Puneet Kumar

Botanical Survey of India | BSI · Nothern Regional Centre Dehradun Uttarakhand

In the present floristic account, a total of fifty-seven taxa belonging to thirty-one genera and eight tribes of the family Asteraceae have been collected and reported from the Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife sanctuary. Out of these, eleven taxa are reported for the first time as additions to the flora of Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Genus...

During the course of surveys between 2016 and 2019 in the Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, 37 species were reported of which, two critically endangered, 18 endangered, 13 vulnerable, four data deficient and one endemic to western Himalayas were recorded. All the species recorded are highly priced medicinal herbs. It also discussed the sustainab...

Karyotype data, male meiosis and pollen fertility of endangered Phlomoides superba (Royle ex Benth.) Kamelin & Makhm., a plant of much medicinal, veterinary and ornamental value was studied. This study is the first report of karyotype and detailed male meiosis in the species. The species exist at the diploid level with 2n=22 chromosomes. The cells...

An account of 20 species under 11 genera of the family Fabaceae is presented based upon a thorough study of the collected specimens and field surveys in this paper from Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. Of these, fourteen taxa are reported first time from the Chamba district of the state. The updated nomenclatu...

The newest assessment of Indian plant richness stands at 54733 taxa which include 21849 angiosperms, 15504 fungi, 8979 algae, 2791 bryophytes, 2961 lichens, 1257 microbes, 1310 pteridophytes and 82 gymnosperms. Of these, the IUCN Red List for Indian plants includes 416 angiosperms, 12 gymnosperms, 2 pteridophytes, 7 bryophytes and 1 fungal species...

Veronica ciliata subsp. cephaloides (Pennell) D.Y. Hong is reported here as a new record to the flora of Himachal Pradesh from Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangi, district Chamba. The species was previously reported from Sikkim and Uttarakhand. A brief description of the taxon, key to closely allied taxa and photographs of habitat and plant...

In this study, new populations of a critically endangered Himalayan herb, Lilium polyphyllum D. Don ex Royle have been reported from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India for the first time. Karyotypic, palynological, and spermological studies under the light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) have been carried out on specimens from t...

Alstonia venenata R. Br. (Family: Apocynaceae), a paleoendemic under ex situ conservation in north India has been cytologically investigated for chromosome counts. This study recorded chromosome count (n=11) for the species. The species existed at the diploid level. Multivalents were observed in meiocytes as a consequence of reciprocal translocatio...

Background Sophora mollis Royle (family Fabaceae, subfamily-Papilionaceae) is a multipurpose legume distributed in plains and foothills of the North-West Himalaya to Nepal and is facing high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and exploitation by the local people for its fuel and fodder values. Therefore, the present study was conducted to stand...

Present cytological study records existing chromosome number diversity, their male meiotic course and pollen fertility analysis in the two wheatgrass species of tribe Triticeae Dumort. (Poaceae) from Western Himalaya, India. Agropyron thomsonii Hook. f. is an endemic grass of alpine zones of Western Himalaya and Elymus nutans Griseb., a widely dist...

Corallorhiza trifida Châtel.: a new addition to the Flora of Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalaya, India from Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangi Valley, Chamba District.

The current paper analyzes the male meiotic behavior in wild populations of Buddleja iresinoides and Castilleja arvensis. Cytomixis and other meiotic abnormalities have been reported here first time in these species. The percentage of these irregularities during meiosis and microsporogenesis was not higher, and pollen fertility was not affected to...

It is known that the allopolyploid genome of different species of the genus Elymus L. (Poaceae: Triticeae) is formed by at least five haploms of different origin (Dewey, 1984; Löve, 1984; Mason-Gamer & al., 2010). Earlier in the study of sequences of the nuclear gene encoding the enzyme granule bound starch synthase I (GBSSI), we obtained data that...

This paper deals with the discovery of Arabis nuda Bél. from Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangi, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The species was previously reported from Kashmir only, where it occurs as an occasional weed. The current population reported is thereby a new record for the state.

This paper deals with the discovery of Arabis nuda Bél. from Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangi, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The species was previously reported from Kashmir only, where it occurs as an occasional weed. The current population reported is thereby a new record for the state.

Available at: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/scr/21/2-4/21_61/_pdf/-char/ja Till date, several classical and modern methodological tools had been employed to investigate the phenomenon of cytomixis for developing a clear understanding about its occurrence, causes, mechanism, and role in plant evolution. These attempts have succeeded to some e...

