A Preliminary Checklist on the Lichen Flora of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Kerala, India

Abstract

Lichens are one of the critical components of the Indian flora. The vast topographical and climatic diversity of ecologically interesting areas in India has gifted with a rich lichen flora, both in variety and abundance. Many areas are still unexplored for their lichen wealth. In Kerala, the listing of lichens has not received much attention in comparison with other lower groups of plants. Although there have been lichen explorations in the Kerala state, no prominent records from Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve are available. Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve includes three Wildlife Sanctuaries, Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney and their adjoining areas of Braemore, Ponmudi, Achencoil, Thenmala, Rosemala, Konni, Punalur, and one Tiger Reserve - Kallakad Mundantharai (KMTR) in Tamil Nadu and only fragmentary work has been done in the study of lichens from this part of Western Ghats. This paper enumerates the occurrence of 147 species of both macro and micro lichens from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts in the Kerala part of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, based on a field survey to assess the lichen diversity of the area.