Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 3 (2014) pp. 187-195
http://www.ijcmas.com
Original Research Article
Studies on genus Herbertus Gray and its new extensional distribution
to North East India Sub-region
Kazhuhrii Eshuo*
Department of Botany, Nagaland University, Hqs: Lumami-798627, Nagaland, India
*Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
Keywords
Herbertus;
Hepaticae;
Nagaland.
Three species of the genus Herbertus Gray viz., H. dicranus (Taylor ex Gottsche)
R. Trevis., H. aduncus (Dicks) Gray and H. arminatus (Steph.) H.A. Mill has been
reported for the first time from state of Nagaland North East India and species H.
arminatus is a new extensional distribution record to North East India Sub-region.
Detail illustrations and artificial keys have been provided for easy identification.
Introduction
The genus Herbertus was established by
Gray (1821) in his Natural Arrangement
of British Plants . Many bryologists
considered genus Herbertus Gray as one
of the most primitive genera of the
Liverworts (Grolle 1983, Schuster 1979,
1984, 2000). Species of Herbertus shows
great plasticity in their size, colour, leaves
bifidness and sinus width (Van Reenen
1982, Inoue 1977). Due to this great
plasticity and variability, numerous
species have been added in the genus
especially by Stephani (1895, 1898-1924).
The first Asiatic revision on genus
Herbertus Gray was worked out by Juslén
(2006) where 13 species from the Asiatic
region were validly described. The first
Asiatic Herbertus species was Sendtnera
dicrana Taylor [=H. dicranus (Taylor ex
Gottsche et al.) Trevis.] which has been
described from Nepal. Many workers like
Müller (1965), Juslén (2004, 2006a,
2006b), Gao & Cao (2000), Hattori (1966,
1971, 1975), Inoue (1977, 1981), Püppo
(1984), Long & Grolle (1990), Long
(1979), Zhu & So (1996), So (2003), Zhu
et al. (1998), Iwatsuki (2001), Iwatsuki &
Mizutani (1983), have worked on Asia and
its neighbouring continents. In India, the
genus Herbertus had been worked out by
many workers like Montagne (1842),
Stephani (1898-1924), Herzog (1939),
Müller (1965, 1968), Bapna & Kachroo
(2000), Dey et al. (2009), Dandotiya et al.,
2011. Singh & Nath (2007) have reported
5 species from the state of Meghalaya,
North East India region. So far, there is no
previous record of the occurrence of the
genus Herbertus from the state of
Nagaland.
Therefore,
the
present
187
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
investigation on the genus Herbertus is a
new generic first report from the state of
Nagaland and the species H. armitanus
(Steph.) H.A. Mill. has been described
new to this north east region of India.
Detailed illustration hand drawings have
been provided for easy identification.
Herbertus dicranus (Taylor ex Gottsche)
R. Trevis., J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 28: 299412. 1965.
Plant medium, upto 60 mm long, 2-3.5
mm wide including leaves, branched,
branching irregular, intercalary, terminal,
dark brown in dry herbarium, stem arises
from the rhizotomous stalk, rhizoids
scarce, confined at the base on the stem.
Stem circular to oval, 0.3 x 0.4 mm in
diameter, 15-19 cells across; 3-4 thick
cortical cells, medullary cells larger than
the cortical cells. Leaves bifid, contiguous
to distant, alternate, 2/3-3/4 bifid, second,
apex acute-acuminate, cells trigonous,
trigones nodulose, bulging, intermediate
thickening of walls present. Underleaves
similar to that of the lateral leaves.
Androecia and gynoecia not seen.
Materials and Methods
The fresh specimens were collected from
their natural localities from Kohima
district of Nagaland. The morphological
characters were studied under Leica digital
Stereo-zoom. The anatomical studies of
leaves and stems were studies under Leica
digital Microscope. The hand sections of
stems and leaves were mounted in 30%
aqueous solution of glycerin and observed
under the Leica digital Microscope. The
photomicrographs and photomacrographs
were taken under Leica digital Microscope
(DM1000) and Leica stereo-zoom (S6D)
respectively. The preserved specimens
were deposited in the Department of
Botany, Nagaland University, Hqs:
Lumami.
Rang: India, Nepal, China, Japan, Bhutan,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines, Canada, USA,
Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania,
Uganda, Hawaii, New Caledonia (Juslén,
2006).