Himalaya, one of the key Global Biodiversity Hotspots harbour a unique diversity and endemism, gifted with an estimated 10,000 plant species, of which 71 genera and ca. 3160 species are endemic. Many areas in the Himalayan region are still unexplored either due to their remoteness, tough terrain or harsh climatic conditions. Pangi Valley in Chamba...

Male meiotic studies were carried out on eight different accessions of Hedysarum astragaloides Benth. ex Baker (Fabaceae), an endemic and threatened species of northwest Himalaya, India. Although genetic factors such as meiosis, chromosome number, and ploidy level may be causative for the evolution, endemism, rare distribution or even extinction of...

The present study includes chromosome count, meiotic abnormalities, pollen fertility and karyotype of Elymus semicostatus from north-west Himalaya, India. This is the first attempt to present karyotype morphometric data of the species from India [2n = 4x = 28 = 22m(2sat) + 6sm]. At present 28 wild accessions of the species have been analysed, all o...

During the study of the floristic diversity of Sechu Tuan Nalla Wildlife Sanctuary, Pangi, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh it was observed that the bark of the Betula utilis is used for packaging of cooked food by local tribal community. This indigenous use, which was previously unreported, is a new observation and a novel addition to the uses of this tre...

The current study report the chromosome counts for twelve species of tribe Epilobieae from the cold desert regions of north-west Himalaya. These chromosome counts add to our existing database and enlighten our understanding of the cytology and distribution pattern of the tribe. First chromosome counts for two species, Chamerion speciosum (Decne.) H...

The present communication reports the first record of intraspecific euploid cytotypes (2x, 4x) in Arabis recta from the cold deserts of North-West Himalayas in India. The study included the detailed male meiosis, microsporogenesis, pollen fertility and morphometric parameters in the accessions of 2x and 4x cytotypes. Both the diploid and tetraploid...

Exploratory surveys were carried out in the high altitude areas of the northwest Indian Himalaya to analyze and appraise the cytomorphological diversity among the wild flowering plants. During the random exploratory surveys, we found morphological variations in some species viz., Dianthus angulatus Royle ex Benth. (Caryophyllaceae), Geranium wallic...

The study reveals that there are 1650 species of ethno-medicinal plants recorded from the state of Uttarakhand, out of these around 701 species are high altitude medicinal plants and among these high altitude regions about 161 species are under various threatened categories.

In current paper, we studied the meiotic chromosome number and details of cytomixis recorded for the first time in Thalictrum cultratum Wall. from the high altitude areas of northwest Himalaya (India). Cytomixis, the phenomenon of inter PMC (pollen mother cell) migration of chromatin material has been reported in many angiosperms and other groups o...

Impatiens (Balsaminaceae), a genus of over 1000 species, is represented by 209 species in India, particularly in South India and Himalayas. In spite of attempts made by several Indian cytologists, the chromosome counts are available for only 95 species, through karyological studies, or pollen mitosis or meiotic preparations. The investigated specie...

Preliminary survey was conducted in the Pangi Valley a high altitude region of Northwest Himalaya, India. Pangi Valley has been least studied for floristic studies except for few cytological and ethnobotanical studies. Pangi was excluded in Flora of Chamba District and there is not much information on the vegetation. With the ever increasing popula...

In current investigation we studied the male meiosis and details of secondary chromosomal associations or pairing recorded for the first time in Dianthus angulatus Royle ex Benth., from the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh, India). All the presently studied individuals of the species existed at 2x level (x = 15). The present chromosom...

Himachal Pradesh has a great altitudinal range (300–7,000 m a.s.l), with varied habitats, species, populations, communities and ecosystems. There are more than 3,400 different species of angiosperms are reported to be found in the state. More than 1,000 species have been documented as medicinal and aromatic for the states occurring in Shiwalik rang...

[http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/uACgWPsjE4aVj57HY5bv/full]:-------- Karyotype morphometric data of two species of the genus Clematis L., a cosmopolitan and diverse genus, were studied. Clematis flammula is a diploid with 2n = 16 chromosomes. It exhibits a gradual decrease in size of chromosomes from 14.83 (±3.6) µm to 7.58 (±3.65) µm. Its karyot...

Meiotic studies carried out in the individuals of Sedum oreades (Decne.) R. Hamet (Crassulaceae), which exists at diploid level (n=11) revealed the presence of 0-4B-chromosomes, non-synchronous disjunction of bivalents, chromatin bridges, and laggards as well as some pollen sterility (8%) in the collection from Manimahesh Hills (Gauri Kund, 3930 m,...

