillum (Thwait & Mitt.) Broth. are new to western Himalaya, while 10...

Abstract Govind Wildlife Sanctuary is very rich in Biodiversity. During recent investigation on the bryoflora of this area, Campylopus schmidii (Mu¨ll. Hal.) A. Jaegr. (Dicranaceae) has been identified, which is a new addition to the bryoflora of Indian Himalaya. It was previously reported from South India. In India, the genus is represented by 10...

Abstract During an investigation on the bryophytes of Gangetic plains, Archilejeunea minutilobula Udar et U. S. Awasthi has been identified at Farakka, district Murshidabad (West Bengal) which is a new addition to the Gangetic plains and West Bengal. Previously it was known from South India (Mettupalayam, Mahabaleshwar) only. The taxon belongs to s...

Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR) has been a major spot of biodiversity in central India, particularly in terms of cryptogamic flora. Hornworts are the group of bryophytes placed under Division Anthocerotophtya which form a significant assemblage with phylogenetic and evolutionary importance as these plants possess characteristics that relate to th...

In-vitro propagation of three species of genus Bryum, viz. B. argenteum Hedw., B. billardieri Schwaegr. and B. pallescens Schleich ex Schwaegr. has been carried out to study their growth patterns and morphogenetic attributes. Plants of all the three species were freshly collected from Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttarakhand). Axenic cultures of thes...

During the recent study on the mosses of Meghalaya (North-Eastern Hills), six species of Fissidens have been identified from Shillong viz., Fissidens anomalous Mont., F. elongatus Mitt., F. gardneri Mitt., F. obscurus Mitt., F. pellucidus Hornsch.and F. pulchellus Mitt. Among these Fissidens gardneri and Fissidens pellucidus are new additions to ea...

Lejeunea minutiloba A. Evans has been identified in Eastern Ghats region of Tamil Nadu which is a new record for South India. It was earlier reported from Brazil, Bermuda, Cuba, North America, Puerto Rico (Mona Island), ST. Thomas, West Indies and from Eastern Himalaya in India. The taxon is characterized by highly reduced obsolete lobules, small m...

The Govind Wild Life Sanctuary (GWLS), established in 1955, is situated in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The whole area of the Sanctuary is covered with light to heavy snow and is very rich in biodiversity. During the course of extensive bryological exploration of this area, specimens of Tetralophozia filiformis (Steph.) Urmi have been collec...

Rawat K. K., Sahu V., Verma P. K. & Asthana A. K. 2015. Horikawaella S. Hatt. & Amakawa (Marchantiophyta: Solenostomataceae) from Sikkim, India. Geophytology 45(1): 67-70. Genus Horikawaella S. Hatt. & Amakawa, a rare taxon of Indian bryoflora, is endemic to Himalaya and is represented in India by single species H. subacuta (Herzog) S. Hatt. & Amak...

Govind Wild Life Sanctuary in the Western Himalayas with its diverse vegetation types provides excellent habitats and microclimates for a lush growth of bryophytes. During investigations on the bryophytes of this region Plagiothecium euryphyllum (Cardot et Thér.) Z. Iwats. and P. cavifolium (Brid.) Z. Iwats. have been identified for the first time...

Abstract: An investigation of the Bryophytes from Terai region of Uttar Pradesh has revealed the occurrence of 29 species of bryophytes: 21 species belonging to 16 genera of 11 Families of Mosses; 6 species belonging to 3 genera of 3 families of Liverworts and 2 species belonging to 1 genus of 1 family of Hornworts. This includes several new report...

Govind Wild Life Sanctuary situated in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand harbours a rich biodiversity. During investigation on the bryophytes of this region, Fabronia pusilla Raddi (Family Fabroniaceae) and Didymodon michiganensis (Steere) Saito (Family Pottiaceae) have been identified in this reserve area for the first time. Earlier, F. pusilla was...

Homalothecium arenarium (Lesq.) Lawt. has been identified from Shillong (Meghalaya) in the North-eastern Hill region of the Eastern Himalaya, which is a new addition to the Indian bryoflora. This species is distinctly characterised by leaves having transverse basal band of two or more rows of short cells and costa ending into a spine and denticulat...

Two mosses viz., Myurella sibirica (C. Muell.) Reim. and Bryum retusifolium Card. et Vard. have been identified from Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttarakhand), which are new additions to western Himalaya. M. sibirica was earlier reported from East Nepal, while Bryum retusifolium Card. et Vard. was earlier known from eastern Himalaya and South India....

alpestris (Thed.) Schimp. Contributor: L. Thouvenot Andorra: Encamp, Ensagents, 42u319070N, 1u389410E, 2520 m a.s.l., on the top of granitic rock in alpine meadow, 17 July 2006, leg. L. Thouvenot 3086 (BCB 58238). According to Casas (2005) this species was pre-viously unrecorded in Andorra (Eastern Pyrenees) although it is known in the neighbouring...

During the present study Methanolic extracts of 9 thalloid liverworts were analyzed by HPLC which contain Gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Caffeic acid, Rutin, Ferulic acid, Quercetin and Kaempferol known as antioxidants and also have some role in toxicity against cancer cells. Plants were grown in moss House for ex situ conserva...

Abstract: The present study deals with the investigation of Pogonatum perichaetiale subsp. thomsonii from Watan Village, Pithoragarh. The important characteristics of this species are plants simple, leaves stiff, tufted and forming a bud like structure when dry, margin sharply toothed in upper part of the leaves, costa ends in a sharp awn like poin...

An enumeration of 30 taxa of liverworts belonging to 13 families and single taxon of hornwort of Pithoragarh and its neighbouring areas (Mayawati-Lohaghat) has been made. One liverwort, Lejeunea aquatica Horik. has been recorded as new to India, four liverworts Frullania neurota Taylor, F. companulata Sde., Lejeunea brittoniae (Evans) Grolle,and L....

ABSTRACT During investigation on the bryophytes of Govind Wild life Sanctuary, a rare moss Hedwigia ciliata (Hedw.) Ehrh. Ex P. Beauv. var. ciliata has been identified from this area. This species is found mainly in the Europe. Taxon has been reported first time from Uttarakhan, however, earlier it was merely reported from North Western Himalaya. T...

During the present study in vitro propagation of acrocarpous moss: Anomobryum filiforme var. concinnatum (Spruce.) Aman. has been carried out on different culture media: Full strength Knop's macronutrients, half-strength Knop's macronutrients, Nitsch's trace elements + 10 ppm ferric citrate and Hoagland media with the aim to establish stable in vit...

Tamia hills and Patalkot valley are situated in the Satpura ranges and are a part of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. The area is geologically important as it is a component of the Indian segments of Gondwanaland. The shady locales and ample moisture explain the rich bryophyte flora encountered here. Amid the bryophytes, mosses have emerged as the...

During investigation on the bryophytes of Darjeeling and its neighbouring areas, 6 species of Pogonatum (Pogonatum patulum (Harv.) Mitt., Pogonatum cirratum (Sw.) Brid. Pogonatum neesii (C. Muell.) Dozy. Pogonatum microstomum (Schwaegr.) Brid. Pogonatum perichaetiale (Mont.) Jaeg. Pogonatum urnigerum (Hedw.) P. Beauv.) have been identified. These a...