Distribution in India: Eastern Himalaya:
Sikkim, Meghalaya, West Bengal,
Nagaland (present study area); South
India: Nilgiri Hills.
Results and Discussion
Taxonomic Discussion
Key to species of the genus Herbertus
Gray
1. Plants large, vita cells medium,
leaf apex not piliferous................H.
dicranus
Specimen examined: Nagaland: Kohima
District: Khuzama: 04.11.2008: KE
10087: Kazhuhrii Eshuo.
Herbertus aduncus (Dicks) Gray, Nat.
Arrang. British Plants 1: 705. 1821.
1a. Plants small to medium, vita cells strong,
almost upto the leaf apex, leaf apex
piliferous........................................2
2. Leaf lobe long and narrow, 4-6
uniseriate cells at apex.........H. aduncus
2a. Vita cells strong, bifurcating at mid basal,
5-9 (-12) uniseriate cells at leaf
apex........................................H. arminatus
Plant small to medium, erect or sub erect,
prostrate, 35-45 mm long, 2-3 mm wide
including leaves, branched, branching
intercalary, terminal, yellowish green to
green. Rhizoids scarce, confined at the
base of the stem. Stem circular to oval,
188
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
dark brown to reddish brown, 0.17-0.19 x
0.2-0.24 mm in diameter, 2-3 thick cortical
cells, 7.8-16.3 µm long, 4.3-10.2 µm wide;
medullary cells think walled, larger than
the cortical cells, 13.6-21.2 µm long and
10-18.6 µm wide. Leaves contiguous,
bifid, 1/3 bifid, acuminate, entire,
alternate, 1.7-1.8 mm long, 05.06 mm
wide; cells trigonous, trigones nodulose,
thickening of walled, vita cells extend upto
almost apex region, 3-6 uniseriate cells at
leaves apex; apical cells 19.8-37.5 µm
long, 10-20.0 µm wide, rectangular, subquadrate, trigonous, trigones nodulose;
median cells 16.5-29.7 µm long, 10.-16.5
µm wide, cells rectangular, quadrate,
trigones nodulose; basal vita cells 24.246.2 µm long, 10.16.5 µm wide,
rectangular, trigones nodulose, bulging,
thickening of walls present; oil bodies 2-9
per cell, circular, spherical, elliptical.
Underleaves contiguous to distant, bifid
and like the lateral leaves.
medullary cells thin walled, trigonous.
Leaves imbricate, contiguous, falcate and
almost symmetric, leaves length 1-1.4 mm
long, 0.35-0.45 mm wide; basal part of the
leaves expanded, 20-28 cells wide at leaf
bases; bifid 2/3-3/4 of the leaf length;
lobes linear-lanceolate, (-6) 8-13 cells
wide at lobes base, 6-12 cells wide at point
half way toward apex; lobes apices
acuminate, with 5-9 (-12) uniseriate cells
and below 3-6 rows of two cells wide;
basal margin usually with sessile or upto 4
cells long stalk slime papillae; vita cells
strong, extending almost upto the apex;
vita cells at mid basal cells 34-66 µm long,
12-19 µm; cells at bifurcating region 1329 µm long, 11-20 µm wide; basal cells
lamina cells 15-26 µm long, 12-15 µm
wide; cells trigonous, bulging; Underleaf
similar to lateral leaves or slightly smaller
and symmetric. Androecia and gynoecia
not seen.
Range: Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea, Philippines (Juslén,
2006) and India (Dey et al. 2009).
Range: India, Japan, China, South Korea,
Bhutan, Nepal, Canada, USA (Juslén,
2006).
Distribution in India: Eastern Himalaya:
Sikkim, Nagaland (present study area).
Distribution in India: Eastern Himalaya:
Sikkim, Nagaland (present study area).
Specimen examined: Nagaland: Kohima
District: Khonoma: 19.03.2011. KE
10421: Kazhuhrii Eshuo.
Specimen examined: Nagaland: Kohima
District: Khuzama: 16.11.2009: KE
10171: Kazhuhrii Eshuo.
From the present investigation it found
that the species like H. aduncus (Dicks)
Gray, H. dicranus (Taylor ex Gottsche) R.
Trevis. have been widely distributed
around the globe whereas H. arminatus
(Steph.) H.A. Mill. is an Asiatic species as
it has been distributed in Asia and did not
spread its range of distribution to other
continent. H. arminatus has been reported
from Sikkim by Dey et al., 2009 and
therefore the present investigation reveal
Herbertus arminatus (Steph.) H.A. Mill.