Nucleolus was regarded as a mere ribosome-producing factory for many decades however, in the past two decades; this has come to the light that it is a plurifunctional nuclear domain which plays vital role in many cellular processes. Despite many advances, much remains to be revealed about the nucleolus association with cellular processes. While exp...

In the present investigation, we examined the morphological and ecological adaptations, and male meiosis and pollen fertility in an endemic species of genus Astragalus, A. rhizanthus Royle ex Benth. from cold deserts of Lahaul–Spiti district of Himachal, Pradesh, India. The three populations from Lahaul Valley and one from Spiti Valley depicted the...

Pleurospermum Hoffm. (Apiaceae), a widely spread, heterogeneous genus of complex and controversial taxonomy, is poorly known for chromosome number and meiotic details from the Indian subcontinent. In the current study, we examined male meiosis, chromosome counts, and pollen fertility in two species, P. candollii and P. govanianum from alpine areas...

Himachal Pradesh has .....................3,400 species of angiosperms are reported In the state and over 1,000 species.only in the high altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh. Of these, 44 species fall under critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable and endemic categories.

The current investigation includes detailed male meiotic studies, chromosomal counts, and pollen fertility on 38 species of family Asteraceae from the Pangi Valley, a part of cold desert Himalayas. The first-ever chromosome counts have been made for seven species viz. Aster albescens Wall. (n = 9), A. heterochaeta C. B. Clark (n = 9), Cirsium invol...

Meiotic studies have been carried out on 12 accessions of Anemone rivularis from different regions of Western Himalaya. The accessions from Chamba, Kullu and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand showed a normal meiotic course leading to high pollen fertility (87–100%). However, the accession scored from Saat...

Detailed male meiotic studies were made in Lindelofia longiflora (Royle ex Benth.) Baill. var. falconeri (Cl.) Brand (Family: Boraginaceae) from the cold deserts of Pangi Valley, Chamba District (Himachal Pradesh) in India. The meiotic course in some of the individuals was observed to be highly abnormal which include cytomixis involving chromatin t...

Presently, A. millefolium, a morphogenetically variable species, has been scored from phytogeographically isolated and unexplored areas of the northwest Himalayas for chromosome counts and male meiotic course. All the studied accessions shared the same meiotic chromosome number of n = 9 and existed at diploid level. A majority of the accessions exh...

The present work includes detailed male meiotic studies on 46 species of grasses falling into 59 accessions from different localities of Parvati Valley in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh in the altitudinal range of 1,100 to 2,750 m. All the species have been studied cytologically for the first time from the study area. The meiotic chromosome cou...

Pangi Valley is the interior most tribal area in Himachal Pradesh of Northwest Himalaya. An ethnobotanical investigation is attempted to highlight the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants being used by the tribes of Pangi Valley. Various localities visited in the valley 2-3 times in a year and ethnobotanical information was collected through i...

Click or copy paste link to view pdf for free on springerlink : http://rdcu.be/mIpE Despite the presence of intraspecific polyploidy (2x, 4x, 5x and 6x) in Agrimonia eupatoria, origin of these cytotypes has never been addressed adequately. The aim of the present study was to record the original chromosome counts and characterize chromosomal pairin...

Tordyliopsis brunonis (Apiaceae) is cytologically investigated here for the first time from India. The chromosome count of 2n = 33, ascertained here, represents a new intraspecific triploid cytotype in the species, supplementing the earlier report of a diploid cytotype with 2n = 22 from Nepal Himalayas. The diploid chromosome count (n = 11) has als...

Silene vulgaris is an important ethnobotanical species, but so far no thorough meiotic analysis has been performed, despite its wide occurrence in temperate and alpine Himalayas, this prompted us to undertake present study. We investigated original meiotic chromosome number and effect of cytomixis on meiotic course, microsporogenesis and pollen gra...

Despite the presence of intraspecific polyploidy (2x, 4x, 5x and 6x) in Agrimonia eupatoria, origin of these cytotypes has never been addressed adequately. The aim of the present study was to record the original chromosome counts and characterize chromosomal pairing during meiosis and microsporogenesis in the 5x cytotype, and discussing the hypothe...

Chromosome counts, detailed meiotic course, microsporogenesis, and pollen fertility studies have been carried out in two species of Trigonella, T. emodi Benth. and T. pubescens Edgew. ex Baker collected from the Kinnaur and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh (India). Both of the species from Kinnaur have been studied cytologically for the first t...

