STM Article Repository

This study assessed the diversity of leaf associated trentepohlian algae in the Southern Western Ghats region of Kerala. Trentepohlian algae are terrestrial micro floras which are still a little investigated area of research in comparison to other floral diversity. Epiphyllous algae from fourty one different cryptogamic vascular and phanerogamic vascular plants were examined in two different habitat viz. semi-urban and rural areas of Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India an important biodiversity zone of Western Ghats. Taxonomic characterization of Trentepohlian algae and their host plants were carried out by systematic field studies and microscopic examinations. The present study identified four genera of algae such as Phycopeltis, Cephaleuros, Printzina and Trentepohlia. They appear in different habit such as discoid, prostrate and erect forms. Aporosa cardiosperma (Gaertn.) Merr. had maximum algal diversity on its leaves with four trentepohlian algal species; followed by Xanthophyllum flavescens Roxb. and Memecylon umbellatum Burm.f. with three taxa; followed by Mangifera indica L. and Ficus hispida L.f. with two taxa. While all the other thirty members including the three cryptogamic vascular plants showed least algal diversity. Nevertheless the three members of the family Malvaceae (Sida acuta Burm.f, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. and Malva viscus Fabr.) and three members of the order Zingiberales (Kaempferia galangal L., Maranta aurundinacea L.and Costus specious J.Koening) had never showed any algal association. Phycopeltis (71%) was the dominant epiphyllous alga, followed by Cephaleuros (36%), Trentepohlia (14%) and Printzina (3%). The present investigation revealed that phyllosphere in the rural area has more trentepohlian algae.