ISSN 0376-5561 Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India Geophytology 44(1): 41-48 May 2014 41 Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India Neha Karakoti, Rajesh Bajpai, D. K. Upreti* and S. Nayaka CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, India E-mail: nehakarakoti@gmail.com; bajpaienviro@gmail.com; upretidk@rediffmail. com; sanjeeva_n@yahoo.com *Corresponding author Manuscript received: 03 June 2013 Accepted for publication: 26 December 2013 Abstract Karakoti N., Bajpai R., Upreti D. K. & Nayaka S. 2013. Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India. Geophytology 44(1): 41-48. The paper enumerates 214 lichen species belonging to 80 genera and 34 families, enroute from Naitwar to Har ki Dun, in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (GWLS), Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand. Family Parmeliaceae exhibits its dominance with 45 species followed by Physciaceae, Cladoniaceae, Pyrenulaceae and Lecanoraceae represented with 27, 18, 16 and 13 species respectively. Among the different altitudinal ranges, the altitude range from 3000 to 3500 m exhibits the maximum lichen species in the area. The localities in lower altitudes (up to 1500 m) with, anthropogenic activities, have poor diversity of lichens while, higher altitude localities (beyond 2500 m) exhibit rich diversity of lichens. The alpine regions in and around 3500 m have luxuriance of moss, rock and soil inhabiting lichens while the temperate region having rich tree vegetation exhibit dominance of corticolous lichens. Key-words: Lichens, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India. Introduction Lichen taxa collected from a number of localities of Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand are mentioned in different monographic and revisionary studies of lichens in India. Except for few lichen collections mentioned in these studies from Har ki Dun area, records of systematic collection of lichens from the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (GWLS) are not available. Thus, in the present study an attempt has been made to collect and enumerate lichens enroute from Naitwar to Har ki Dun area of the sanctuary. The GWLS (alt. 1300 to 6323 m) spreads over an area of 957.969 km2 between north latitudes 31o17.30’ and 35o55’ and east longitudes 77o47.30’ and 78o37.30’. The average annual precipitation varies from 1000 to 1500 mm, most of which occurs as monsoon rains (July to September). The entire area of the sanctuary is subjected to light to heavy snowfall. The sanctuary forms the upper catchment of the Tons River, which is the most important tributary of Yamuna River in its upper reaches. Thus, the area has a significant value as a major watershed for Yamuna River. The area is home for a large number of endangered animals and its large area, along with the contiguous forests of the neighboring forest divisions, helps in maintaining genetic diversity. The area is rich in medicinal plants, many of which form the basis for certain lifesaving drugs. VEGETATION The localities enroute from Naitwar to Har ki Dun show great variation in altitude and vegetation. The area between Naitwar and Sankari © The Palaeobotanical Society, Lucknow, India 42 GEOPHYTOLOGY (alt. 1500-1900 m) comprises tree vegetation of Quercus leucotrichophora, Pinus roxburghii, Acer oblongum and Juglans regia. Pinus is a major constituent of the vegetation, although most of the hill slopes have been deforested for apple orchards and potato cultivation. Many trees are badly burnt at their base as the area seems to be prone to fire. The localities, enroute from Sankari to Taluka (alt. 2000-2500 m), comprise rich vegetation of Abies, Acer, Juglans, Picea, Rhododendron, Quercus and Cedrus trees. The localities, enroute from Taluka to Osla (alt. 2500-3500 m), show luxuriance of Acer, Juglans, Cedrus, Pinus and Rhododendron. The forest in and around Osla exhibits dominance of Quercus semecarpifolia mixed with conifer and Juglans regia and Acer. The localities between Osla and Har ki Dun (alt. 3000-3700 m) exhibit luxuriant growth of Cedrus deodara, Picea and Abies tree forest. The area around Har ki Dun shows luxuriant