STATUS OF BRYOPHYTES IN RAJASTHAN-A REVIEW

Bryophytes are a proposed taxonomic division containing three groups of non-vascular land plants (embryophytes): the liverworts, hornworts and mosses. They are characteristically limited in size and prefer moist habitats although they can survive in drier environments. The bryophytes consist of about 20,000 plant species. Bryophytes produce enclosed reproductive structures (gametangia and sporangia), but they do not produce flowers or seeds. They reproduce sexually by spores and asexually by fragmentation or the production of gemmae. In case of bryophytes in Rajasthan, on the basis of compilation of earlier reports and results of fresh exploration, the present work provides a list of 113 bryophyte taxa from Mount Abu, Rajasthan including 24 taxa as new to the Mount Abu area. Out of these, 14 are new records to Rajasthan state, while 07 taxa are new to Central Indian bryo-geographical region. Bryophytes are most abundant and conspicuous in moist habitats, but are also found in grasslands and deserts where they endure prolonged dry periods. Number of Bryophyte species like Funaria hygrometrica, Marcantia palmata,Riccia robusta are collected from Thar desert of Rajasthan particular from Ganganagar district for the studies on morphological and anatomical adaptation. These studies reveal the anatomical adaptations of bryophytes to xeric conditions (like presence of tufts of tough rhizoids and longer rhizoids etc.). The study was carried out through section cutting using rotary microtome. Different photographs of these sections have been taken from microscope with the help of digital camera.