Bryoflora of lowland Nepal: Tarai and Churia HIlls

Abstract

Though the study of bryophytes in Nepal was initiated long time before but was focused mainly upon the Himalayan species. Few available literatures on Nepalese mosses and liverworts provide very scarce information about lowland species which occur below 1000 m of elevation. My aim with this research is to explore out details of lowland bryophytes which are distributed along the east to the west lowland stripe as no such study has ever been done. This study was quite fruitful to come up with many new findings and also explored many interesting rare species which demand effective conservation measures.

In connection to this research, I had an opportunity to visit the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, India where I got privilege to make a brief study on their collections and with appreciable cooperation of Dr. Virendra Nath, a Senior Bryologist; I was able to confirm some of the confusing species that I had taken with me. Some species which were not identified in Nepal were also sent to Edinburgh, UK where the well known bryologist Dr. David Long who is also my Co-Supervisor in this research shared his valuable time to identify them all. Mostly, the identification work was done at the Natural History Museum and Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University.

Bryophyte has gained least popularity among the communities and societies of Nepal. Its sustainable use is absolutely unknown among the peoples of low land districts where this study was conducted. Some species of bryophytes carry high medicinal values like Sphagnum species which also occurs in Nepal. Bryophytes have been used for various purposes especially for horticulture, packing, as medicine for cough and cold, as green tea, stuffing materials in cushions and pillows etc. These valuable species also exist in lowland Nepal but needs education and information to village peoples about sustainable uses. This kind of practice can be expected to raise their socio-economical status.

The research result of this work is incorporated into my PhD. Dissertation and is submitted to the Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Every bryofloral species recorded in the field has been included in this work including their diagnostic features, key characters, distributional and altitudinal ranges, status and references. Hand sketching of many of the species has also been provided. This research includes some significant objectives like the survey of lowland bryophytes and their documentation, status categorization, distributional range, ecology and anatomical features of every known species of lowland Nepal.

This extensive research has been expected to provide good reference to all the bryologists who are interested or study low land bryophytes of Nepal.