J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 28: 324. 1965. Schima
arminatus Steph. Spec. Hep. 4: 28. 1909.
Plants light yellowish brown to light
brown green, brownish red in dry
herbarium,
branched,
branching
intercalary, 25-35 mm long, 0.9-1.5 mm
wide. Stem circular, 92-100 x 109-115 µm
in diameter, cortical cells thick-walled,
189
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
Map.1 Showing the distribution of genus Herbertus Gray in Nagaland
Shows the occurrence of H. arminatus
Show the occurrence of H. aduncus and H. dicranus.
Table.1 Regions of Distribution of Genus Herbertus in India
Sl.
No.
Name of the species
Regions of Distribution of Genus Herbertus in India w.r.t
NE India
EH WH WG Sk Ml Nl Mn Mz As Ap Tp
1
Herbertus aduncus
+
-
-
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
2
H. arminatus
+
-
-
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
3
H. ceylanicus
+
-
-
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
H. dicranus
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
5
H. kurzii
+
-
-
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
6
H. longispinus
+
-
-
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
H. sendtneri
+
-
-
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
H. buchii
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
+
-
190
-
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
Plate.1 Herbertus dicranus (Taylor ex Gottsche) R. Trevis., figures 1-12
Fig.1 A portion of plant dorsal view; 2. A portion of plant in ventral view; 3-5. Leaves; 6-7.
Underleaves; 8. A portion of stem in cross section; 9-10. Leaves apical cells; 11. Leaf lobe
median cells; 12. Leaf basal vitta cells
191
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
Plate.2 Herbertus aduncus (Dicks) Gray, Figures 1-14
Fig.1 A portion of plant in ventral view; 2-4. Leaves; 5-7. Underleaves; 8. Cross section of
stem; 10. Leaf cells in sinus; 11. Oil bodies; 12. Leaf basal lamina cells; 13. Leaf vitta cells;
14. Leaf lobe middle cells.
192
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
Plate.3 Herbertus arminatus (Steph.) H.A. Mill., Figures 1-17
Fig.1 A portion of plant in ventral view; 2-5. Leaves; 6-8. Underleaves; 9. Cross section of
stem; 10-12. Leaves apical cells; 13. Leaf lobe middle cells; 14. Leaf cells in sinus; 15. Leaf
vitta cells; 16-17. Leaves basal lamina cells with hyaline papillae.
193
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
Hepaticae. In: H.Hara (ed.) The flora of
Eastern Himalaya. 501-536. University
of Tokyo Press, Japan.
Hattori, S. 1971. Hepaticae. In: Hara, H
(ed). The Flora of Eastern Himalayas.
Second report.
Univ. of Tokyo,
Japan. Bull. No. 2: 222-240.
Hattori, S. 1975. Anthocerotae and
Hepaticae. In: Hara, H (ed). The Flora
of Eastern Himalayas. Third report.
Univ. of Tokyo, Japan. Bull. No. 8: 206242.
Herzog,
T.
1939.
Zwei
Bryophytensammlungen aus dem
Sikkim-Himalaya. Ann. Bryol. 7:
71-97.
Inoue, H. 1977. Studies on Taiwan
Hepaticae, II. Herbertaceae. Bull.
Natn. Mus.. Ser B (Bot.) 3: 1-11.
Inoue, H. 1981. Hepaticae of Mt. Fuji,
central Japan. Mem. Natn. Sci. Mus.
14: 59-74.
Iwatsuki, Z. 2001. Mosses and Liverworts
of Japan. Heibonsha Limited, Tokyo.
Iwatsuki, Z. and Mizutani, M. 1983. A
small collection of bryophytes from
Mt. Yusha,
Taiwan.
Misc.
Bryol. Lichenol. 9: 194-195.
Juslén, A. 2004. Bryophyte flora of Hunan
province,
China.
7.
Herbertus
(Herbertaceae,
Hepaticae).
Ann.
Bot. Fennici 41: 393-404.
Juslén, A. 2006a. Revision of Asian
Herbertus
(Herbertaceae,
Marchantiophyta).
Ann.
Bot.
Fennici 43: 409-436.
Juslén, A. 2006b. The family Herbertaceae
and its novel systematic position within
liverworts. Academic
Dissertation,
University of Helsinki, Finland.