Two varieties of Saxifraga diversifolia, diversifolia and parnassifolia, collected from the moist alpine slopes around Gauri Kund, 3930 m (Manimahesh Hills, Himachal Pradesh, India), are studied for detailed male meiosis, chiasma frequency and pollen fertility. Both varieties exist at diploid level (based on x = 8), and show a meiotic chromosome co...

In this work we studied the meiotic chromosome number and details of secondary chromosomal associations recorded for the first time in Geranium pratense L. from the alpine environments in the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti (India). All the presently studied individuals of the species existed at 4x level (x = 14). The present chromosome count of n = 2...

Details of male meiotic course and pollen fertility have been investigated in 45 species of dicotyledonous plants from the chromosomally unexplored area of the Mandi district, between the attitudinal ranges of 800 to 3360m. All the species have been worked out cytologically for the first time from the study area. The meiotic chromosome count of n=9...

Meiotic studies floral buds –fixed-Carnoy's fixative (Absolute alcohol, chloroform and glacial acetic acid ,6:3:1) 24 h. Transferred-70% alcohol Meiocytes-squashing-acetocarmine (1%). Light microscope Olympus. 500−600 pollen mother cells-M-I/II, anaphase-I/II (A-I/II), telophase-I/II (T-I/II). Pollen grain analysis Pollen fertility-stainability tes...

BPP-18.Chromosome number, geographical distribution of diploid and tetraploid cytotypes, and occurrence of cytomixis in 2x cytotype and its impact on meiotic course and pollen grain fertility and size in Silene vulgaris from northwest Himalayas (India). BPP- 6 Chromosome number and phenomenon of cytomixis in two species of Trigonella l. From Kinnau...

Detailed cytological investigations performed in Anemone tetrasepala Royle from the Pangi Valley revealed the presence of various irregularities (spindle irregularities, chromatin transfer, chromatin stickiness, and nonsynchronous condensation of chromatin material) for the first time in the species that existed at diploid level (2n = 14). Spindle...

The present study documented the ethnobotanical and medicinal uses of plants from an ecologically fragile cold desert area of Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh, India). Local people use plants for curing the stomach troubles, pain reliever, cough, gastric disorders, and aphrodisiac and other household purposes. In addition, chromosome numbers, male me...

Cytological investigations have been carried out on the 9 wild accessions of Solanum nigrum L., a medicinally important species having wide-range therapeutic properties. Male meiotic studies performed in 9 accessions revealed the presence of 3 intraspecific cytotypes, 2x (n=12), 4x (n=24) and 6x (n=36) in the species. The course of meiosis in 8 of...

Two accessions were studied for male meiosis in Ranunculus laetus from the cold regions of Northwest Himalayas. One accession showed the presence of 14 bivalents at diakinesis and regular segregation of bivalents at anaphase I which lead to normal tetrad formation with four n microspores and consequently n pollen grains and 100% pollen fertility. S...

Dianthus angulatus (Caryophyllaceae) is cytologically examined here for the first time for the area of India. The diploid chromosome count of 2n = 30, ascertained here, represents a new cytotype, supplementing the earlier report of a hexaploid cytotype with 2n = 90 from outside of India. We report here the occurrence of two plants showing impaired...

Ranunculus laetus Wall. ex Royle (Family: Ranunculaceae) is one of the highly polymorphic species. In the present investigations two accessions were studied for male meiosis from the cold regions of Northwest Himalayas. Meiosis in one of the accession collected from Bharmour, 2,300 m was totally normal with the presence of 14 bivalents at diakinesi...

In this study the exact chromosome number, detailed meiotic behavior in pollen mother cells and pollen viability were investigated, which can contribute to a better understanding of the cytological evolution of the species growing in the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh, India). This study is the first such comprehensive attempt to ex...

 Lindelofia longiflora (Royle ex Benth.) Baill. var. falconeri (Cl.) Brand (Family: Boraginaceae) is investigated cytologically (n= 12) for the first time from the cold deserts of Pangi Valley, Chamba District (Himachal Pradesh) in India. We report the formation of syncytes and 2n pollen grains in the species. During meiosis, the majority of the po...

