Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tree Ferns and Giant Ferns in India: Their Significance and Conservation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development

Abstract

Tree ferns are widely distributed in different habitats from damp, sheltered slopes and moist gullies to high altitudes in cloud forests and from cool temperate forest to tropical rain forest. In India tree ferns are represented by 12 species, out of which 11 belong to the genus Cyathea of Cyatheaceae and 1 belongs to the genus Cibotium of Cibotiaceae. And the giant fern is represented by three species belonging to the genus Angiopteris of family Marattiaceae. This chapter elucidates the taxonomy, distribution, ecology and conservation status of the tree ferns and giant ferns of India and some of their uses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Beddome RH (1883) Handbook to the ferns of British India: Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula; with supplement 1892. Thacker, Spink, and Co, Calcutta. I–XIV, 1–500+ 110

    Google Scholar 

  • Benniamin A (2009) Medicinal ferns of North Eastern India with special reference to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian J Tradit Knowl 10(3):516–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Bystriakova N, Bader M, Coomes DA (2011) Long-term tree fern dynamics linked to disturbance and shade tolerance. J Veg Sci 22:72–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CBD (2008) Report of the first meeting of the second ad hoc technical expert group on biodiversity and climate change. Convention on Biological Diversity, London, pp 17–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra S (2000) The ferns of India (enumeration, synonyms & distribution). International Book Distributors, Dehradun, 459 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra S, Fraser-Jenkins CR, Kumari A, Srivastava A (2008) A summary of the status of threatened pteridophytes of India. Taiwania 53(2):170–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandran M (2008) Some plants of taxonomic and high conservation significance in Uttarakhand Himalaya. In: Rawat GS (ed) Special habitats and threatened plants of India, ENVIS bulletin: wildlife and protected areas, vol 11(1). Wildlife Institute of Dehradun, Dehradun, pp 45–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang H-C, Gupta SK, Tsay HS (2011) Studies on Folk Medicinal Fern: an example of “Gu-Sui-Bu”. In: Fernández H, Kumar A, Revilla MA (eds) Working with ferns: issues and applications. Springer, New York, pp 285–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Christenhusz MJM, Toivonen TK (2008) Giants invading the tropics: the oriental vessel fern, Angiopteris evecta (Marattiaceae). Biol Invasions 10(8):1215–1228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke CB (1880) A review of ferns of northern India. Transactions Linnean Society of London II. (Bot.) (Reprinted in Delhi 1973 book form) 1:425–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Conant DS, Raubeson LA, Attwood DK, Perera S, Zimmer EA, Sweere JA, Stein DB (1996) Phylogenetic and evolutionary implications of combined analysis of DNA and morphology in the Cyatheaceae. In: Camus JM, Gibby M, Johns RJ (eds) Pteridology in perspective. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, pp 132–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit RD (1984) A census of Indian pteridophytes director botanical survey of India, Howrah 1(3):1–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit RD, Singh S (2004) Enumeration of the rare, endangered and endemic pteridophytes from Central India. Indian Fern J 21:96–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit RD, Sinha BK (2001) Pteridophytes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Bishen Singh Mehendra Pal Singh, Dehradun

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudani SN, Mahesh MK , Mukri V, Subash MDC, Ramachandra TV (2013) An appraisal and conservation strategies for the pteridophytes of uttara kannada, CES Technical Report 129

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudani SN, Mahesh MK, Subash MDC, Ramachandra TV (2014) Cyathea nilgirensis Holttum (Cyatheaceae: Pteridophyta): a threatened tree fern from central Western Ghats, India. JoTT 6(1):5413–5416

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser-Jenkins CR (2008a) Endemics and pseudo-endemics in relation to the distribution patterns of Indian pteridophytes. Taiwania 53(3):264–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser-Jenkins CR (2008b) Taxonomic revision of three hundred Indian subcontinental pteridophytes with a revised census list. Bishen, Dehradun

