The Nilgiris was identified in 1970 as a representative area of the Western Ghats under the UNESCO's Man and Biosphere programme. It is the first biosphere reserve set up in India in 1986. The present work is based on the intense field work personally carried out on the Nilgiris by the authors during 1991-1992 by spending 55 days in the field. Pteridophyte Flora of Nilgiris, South India includes 144 species of Pteridophytes with a short description along with identification keys for genera and species and ecological notes. Colour photographs have been provided for important species. Specimen citations have been given for all the species based on the author's own collections. This is the modern account on the Pteridophyte flora for this phytogeographically important region. The only previous comprehensive report for the ferns of Nilgiris was by R.H. Beddome (1864). It would be of immense use for pteridologists interested in the ferns of the tropics, for research scholars, students and teachers of Pteridology, for forest conservationists and for hobbyists.
- Preface
- Introduction
- Area of the study
- Climatic seasons
- Vegetation
- Soils and minerals
- Previous works
- Field works
- Method of presentation
- Ecology
- General key
Systematic treatment
1. Lycopodiaceae
2. Selaginellaceae
3. Equisetaceae
4. Botrychiaceae
5. Angiopteridaceae
6. Dicranopteridaceae
7. Grammitidaceae
8. Loxogrammaceae
9. Polypodiaceae
10. Drynariaceae
11. Lygodiaceae
12. Sinopteridaceae
13. Cheilanthaceae
14. Actiniopteridaceae
15. Pteridaceae
16. Adiantaceae
17. Hemionitidaceae
18. Vittariaceae
19. Hymenophyllaceae
20. Cyatheaceae
21. Hypolepidaceae
22. Dennstaedtiaceae
23. Pteridiaceae
24. Lindsaeaceae
25. Thelypteridaceae
26. Aspleniaceae
27. Athyriaceae
28. Dryopteridaceae
29. Lomariopsidaceae
30. Nephrolepidaceae
31. Davalliaceae
32. Oleandraceae
33. Blechnaceae
34. Stenochlaenaceae
35. Salviniaceae
- List of Pteridophytes of Nilgiris
- Selected bibliography
- Index to botanical names