growth of Betula utilis and Taxus, sometimes mixed with poor patches of coniferous forest. The localities between Har ki Dun and Morinda Lake (alt. 37004000 m) have thick shrubby growth of different species of Rhododendron. The exposed rocks and boulders and fell fields in and around glacier bear good growth of both mosses and lichen growing in cushion form. Material and Methods More than 700 lichen specimens were collected from rock, soil, twigs and barks of different tress during May 2011 to March 2012 from five major localities of the Sanctuary en route from Naitwar to Har ki Dun (Table 1). The collected specimens were investigated morphologically, anatomically and chemically. The specimens were identified up to species level following the publications of Coppins and James (1984), Awasthi (1991, 2000, 2007) and Harris (1995). The colour tests were performed with the usual reagents, i.e. K (5% potassium hydroxide), C (aqueous solution of calcium hypochlorite) and P (paraphenylene diamine). Lichen substances were identified with thin layer chromatography (TLC) in solvent system A (toluene: dioxane: acetic acid; 180: 60: 8 ml.) using the technique of Walker and James (1980). The identified specimens are preserved in the herbarium of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (LWG). Results and Discussion The identification of all the specimens collected from the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary reveals occurrence of 214 lichen species belonging to 80 genera and 34 families (Table 2). Family Parmeliaceae, with 45 species, exhibits luxuriant Table 1. Localities surveyed for collection of lichens Sr. No. Localities Area surveyed Coordinates Altitude (m) Remarks 1 Naitwar In and around Naitwar 31o04′04.23′′ N: 78o06′15.30′′ E 1500-2000 Road side area 2 Sankari Poorti Khad, Gyan Khad, GMVN and Forest Guest House 31o04′30.83′′ N: 78o11′08.79′′ E 2000-2500 Anthropogenic and moderate vehicular area 3 Taluka In and around Taluka, GMVN and Forest Guest House, Gomi Ghat, Gangar Bridge 31o04′35.45′′ N: 78o15′03.51′′ E 2500-3000 Anthropogenic and less vehicular area 4 Osla In and around Osla, Laturai, near Har ki Dun Bridge 31o07′07.52′′ N: 78o21′07.17′′ E 3000-3500 No direct pollution source (Trekking route) 5 Har ki Dun In and around HKD, Morinda 31o08′33.09′′ N: 78o25′08.44′′ E 3500-4000 (Trekking route) Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India Text-figure 1. Distribution and diversity of lichens. A. Growth forms, B. Localities, C. Substratum growth in the area followed by Physciaceae, Cladoniaceae, Pyrenulaceae, Lecanoraceae and Teloschistaceae with 27, 18, 16, 13 and 10 species respectively. Thirteen lichen families, mostly belonging to crustose lichens, are represented only by a single species (Table 3). Genus Cladonia (18 species) shows dominance in the area as its species can grow on decaying wood, soil, soil over rocks in association and mixed with mosses and forming cushion like growth on exposed boulders in alpine regions. The other genera exhibiting luxuriant growth in the sanctuary are Pyrenula, Heterodermia, Lecanora and Parmotrema with 12, 11, 10 and 8 species respectively. Cladonia corniculata, Flavoparmelia caperata, Lecanora muralis, Phaeophyscia hispidula and Pyxine sorediata are the most common lichen taxa as these are found growing luxuriantly in most of the sub-localities of the five major localities, whereas about 70 species show their occurrence only from a single locality. The foliose form of lichens exhibits 43 its dominance followed by crustose, squamulose, fruticose and leprose forms (Text-figure 1A). Among the different localities of the sanctuary enroute from Naitwar to Har ki Dun, the Taluka area exhibits the maximum diversity of lichen species (114 species) followed by Osla with 94 species (Text-figure 1B). The probable reason for rich lichen diversity in Taluka and Osla areas may be their unique topography with deep valleys and wide open slopes which provides suitable habitat for diverse phorophytes to grow and thus bear diverse lichen taxa as epiphytes on them. Sometimes, localities with scattered trees and exposed rocks, both in Osla and Taluka areas provide suitable habitat