Genus Schwetschkeopsis Broth. (Bryophyta): new addition to Central India

Abstract

The present work explicates three species of genus Schwetschkeopsis Broth. belonging to family
Myriniaceae Schimp., which have been encountered for the first time in central India at Pachmarhi
Biosphere Reserve. Previously, this genus was known to be distributed at Himalayan and South
Indian bryogeographical regions of India with four valid species, of which none were reported
from central India. The genus is important as it is the only genus of family Myriniaceae known
from India out of the total seven known worldwide and this study highlights the extension of its
range of distribution in the country. During the present study three taxa viz. Schwetschkeopsis
fabronia (Schwaegr) Broth., Schwetschkeopsis formosana Nog., Schwetschkeopsis elongata
(Dixon and P. Varde) P. Varde were identified from the Biosphere Reserve. S. fabronia was
encountered as terrestrial moss growing on dry exposed rocks while S. formosana and S. elongata
were epiphytic. The presence of three taxa of the important genus Schwetschkeopsis at central
India accentuates the importance of the central Indian moss flora as out of four species present
in India three occur in this zone.