OBSERVATIONS ON ENDEMIC LIVERWORT TAXA FROM INDIA - I. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND SEM DETAILS OF SPORES IN STEPHENSONIELLA BREVIPEDUNCULATA KASH.

抄録

  Stephensoniella brevipedunculata Kash. - a monotypic taxon, endemic to India, now belongs to the category of ‘threatened’ liverwort as it is fast disappearing from its well-known restricted sites of occurrence. This is primarily due to a curious reproductive limitation in which the spores apparently fail to respond in vivo though fully viable in vitro. The reliance on reproduction by tubers in nature imposes serious limitations on its dispersal. Morphotaxonomic details have been provided for this rare taxon laying stress on several interesitng facets not elucidated clearly so far. The structure of the oil body and SEM details of spores have been presented for the first time with the latter revealing unique sporoderm characteristics. It has been stressed that suitable steps be taken to conserve this prestigious Indian liverwort.