for light loving lichen taxa to grow. Due to different anthropogenic activities in the localities of Sankari and Naitwar areas, the forests are mostly destroyed for the agricultural and horticultural practices showing poor diversity of lichens. The higher altitudes of Sanctuary exhibit luxuriant growth of lichens in the localities but have poor diversity as the area is devoid of trees and only exposed rocks and boulders provide the substrates for some exclusive (Cladonia and Allocetraria) lichens to grow. Among the different substrates, the rock bears the maximum lichen species represented by 72 species followed by bark and twigs with 56 and 11 species respectively. Some lichen species (Heterodermia diademata, Phaeophyscia hispidula) exhibit wide amplitude in colonizing on varied substrates, such as bark, rock and soil, and may also support the luxuriance of lichen species (Text-figure 1C). Conclusion The lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, enroute from Naitwar to Har ki Dun within a track of 55 km (alt. 1500-4000 m), represents the occurrence of 214 species which clearly indicates the richness of different lichen species in the area. Intensive survey of lichens in the adjoining areas will definitely contribute more taxa to the lichen flora of this sanctuary. The present enumeration of lichens will act as baseline data which will be 44 GEOPHYTOLOGY Table 2. Diversity of lichens enroute to Har ki Dun from Naitwar 1 Acarosporaceae 2 3 Arthoniales Bacidiaceae 4 5 6 Caliciaceae Catillariaceae Candelariaceae 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Chrysothricaceae Cladoniaceae Coccocarpaceae Collemataceae Fuscideaceae Graphidaceae Icmadophilaceae Lecanoraceae Acarospora sp. 1 Acarospora sp. 2 Acarospora sp. 3 Sarcogyne privigna (Ach.) A. Massal Arthothelium chiodectoides (Nyl.) Zahlbr. Bacidia millegrana (Taylor) Zahlbr. in Wawra & Beck Bacidia personata Malme Calicium abietinum Pers Toninia tristis ssp. asiae-centralis (Mangnusson) Timdal Candelaria concolor (Dicks.) Stein. Candelaria indica (Hue) Vain Candelariella aurella (Hoffm.) Zahlbr. Canomaculina subtinctoria (Zahlbr.) Elix Chrysothrix chlorina (Ach.) J. R. Laundon Cladonia awasthiana Ahti & Upreti Cladonia cariosa (Ach.) Speng. Cladonia cartilaginea Müll. Arg. Cladonia chlorophaea (Floerke ex Sommerf) Spreng Cladonia coniocraea (Flörke) Sprenge Cladonia corniculata Ahti & Kashiw. Cladonia didyma (Fée) Vain. Cladonia fenestralis Nuno. Cladonia furcata (Huds.) Schard. Cladonia fimbriata (L.) Fr. Cladonia macroceras (Delise) Haw. Cladonia pocillum (Ach.) Grognot Cladonia pyxidata (L.) Hoffm. Cladonia rangiferina (L.) F. H. Wigg. Cladonia scabriuscula (Delise) Nyl. Cladonia subradiata (Vain.) Sandst. Cladonia subulata (L.) F. H. Wigg. Cladonia ochrochlora Flörke Coccocarpia erythroxyli (Spreng.) Swinsc. & Krog. Collema japonicum (Müll. Arg.) Hue Collema subconveniens Nyl. Collema nigrescens (Huds.) Dc Leptogium askotense D. D. Awasthi Leptogium burnetiae C. W. Dodge Leptogium furfuraceum (Harm.) Sierk Leptogium saturninum (Dicks) Nyl. Maronea melanocarpa (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr. Graphis chlorotica Massal & Krempel Graphis intermediella Stirton Graphis proserpens Vain Graphis scripta (L.) Ach. Graphis sikkimenais Nag. & Patw. Thamnolia vermicularis (Sw.) Ach. Ex Schaer. Lecanora austrointumescens Lumbsch & Elix Lecanora caesiorubella Ach. Lecanora cinerofusca var. himalayensis Upreti Lecanora concilians Nyl. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Substratum Har ki Dun Osla Localities surveyed Taluka Name of lichen Natwar Families Sankari Sr. No + + + + + + + + Rock Rock Rock Rock Bark Bark Bark Rock, bark, twigs Rock Rock Rock Bark, rock Rock Rock Soil Rock, dead wood Rock Rock Rock, soil, wood Rock, mosses, bark Soil, decayed wood Soil Bark, rock Rock, soil, wood Soil Mosses, twigs, bark Mosses, twigs, bark Rock, twigs, bark Rock Rock Rock Rock, soil, wood Rock Rock Rock Soil, bark Rock Bark, rock Twigs Bark Bark Rock Rock Bark, rock Bark, rock Rock Rock Wood Bark, rock Rock Bark, rock Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India 15 16 17 18 19 20 Lobariaceae Megasporaceae Nephromataceae Ochrolechiaceae