Debabrata Maity

Abstract: 1. Bartramia patens Brid.Contributors: R. Ochyra and M. LebouvierIles Crozet, Ile de la Possession: (1) Baie du Marin, steep cliff overlooking Crique du Navire, north-east of the Alfred Faure Stati...

Abstract: 1. Barbula convoluta Hedw.Contributor: F. MullerDemocratic Republic of the Congo: Province Kivu, Rumangabo 40 km N of Goma, at the eastern base of Nyiragongo volcano, on open soil over volcanic sto...

Abstract: The information of ethno-medicinal uses as haemostatic, antiseptic wound healer and anti-dermatitic properties containing plants in human and animals were collected from three districts of southern West Bengal, India, viz. Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur, and Murshidabad which are situated in different agro-climatic conditions. Presently twenty one such plants were recognized and most of them are new claim regarding the said treatments. The plants were properly identified with the help of relevant literatures, photographed and available relevant previous information about the medicinal properties or uses were also searched out from the earlier literatures and were enlisted for comparison.

Abstract: Farm animals are reared for production to meet up the demand for animal protein in human. Various modern medicines are extensively used for production as well as treatment and prevention of diseases of animals, which can ultimately reach us through food chain. Herbs are now considered as an important source of alternative medicines. The Ayurvedic medicines prepared by manufacturers contain processed plant parts and added with preservative and other chemicals in many cases. The present way of research on herbal medicine follows the path of identification of active principles from the extracts of preserved parts of medicinal plants after testing of their efficacy in laboratory. This concept of research have the limitation of loss of many aromatic and other phytochemicals present in the living plant, which may have very important role when used together. Animals maintained in modern farm may be given relief from modern medicines in minor and moderate ailments, cure of problems related with their production with the validated fresh plant medicine available from the plants cultivated adjacent to the farm area. Consulting the reports of ethno-botanical study, a preliminary list of medicinal plant is prepared which are having antipyretic, analgesic, wound healing, immunostimulant, hepato-protective, fertility enhancing, pregnancy assisting, lactation assisting, anthelmintic, astringent, expectorant, purgative and anti-flatulent, nutriceutical, antiseptic, anti-dermatitis, anti-dysenteric and anti-enteric, hematenic, stomachic, diuretic and kidney stone removing effects and insecticidal or insect repelling effects. This list may be enriched further and plants may be selected for a farm from these groups according to the agro-climatic condition of the area, disease prevalence, problems encountered during farming practice and other requirements of the farm. Validation of reported effects of the plants is to be performed in fresh condition, so that parts of the plants can be utilized by the trained personals of the farms.

Abstract: Gentiana springateana D.Maity sp. nov . (Gentianaceae) is described from the Sikkim Himalaya and placed in G . section Phyllocalyx (Kusn.) T.N.Ho. This new taxon is described and illustrated, and compared morphologically with two related taxa, Gentiana phyllocalyx C.B.Clarke and G. urnula Harry Sm.

Abstract: Paper presents couple of new national and regional bryophyte records accross the world, including our new record of Pseudocalliergon lycopodioides in the Carpathians (Czarny Dunajec); the only recent record for the Carpathians.

Abstract: The Kangchenjunga landscape, a transboundary complex shared by Bhutan, India, and Nepal, is one of the biologically richest regions in the Eastern Himalayas. Owing to the remarkable biodiversity, the three countries came together to enhance regional cooperation in conservation and development in 2012. To start a strategic conservation intervention, the status of our knowledge base on biodiversity of the landscape is the most important stepping stone. In this paper, we traced the history of biodiversity research in the Kangchenjunga landscape, and present the research trends over time and subject interests. Meanwhile, we also identified key research and knowledge gaps and future priorities. For this, we analyzed 500 peer-reviewed journal articles (until 2014) relating to biodiversity, which were retrieved from the web platform ‘Google Scholar’ and other peer-reviewed journals. The review showed that the landscape received attention from the scientific community as early as the 1840s, and grew progressively after the 1980s. Research on fauna (especially mammals) and flora (especially angiosperms) is most notable, but with major gaps in systematic research of their ecology, whereas invertebrates other than butterflies appear to be neglected. There is a need for systematic research with long-term monitoring that would allow us to understand changes occurring within the landscape.

Abstract: Andreaea rothii has been recorded for the first time in Croatia. It is a boreo-temperate suboceanic species (Hill et al., 2007) relatively rare in SE Europe, since it is known only from Romania (Ellis et al., 2014d), Slovenia and Serbia (Sabovljevic´ et al., 2008 ; Hodgetts, 2015). The species was found in the Papuk Mountains, situated in the mainly lowland area of NE Croatia. In this region Papuk is the largest and highest mountain range, with peaks between 800 and 900 m a.s.l. They are characterized by high geological diversity dominated by metamorphic rocks, such as different types of schists, as well as granites. The climate is temperate, moderately warm without an explicit dry period. About 60% of the almost totally forested area is covered by different communities of beech forests. The well-developed black patches of A. rothii cover an area ca 2 m× 0.5 m on a steep north-facing cliff on the edge of an acidothermophilic sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg.) forest. The specimens of A. rothii grew on the bare rock with the following bryophyte species: Cynodontium polycarpon (Hedw.) Schimp., Dicranella heteromalla (Hedw.) Schimp., Dicranum scoparium Hedw., Polytrichum piliferum Schreb. ex Hedw. and Rhabdoweisia (cf.) fugax (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. The population is very small with an extremely high risk of extinction, therefore we propose CR as Red List status for the taxon in Croatia. According to the last checklist of the moss flora of Croatia (Sabovljevic´, 2006), only Andreaea rupestris Hedw., collected from just one locality in 1927 (Horvat, 1932 and ZA), was reported for the genus. The locality is very interesting from the point of view of the vegetation of Croatia, because it is within 100 m of the second stand of Fagus sylvatica L.-Sphagnum quinquefarium (Braithw.) Warnst. forest (Alegro et al., 2015). The second occurrence of Dicranum spurium Hedw. (Ellis et al., 2014d) and Rhabdoweisia fugax (Papp et al., 2013) in Croatia are also found here. Another interesting moss is S. capillifolium (Ehrh.) Hedw., that forms small red patches within the thick carpets of S. quinquefarium under the open oulder scree forest in the neighbourhood.