PTERIDOPHYTES
This group is considered to be the oldest known vascular cryptogams. Except the Psilotum all other groups of living Pteridophytic plant forms are known to exist in West Bengal. A total of 416 species under 134 genera of 56 families have been recorded so far, of which more than 90% species belong to fern groups (Class Filicinae). Almost all species of pteridophytes are very much threatened in their habitat due to rapid habitat modification. The genera like Lycopodium, Equisetum, Ophioglossum, Cyathea, Isoetes and Osmunda are considered to be mostly endangered species forms.
As yet, there is no special effort for conservation of pteridophytes in this country. Aquatic pteridiphytes are also very unique and widely distributed in tropical and subtropical climate of the state. Mangrove vegetation having monotypic species viz. Platycerum alcicorne (staghorn ferns) and a good number of ferns and lycopods are epiphytic on trees in subtropical and temperate zones of the state.
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom:Cryptogama
Division: Pteridophyta
124
Family: Huperziaceae
1. Huperzia squarrosa
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution:Darjiling
2. H. subulifolia
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial, epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
3. H. herteriana
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial, epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
4. H.serrata
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial, epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
5. H.selago
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial, epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
6. H. pulcherriana
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
7. H. hamiltonii
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
8. Phlegmariurus phlegmaria
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
Family : Lycopodiaceae
9. Lycopodium japonicum
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
10. Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
11. Palhinhaea cernua
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
12. Diphasiastrum complanatum
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
13. D. alpinum
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Selaginellaceae
14. Selaginella chrysocaulos
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
15. S. bisculcata
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
16. S. involvens
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
17. S. indica
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
18. S. pennata
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
19. S. monospora
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
20. S. nepalensis
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
21. S. bryopteris
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Xerophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
22. S. subdiaphana
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
23. S. pentagona
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Isoetaceae
24. Isoetes coromandelina ssp. coromandelina
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Aquatic
Distribution: Precise locality not available
25. I. coromandelina ssp. brachyglossa
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Aquatic
Distribution: Precise locality not available
26. I. indica
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Aquatic
Distribution: Precise locality not available
Family:Equisetaceae
27. Equisetum arvense
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution:
28. E. diffusum
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
29. E. ramosissimum ssp. debile
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Precise locality not available
Family: Helminthostachyaceae
30. Helminthostachys zeylanica
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Haora, Hugli, 24 Pgs (N), 24 Pgs (S), Nadia, Murshidabad, Barddhaman
Family : Botrychiaceae
31. Botrychium daucifolium
Life Form: Herbaceous fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
32. B. lunaria
Life Form: Herbaceous fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
33. B. ternatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
34. Botrypus lanuginosum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Ophioglossaceae
35. Ophioglossum costatum
Life Form: Small fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: No precise locality mentioned
36. O. gramineum
Life Form: Small fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: No precise locality mentioned
37. O. nudicaule var. macrorrhizum
Life Form: Small fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: No precise locality mentioned
38. O. petiolatum
Life Form: Herbaceous fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution:Darjiling
39. O. pendulum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Koch Bihar, Malda, Darjiling
40. O. reticulatum
Life Form: Herbaceous fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: No precise locality mentioned
Family: Angiopteridaceae
41. Angiopteris evecta
Life Form:Large fern
Habitat: Swampy forest
Distribution: Darjiling, Jalpaiguri
Family: Osmundaceae
42. Osmunda cinnamomea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
43. O. clatoniana
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
44. O. regalis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Plagiogyriaceae
45. Plagiogyrea coerulescens
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: No precise locality mentioned
46. P. euphlebia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
47. P. rankanensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Dicranopteridaceae
48. Dicranopteris linearis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
49. D. taiwanensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
50. Diplopterygium blotianum
Life Form: Straggling and Climbing fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
51. D. glaucum
Life Form: Gregarious straggling fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Grammitidiaceae
52. Ctenopteris subfalcata
Life Form: Small fern
Habitat: Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
53. Prosaptio khasyana
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
54. Sceroglossum sulcatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
55. Xiphopteris sikkimensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution:Dinajpur, Darjiling
Family: Loxogrammaceae
56. Loxogramme porcata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophyte
Distribution:Darjiling
Family: Polypodiaceae
57. Arthromeris lehmanni
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
58. A. wallichiana
Life Form: Beautiful Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophyte Distribution: Darjiling
59. Belvisia revoluta
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
60. Dendroglossa minutula
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
61. Drymoglossum heterophyllum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
62. Lepidogrommitis rostrata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
63. Phymatopteris crenatopinnata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
64. P. ebenipes
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
65. P. erythrocarpa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
66. P. griffithiana
Life Form: Epiphytic
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
67. P. hastatus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
68. P. integerrima
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
69. P. malacodon
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
70. P. nigrovenia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
71. Phymatopteris oxyloba
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
72. P. quasidivaricatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
73. P. stewartii
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
74. P. stracheyi
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
75. Phymatosorus cuspidatus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
76. P. longifolia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
77. P.longissimus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
78. Leptochilus axillaris
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution:Koch Bihar, Darjiling
79. L. decurrens
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
80. Lepisorus amaurolepidus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
81. L. contortus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
82. L. kuchensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
83. L. loriformis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