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser-Jenkins CR (2009) A brief comparison of the modern pteridophyte classifications (families and genera in India). Indian Fern J 26:107–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser-Jenkins CR (2012) Rare and threatened pteridophytes of Asia 2. Endangered species of India — the higher IUCN categories. Bull Natl Mus Nat Sci Ser B 38(4):153–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser-Jenkins CR, Gandhi KN, Kholia BS, Benniamin A (2017) An annotated checklist of Indian pteridophytes part – 1 (Lycopodiaceae to Thelypteridaceae). Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 23-A, New Connaught Place Dehradun, pp 562

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh SR, Ghosh B, Biswas A, Ghosh RK (2004) The pteridophytic flora of Eastern India-I. Botanical Survey of India, Kolkatta

    Google Scholar 

  • Goel A, Pande HC (2001) Conservation of “tree ferns” in India: case study of Alsophila spinulosa (Cyatheaceae). Phytotaxonomy 1:127–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Harper JL (1977) Population biology of plants. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Holttum RE (1965) Tree ferns of the genus Cyathea Sm. in Asia (excluding Malaysia). Kew Bull 19:463–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irudayaraj V (2011) Alsophila nilgirensis. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN red list of threatened species.Version 2013.2. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 18 December 2013

  • Jain SK, Sastry ARK (1983) An assessment of threatened plants of India. p 332

    Google Scholar 

  • Khare PB, Behera SK, Srivastava R, Shukla SP (2006) Studies on reproductive biology of a threatened tree fern Cyathea spinulosa Wall. ex Hook. Curr Sci 89:173–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Kholia BS (2010) Ferns and Fern- allies of Sikkim: a pictorial handbook part-I. Sikkim State Biodiversity Board and Botanical Survey of India, Gangtok

    Google Scholar 

  • Kholia BS, Joshi R, Punetha R (2013) Extended distribution of Cyathea spinulosa Wall ex Hook in Uttarakhand Himalaya with a note on distribution and diversification of Himalayan ferns in relation to recent climate change. NeBio 4(2):40–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiran PM, Raju AV, Rao BG (2012) Investigation of hepatoprotective activity of Cyathea gigantea Wall. ex Hook. leaves against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Asian Pacific J Trop Biomed 2:352–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer KU, Green PS (1990) The families and genera of vascular plants. Part I. In: Kubitzki K (ed) Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg. [Reprinted 1991, Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, India]

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Manickam VS (1995) Rare and endangered ferns of the Western Ghats of South India. Fern Gaz 15:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Manickam VS, Irudayaraj V (1992) Pteridophytic flora of Western Ghats-South India. BI Publications, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Manickam VS, Irudyaraj V (2003) Pteridophytic flora of Nilgiris South India. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehltreter K (2010) Fern conservation. In: Mehltreter K, Walker LP, Sharpe JM (eds) Fern ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 323–359

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra PN, Bir SS (1964) Pteridophytic flora of Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas. Res Bull Pubjab Univ 15(1–2):69–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier R, Gil PR, Hoffman M, Pilgrim J, Brooks T, Mittermeier CG, Lamoreux J, da Fonseca GAB (2005) Hotspots revisited: Earth’s biologically richest and most threatened terrestrial ecoregions. Conservation International, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Nath K, Talukdar AD, Bhattacharya MK, Bhowmik D, Chetri S, Choudhury D, Mitra A, Bhattacharjee A (2017) Antibacterial activity of certain ferns against multi drug resistant organisms. J Nat Remedies 17:144–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayar MP, Sastry ARK (1983) An assessment of threatened plants of India, p 332

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul A, Bhattacharjee S, Choudhury BI, Khan ML (2015) Population structure and regeneration status of Cyathea gigantea (Wallich ex Hook. f.) Holttum, a tree fern in Arunachal Pradesh, India. J For Sci 31:164–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Pradhees G, Suresh J, Suresh S, Ramani AV, Hong SI (2017) Antimicrobial activity and identification of potential compounds from the chloroform extract of the medicinal plant Cyathea nilgirensis Holttum. World J Pharm Pharm Sci 6(7):1167–1184

