seasonal distribution of charophytes in kanyakumari ... - CIBTech

Indian Journal of Plant Sciences ISSN: 2319-3824 (Online)An Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jps.htm2013 Vol. 2 (2) April-June, pp.35-55/Nithyavathi and BalasinghResearch Articleobserved in Nilgiris hills, Egmore, Sriperumbudur, Vandalur, Chengalput, Red Hills andGuduvancheri (Figure 11).N. opaca Agardh.Male and female plants about 25 cm long, branchlets dimorphic with sterile and fertile whorls,antheridium solitary, oogonium solitary and in pairs. Male plant was collected from S 8 andfemale plant from S 6 . Sex organs were observed during northeast monsoon season (Figure 12).N. acuminata A.Braun.Plant 25cm high, branchlets curving upwards, once furcated, antheridia and oogonia in group atdifferent nodes. It was collected from S 6 . Sex organs were reported during the months of nonmonsoonseason. In Tamil Nadu, it was previously observed in Ootacamond and Nilgiris (Figure13).N. acuminata var.belangeri Braun.Small plant, about 7cm long, fertile branchlets in dense heads, once furcated, antheridium andoogonium at the same junction. It was collected from S 4 and S 8 . Sex organs were observedduring northeast monsoon season and non-monsoon season. In India it was already observed inBombay (Figure 14).N. flagelliformis Braun.Male plants slender, about 26cm long, branchlets 6-7 in a whorl, 4-5 times furcated, sessileantheridium at all furcations. It was collected from S 1 and S 5 . The plants produced sex organsduring non-monsoon season. In India it was already observed in Assam, Bejapur, Saharanpur andBombay (Figure 15).N. gracilis (J.E.Smith) C. Agardh.Male and female plants have 4-6 branchlets in each whorl, male plants stouter, antheridiumreddish, solitary, and female plants thin, 3-4 oogonia together. Both male and female plants werecollected from S 8 . In Tamil Nadu, it was previously observed in Sathyamangalam and Athanurvillages of South Arcot District (Figure16).N. batrachosperma (Reich) Braun.Plants extremely slender, 5-6 branchlets in a whorl, twice furcated; antheridium and oogonium atthe same node. It was collected from S 1 .The plants produced sex organs during non-monsoonseason. In India it was already observed in Uttar Pradesh and Bombay (Figure 16).N. dictyosperma Groves.Plant moderately thick, branchlets 6 in each whorl; antheridium and oogonium together at thesecond furcation. It was collected from S 8 . Sex organs were observed during southwest monsoonseason (Figure 17).N. leptodactyla Grove.Fragile plant, about 15cm long, stem 224µ thick, internodes 2-5 times the length of thebranchlets, 6-7 branchlets in a whorl, 2-4 times furcated, enveloped in mucus. It was collectedfrom S 8 . Sex organs were observed during late southwest monsoon season. In India it waspreviously observed in Gangetic plain (Figure18).N. furcata Agardh.Plant shows highly branching habit, stem thick, 757µ in diameter, 6 branchlets in a whorl,antheridium solitary, oogonium solitary and two together. It was collected from S 2 , S 4, S 6 and S 7 .Sex organs were observed during the months of northeast monsoon and non-monsoon seasons. InTamil Nadu, it was previously observed in Adayar, Vandalur and Egmore (Figure19).38