Lindelofia longiflora (Royle ex Benth.) Baill. var. falconeri (Cl.) Brand (Family: Boraginaceae) is investigated cytologically (n= 12) for the first time from the cold deserts of Pangi Valley, Chamba District (Himachal Pradesh) in India. We report the formation of syncytes and 2n pollen grains in the species. During meiosis, the majority of the pol...

In this study, we examined the chromosome number, detailed male meiosis, microsporogenesis, pollen fertility and morphological features and distribution of 2× and 4× cytotypes of Ranunculus hirtellus Royle, 1834. The majority of the populations scored now from cold regions of the northwest Himalayas showed tetraploid (n=16) meiotic chromosome count...

Studies on reproductive biology are difficult but useful in species like Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa which is of considerable socio-economic importance and possess morphogenetic variation and qualities of wider adaptability to different soils. Cytology, phenology, pollination, breeding system and natural regeneration of wild and cultivated trees...

Present work pertains to cytomorphological studies in the plants of Polypetalae from the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti and its adjoining areas. The area remained covered with snow for more than 6 months. Temperature during winter falls as low as -300 C. Air is very dry and strong winds blow almost throughout the year at higher elevations. The mounta...

Thalictrum foetidum L. (Ranunculaceae), a morphologically variable and widely distributed species of temperate and alpine Himalayas is worked out cytologically for the first time from India. Earlier studies from outside India were restricted to chromosome counts and karyotypic analysis. We studied the male meiosis, microsporogenesis and pollen viab...

Present work pertains to the cytological investigations performed in Ranunculus laetus for the fi rst time from Indian cold deserts and adjoining high hills of North-west Himalayas which covers Chamba, Kinnaur, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. We here also report for the fi rst time the presence of 1 B-chromosome in two accessi...

The phenomenon of cytomixis involving chromatin transfer and spindle abnormalities were recorded for the first time in the diploid (n=6) accession of Plantago lanceolata scored from Parvati Valley, Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh (India). Cytomixis with chromatin transfer involved 2–3 PMCs (pollen mother cells) at different stages of meiosis from...

Male meiosis and pollen fertility studies have been performed in 35 species belonging to 25 genera and 13 families of Polypetalae from the Dalhousie hills. Impatiens laxiflora (n=6) was counted chromosomally for the first time. Corydalis cornuta (n=8), Erysimum hieracifolum (n=16), Arenaria serpyllifolia (n=10), Drymaria diandra (n=13), Geranium lu...

Th e existence of structural heterozygosity for reciprocal translocations in the wild diploid (n=9) accession of Artemisia parvifl ora collected from the Parvati Valley in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India is reported for the fi rst time. Th e other two Indian accessions studied from Pangi Valley in Chamba district and Pulga, 2300m in Parvati...

tetraploid (2n=32) chromosome count and cytomixis in Clematis orientalis L. var. acutifolia Hook. f. et Thoms. The phenomenon of cytomixis (9.33 - 29.80 %) involving chromatin transfer among 2 - 3 proximate pollen mother cells (PMCs) during male meiosis occurs through narrow and broad cytoplasmic channels from early prophase to tetrad stage. Howeve...

Chromosomal studies on Clematis montana from Dalhousie hills, Himachal Pradesh, India have led to the identification of an accession that exhibited aberrant male meiosis, pollen sterility and heterogeneous sized fertile pollen grains. The accession, which exists at diploid level (n=8), depicts the phenomenon of cytomixis involving chromatin transfe...

The existence of structural heterozygosity for reciprocal translocations in the wild diploid (n=9) accession of Artemisia parvifl ora collected from the Parvati Valley in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India is reported for the fi rst time. Th e other two Indian accessions studied from Pangi Valley in Chamba district and Pulga, 2300m in Parvati...

The cold deserts in Western Himalayas spread over approx. 74,809 Km2, cover Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand and Lahaul- Spiti along with some parts of Chamba and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh. These cold deserts consist of rugged mountains, snow clad peaks, bare rocks, steep sandy slopes with...

Lychnis indica Benth. a member of the family Caryophyllaceae is commonly distributed in the temperate regions of the Himalayas. Two varieties- var. indica and var. fimbriata are recognized by Hooker in Indian taxa. Presently two accessions of var. fimbriata have been studied meiotically from Dalhousie Hills, Himachal Pradesh, India. Both the access...

Presently, detailed cytological investigations have been carried out in 4 accessions of Anemone rivularis Buch.-Ham. ex DC, collected from the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh (India). The phenomenon of cytomixis involving chromatin transfer among proximate pollen mother cells (PMCs) during male meiosis...