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajagopal PK, Bhat KG (1998) Pteridophytic flora of Karnataka state, India. Indian Fern J 15:1–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranil RHG, Pushpakumara DKNG, Janssen T, Fraser-Jenkins CR, Wijesundara DSA (2011) Conservation priorities for tree ferns (Cyatheaceae) in Sri Lanka. Taiwania 56(3):201–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao RR, Jamir NS (1985) A new species of Cyathea from Nagaland. J Econ Taxon Bot 6(1):207

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothwell GW, Stockey RA (2008) Phylogeny and evolution of ferns: a paleontological perspective. In: Ranker TA, Haufler CH (eds) Biology and evolution of ferns and lycophytes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 332–366

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rout SD, Panda T, Mishra N (2009) Ethnomedicinal studies on some pteridophytes of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, India. Int J Med Med Sci 1:192–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott J (1874) Notes on the tree ferns of the Sikkim, with description of three new species, and a few supplemental remarks on their relations to the palms and cycads. Trans Linn Soc Lond 30(1):1–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe JM, Mehltreter K (2010) Ecological insights from fern population dynamics. In: Mehltreter K, Lawrence PW, Joanne MS (eds) Fern ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 61–110

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Sahu TR (2015) Tree ferns of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India taxonomy, ethnobotany and conservation. Int J Adv Res 3(8):566–577

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BP, Upadhyay R (2010) Observations on some ferns of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve in traditional veterinary uses. Indian Fern J 27:94–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BP, Upadhyay R (2012) Ethno-botanical importance of pteridophytes used by the tribe of Pachmarhi, Central India. J Med Plants Res 6(1):14–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Chaudhery U, Rao RR (1986) Ferns and fern allies of Chamoli district. Indian J For 9(1):1–15

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith AR, Pryer KM, Schuettpelz E, Korall P, Schneider H, Wolf PG (2008) Fern classification. In: Ranker TA, Haufler CH (eds) The biology and evolution of ferns and lycophytes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Talukdar A, Duttachoudhury M, Chakraborty M, Dutta BK (2010) Phytochemical screening and TLC profiling of plant extracts of Cyathea gigantea (Wall. Ex. Hook.) Haltt. and Cyathea brunoniana. Wall. ex. Hook (Cl. & Bak.). Assam Univ J Sci Technol 5(1):70–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Tryon RM (1970) The classification of the Cyatheaceae. Contrib Gray Herb 200:1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Tryon RM, Gastony GJ (1975) The biogeography of endemism in Cyatheaceae. Fern Gazette 22:73–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Unwin GL, Hunt MA (1997) Regeneration biology and silviculture of Tasmanian soft tree fern Dicksonia Antarctica. Australian flora foundation final report 1997

    Google Scholar 

  • Updhyay R, Singh BP, Upadhyay ST (2011) Ethano-medicinal observations on a threatened tree fern Cyathea spinulosa Wall. ex hook. in Satpura Hills. Indian Fern J 28:129–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter KS, Gillett HJ (1998a) 1997 IUCN red list of threatened plants. Compiled by the world conservation monitoring centre. lUCN – The World Conservation Union, Gland/Cambridge, 862pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter KS, Gillett HJ (1998b) 1997 IUCN red list of threatened plants. pp 8

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamane H, Fujioka S, Spray CR, Phinney BO, MacMillan J, Gaskin P, Takahashi N (1988) Endogenous gibberellins from sporophytes of two tree ferns, Cibotium glaucum and Dicksonia antarctica. Plant Physiol 86(3):857–862

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India

    Niranjan Mishra & Sandip Kumar Behera

Authors
  1. Niranjan Mishra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sandip Kumar Behera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Vertika Shukla

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Narendra Kumar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mishra, N., Behera, S.K. (2020). Tree Ferns and Giant Ferns in India: Their Significance and Conservation. In: Shukla, V., Kumar, N. (eds) Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6358-0_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation