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Cyathea –a tree fern and endemic genus
By: Dr. G.Mohan Narasimha Rao*
Pteridophytes are first vascular land plants on the earth and commonly known as botanical snakes which distributed in different geographical regions of the globe. They are widely distributed in tropical and temperate zones at higher altitudes. In India, this Pteridophytic flora is distributed in the Himalayas, Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats. In the Eastern Ghats of India, these beautiful Pteridophytic flora distributed Aruku, Paderu and G.Madugula divisions near Visakhapatnam (AP). Cyathea gigantea (Wall.ex Hook) Holttum is a rare and endemic pteridophyte occurs in Aruku, Paderu and G.Madugula regions in the Eastern Ghats of India. The genus Cyathea is only tree fern in the Pteridophytic flora and entered in the Red data book. During our field trips to this location we have noticed that these Cyathea plants occurs along the running streams and banks of the streams where continuous water sources is available. These beautiful plants are destructed by the local people for extraction of tannins and alcohol. In our field studies we have encountered with tribal people and heads of the local communities simultaneously we have conducted several awareness camps and interaction programmes in local regions to inculcate the conservation and management strategies for proper maintenance of these interesting plants especially tree fern Cyathea.
*Department of Botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003. Email: [email protected]
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