Long, D.G. 1979. Hepaticae from Bhutan,
East Himalaya. Lindbergia 5: 54-62.
Long, D. G. and Grolle, R. 1990.
Hepaticae of Bhutan II. J. Hattori Bot.
Lab. 68: 381-440.
Montagne, J. C. (1842). Cryptogamae
Nilgheriensis
seu
plantarum
the occurrence of this Asiatic species
which give the extension of distributional
range in the North Eastern region of India
in general and Nagaland in particular.
Therefore, the authenticity of its
occurrence is not in doubt. The given table
1 shows the distribution of genus
Herbertus Gray in India and with special
reference to North East India region. From
the table one can conclude that the genus
Herbertus is harbour of the Eastern
Himalayas.
Acknowledgement
The authors are grateful to Nagaland
University, Department of Botany for
availing the facilities to carry out the
research work. Thanks are due to Dr. Aino
Juslén, Botanical Museum, Finland
Museum of National History, University
of Helsinki, Finland for authentic
conformation of the species and also for
sending literature.
References
Bapna. K. R. and Kachroo, P. 2000.
Hepaticology in India, I. Himanshu
Publication, Udaipur, Delhi.
Dandotiya, D., Govindapyari, H., Suman, S.
and Uniyal, P.L. 2011. Checklist of the
bryophytes of India. Archive for
Bryology 88: 1-126.
Dey, M., Singh, D. and Singh, D.K. 2009.
Some new and noteworthy records of
Hepaticae from
Eastern Himalaya,
India. Indian J. Forestry 16(4): 669-684.
Gao & Cao (2000),
Gray, S. F. 1821. A natural arrangement of
British plants, I. Baldwin, Cradock and
Joy,
London.
Grolle, R. 1983. Nomina generic
Hepaticarum; references, types and
synonymies. Acta Botanica
Fennica
121: 1-62.
Hattori, S. 1966. Anthocerotae and
194
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 187-195
cellularium in montibus peninsulae
indicae Neel-Gherries dictis a cl.
Perrottet collectarum enumeration,
Hepaticae. Ann.Sci. Nat. 17: 1520.
Müller, H.A. 1965. A review of Herberta
in the tropical pacific and Asia. J.
Hattori Bot. Lab. 28: 299-412.
Müller, H.A. 1968. Herberta notes. J.
Hattori Bot. Lab. 31: 247-250.
Püppo, S. 1984. Bryophyte flora of the
Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea.
III. Haplomitriaceae, Lepicoleaceae,
Herbertaceae,
Pseudolepicoleaceae,
Trichocoleaceae, Schistochilaceae,
Balantiopsidaceae, Pleuroziaceae and
Porellaceae
(Hepaticae). Ann.
Bot. Fennici 21: 21-48.
Schuster, R. M. 1979. The phylogeny of
the Hepaticae. In: Clarke, G. C. S. &
Duckett, J. G.
(eds.),
Bryophyte
systematics: 41-84. Academic Press,
London & New York.
Schuster, R. M.
1984. Evolution,
phylogeny and classification of the
Hepaticae. In:
Schuster, R. M.
(eds.), New manual of bryology: 8921070. Hattori Bot. Lab., Nichinan.
Schuster, R. M. 2000. Austral Hepaticae.
Part I. J. Cramer, Berlin, Stuttgart.
Singh, A.P. and Nath, V. 2007. Hepaticae
of Khasi and jaintia Hil;s: Eastern
Himalayas.
Bishen
Singh
Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun 284
001 (India).
So, M. L. 2003. The genus Herbertus
(Hepaticae) in Australasia and the
South Pacific.
Systematic Botany
28: 12-23.
Stephani, F. 1895. Hepaticarum species
novae VII. Hedwigia 34: 43-65.
Stephani,
F.
1898-1924.
Species
Hepaticarum I-VI. George et Cie,
Lyon, même Maison,
Genève et
Bale.
Van Reenen, G. B. A. 1982. Studies on
Colombian Cryptogams XII. High
Andean species of
Herbertus S.
F. Gray (Hepaticae). Lindbergia 8:
110-120.
Zhu, R. L. and So, M. L. 1996. Mosses
and Liverworts of Hongkong, 2.
Heavenly People Depot, Hongkong.
Zhu, R. L., So, M. L. and Ye, L.- X. 1998.
A Synopsis of the Hepatic Flora of
Zhejiang, China. J. Hattori Bot. Lab.
84: 159-174.
195