84. L. morrisonensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
85. L. nudus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
86. L. oligolepidus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
87. L. sublinearis
Life Form:
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
88. L. thunbergianus
Life Form:
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
89. L. ussuriensis
Life Form:
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
90. Goniophlebium amoenum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
91. G. argutum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic,Lithophyte
Distribution: Darjiling
92. G. hendersonii
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
93. G. manmeiense
Life Form: Fern allies
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
94. G. microrhizama
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution:
95. G. subamoenum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
96. G. subauriculatum
Life Form: Giant Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
97. Christiopteris tricuspis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
98. Colysis dilatata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
99. C.elliptica
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
100. C. hemionitidea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
101. C.pendunculata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
102. C. pothifolia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
103. C. pteropus
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
104. Drynaria mollis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
105. D. propinqua
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
106. D. quercifolia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
107. Microsorium membranaceum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
108. M. ovatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
109. M. normale
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
110. M. punctatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
111. M. zippelli
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
112. Lemmaphylum carnosum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
113. Lepidogrammitis rostrata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
114. Marginaria polypodiodes
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
115. Pseudodrynaria coronans
Life Form: Large fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
116. Pyrrosia lanceolata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling (Tonglu)
117. P. lingua var. heteracta
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling (Lopchu)
118. P. mannii
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
119. P. nuda
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
120. P. porosa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
121. P. subfurfuracea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
122. Tricholepidium normale
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Dipteridaceae
123. Dipteris wallichi
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Platyceriaceae
124. Platycerium alcicorne
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, lithophytic
Distribution: 24 Pgs (S)
Family : Lygodiaceae
125. Lygodium flexuosum
Life Form: Climbing fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
126. L. japonicum
Life Form: Climbing fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Sinopteridaceae
127. Cheilanthes anceps
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
128. C. bicolor
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
129. C. chrysophylla
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
130. C. doniana
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
131. C. farinosa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
132. C. grisea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
133. C. rufa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
134. C. subvillosa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
135. C. tenuifolia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling, Jalpaiguri, Koch Bihar
136. Doryopteris concolor
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
137. Notholaena marantae
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Cryptogrammaceae
138. Cryptogramma brunoniana
Life Form: Small Fern allies
Habitat: Higher elevations,terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
139. Onychium cryptogrammoides
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
140. O. japonicum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
141. O. lucidum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
142. O. siliculosum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Actiniopteridaceae
143. Actiniopteris radiata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: On dry rocks
Distribution: 24 Pgs (N)
Family: Pteridoaceae
144. Pteris aspericaulis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
145. P. barbigera
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
146. P. biaurita
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
147. P. cretica
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
148. P. dactylina
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
149. P. ensiformis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
150. P. excelsa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
151. P. linearis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
152. P. longipes
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
153. P. puberula
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
154. P. quadriaurita
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
155. P. quadriaurita var. major
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
156. P. semipinnata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
157. P. setuloso-costulata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
158. P. stenophylla
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
159. P. subindivisa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
160. P. vittata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
161. P. wallichiana
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Acrostichaceae
162. Acrostichum aureum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Coastal region
Distribution: Medinipur, 24 Pgs (S)
Family: Adiantaceae
163. Adiantum caudatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
164. A. capillus-veneris
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
165. A. incisum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
166. A. lunulatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
167. A. radianum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
168. A. venustum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Heminoitidaceae
169. Anogramma leptophylla
Life Form: Small fern
Habitat: lithophytic
Distribution: Darjiling
170. Coniogramme caudata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
171. C. denticulato-serrata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
172. C. falcatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
173. C. fraxinea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
174. C. indica
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
175. C. intermedia
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
176. C. procera
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
177. C. purpurea
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
178. C. subcordata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
179. Pityrogramma calomelanos
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution:Haora, Hugli, Nadia, 24 Pgs (S), 24 Pgs (N), Barddhaman, Medinipur.
180. Pityrogramma calomelanos var. aureoflava
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution: Haora, Hugli, Nadia, 24 Pgs (S), 24 Pgs (N), Barddhaman, Medinipur.
181. Syngramme vestita
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial
Distribution:Darjiling
Family: Antrolphyaceae
182. Antrophyrum obovatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
183. A. parvulum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic, terrestrial
Distribution: Darjiling
184. A. reticulatum
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Terrestrial, epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
Family: Vittariaceae
185. Vittaria caricina
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
186. V. elongata
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
187. V. flexuosa
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
188. V. himalayensis
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
189. V. ophiopogonoides
Life Form: Fern
Habitat: Epiphytic
Distribution: Darjiling
190. V. sikkimensis
Life Form: Fern