South Indian Pteridology

SOUTH INDIAN PTERIDOLOGY

      The major contributions on South Indian Pteridology starts with R. H. Beddome, followed by V. S. Manickam and V. Irudayaraj who published "Pteridophyte Flora of the Western Ghats, South India" on 1992 after a lapse of 128 years from the publication of " Ferns of Southern India" by R. H. Beddome (1864). South Indian pteridophytes are also well studied cytologically by various workers like Abraham, Ninan, Matthew,  Kuriachan, Bhavanandan, Sankariammal, Manickam, Irudayaraj and Dominic Rajkumar from Kerala and Tamilnadu. Unfortunately, without vouchers, much of cytological studies by workers from Kerala University is of no value. Cytology of ferns of the Western Ghats, South India by Manickam and Irudayaraj (1988) is with vouchers. Father V. S. manickam contributed a lot on South Indian ferns along with his team members. He has done systematically from Taxonomy, Ecology, Cytology, Phytochemistry and Conservation of South Indian Pteridophytes by establishing the internationally recognised herbarium, XCH (St. Xavier's College Herbarium), Centre for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Kodaikanal Botanic Garden. He has published half a dozen books and hundreds of papers on South Indian Pteridophytes.  

     In Kerala, Dr. B. K. Nayara, Prof. P. V. Madhusoodanan and his students are eminent pteridologists who have contributed a lot to Ferns of the Western Ghats with the discovery of many new species. Pullaih, T and Rajagopal have also contributed knowledge on Pteridophytes of Andhrapradesh and Karnataka. 

        Today numerous young researchers mainly involved in investigating the medicinal uses of South Indian Pteridophytes. But, now a days, the interest on the field oriented research - Taxonomy is declined among the youngsters. Not only pteridophytes are endangered, but also pteridologists are endangered. We can not conserve the rare and endangered pteridophytes without having eminent Taxonomists-Pteridologists. The Indian Fern Society founded by late Prof. S. S. Bir encourages all the pteridologists by giving various Fellowship, certificates and medals.

Note: By seeing the video clip, enjoy the background music of a Tamil-Film song (Enna vilai Azhage in Kadhalar Dinam) by A. R. Rahman and know something about South Indian Pteridology.

Dr. V. IRUDAYARAJ