Pannariaceae Parmeliaceae Lecanora consilianda Vain Lecanora formosula Lumbsch Lecanora interjecta Müll. Arg. Lecanora japonica Müll. Arg. Lecanora muralis (Schr.) Rabenh. Lecanora subimmersa (Fée) Vain Lecidea granifera (Ach.) Vain. Lecidella elaechroma (Ach.) M. Choisy Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca (Sm) Zopf Lobaria isidiosa (Müll. Arg.) Vain. Lobaria kurokawae Yoshim Lobaria pindarensis Räsänen Lobaria retigera (Bory) Trev. Sticta limbata (Sm.) Ach. Sticta platyphylloides Nyl. Sticta praetextata (Räsänen) D. D. Awasthi Sticta weigelii (Ach.) Vainio Aspicilia almorensis Räsänen Aspicilia calcarea (L.) Sommerf. Aspicilia dwaliensis Räsänen Nephroma helveticum Ach. Ochrolechia rosella (Müll. Arg.) Vers. Pannaria emodi P. M.Jørg Allocetraria strachyei (C. Bab.) Kurok. & M. J. Lai Bryoria smithii (Du Rietz) Brodo & D. Hawksw. Bulbothrix meizospora (Nyl.) Hale Canoparmelia texana (Tuck.) Elix & Hale Cetraria muricata (Ach.) Eckfeldt Cetraria nigricans Nyl. Cetrelia braunsiana (Müll. Arg.) W. Culb. & C. Culb. Cetrelia cetrarioides (Del. ex. Dubey) W. Culb. & C. F. Culb. Emodomelanelia massonii (Essl. & Poelt) Divakar & A. Crespo Evernia mesomorpha Nyl. Everniastrum nepalense (Taylor) Hale Everniastrum cirrhatum (Fr.) Hale Flavocetraria cucullata (Bell.) Kärnefelt & Thell Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale Flavopunctelia flaventior (Stirton) Hale Flavopunctelia soredica (Nyl.) Hale Hypotrachyna crenata (Kurok.) Hale Hypotrachyna immaculata (Kurok.) Hale Hypotrachyna infirma (Kurok.) Hale Hypotrachyna pindarensis (D. D. Awasthi & S. R. Singh) D. D. Awasthi Hypotrachyna pluriformis (Nyl.) Hale Hypotrachyna scytophylla (Kurok.) Hale Menegazzia terebrata (Hoffm.) A. Massal Myelochroa aurulenta (Tuck.) Elix & Hale Myelochroa denegans (Nyl.) Elix & Hale Mycobilimbia hunana (Zahlbr) D. D. Awasthi Nephromopsis laii (Thell & Randl) Saag & Thell Parmelia meiophora Nyl. Parmelia squarrosa Hale Parmelinella wallichiana (Taylor) Elix & Hale Parmotrema hababianum (Gyeln.) Hale Parmotrema nilgherrense (Nyl.) Hale + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Twigs Bark, rock, twigs Bark, rock Rock Bark, rock Bark Bark, rock Rock, bark Twigs Bark Bark, rock Bark, rock, mosses, wood Twigs, bark Rock Bark Bark Bark Rock Rock Rock Wood Bark Bark Rock Bark Rock, soil Bark, rock Bark Rock, soil Bark, rock, twigs Rock, wood Twigs Bark Bark, twigs Bark Bark, twigs Bark, rock, soil Rock, bark Bark, rock Bark Rock Rock Rock Rock, twigs, bark Rock Bark Rock Twigs, rock, bark, soil, wood Bark Wood Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark 45 46 21 22 GEOPHYTOLOGY Physciaceae Pyrenulaceae Parmotrema pseudonilgherrense (Asahina) Hale Parmotrema reticulatum (Taylor) Choisy Parmotrema tinctorum (Nyl.) Hale Parmotrema praesorediosum (Nyl.)Hale. Parmotrema pseudotinctorum (Abbayes) Hale Parmotrema sancti-angelii (Lynge) Hale Punctelia borreri (Sm.) Krog. Punctelia rudecta (Ach.) Krog Punctelia subrudecta (Nyl.) Krog Xanthoparmelia conspersa (Ach.) Hale Xanthoparmelia stenophylla (Ach.) Ahti & Hawksh. Xanthoparmelia terricola Hale Rematotrachyna scytophylla (Kurok.) Divakar & A. Crespo Heterodermia albidiflava (Kurok.) D. D. Awasthi Heterodermia boryi (Fée) K. P. Singh & S. R. Singh Heterodermia diademata (Taylor) D. D. Awasthi Heterodermia firmula (Nyl.) Trevis. Heterodermia incana (Stirton) D. D. Awasthi Heterodermia japonica (Sato.) Swnsk. &Krog Heterodermia leucomelos (L.) Poelt Heterodermia pseudospeciosa (Kurok.) W. Culb. Heterodermia speciosa (Wulfen) Trevis. Heterodermia isidiophora (Nyl.) D. D. Awasthi Heterodermia obscurata (Nyl.) Trevis Hyperphyscia adglutinata (Flörke) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt Physcia adscendens (Fr.) Olive. Physcia crispa Nyl. Physcia dilatata Nyl. Pyxine berteriana (Fée) Imsh. Pyxine cocoes (Sw) Nyl. Pyxine sorediata (Ach.) Mont. Pyxine subcinerea Stirt. Physconia detersa (Nyl.) Poelt Physconia muscigena (Ach.) Poelt Phaeophyscia constipata (Norrl. & Nyl.) Moberg Phaeophyscia hispidula (Ach.) Moberg. Phaeophyscia nepalensis (Poelt) D. D. Awasthi Phaeophyscia primaria (Poelt) Trass. Physciella nepalensis (Poelt) Essl. Rinodina oxydata (Massal.) Massal. Anthracothecium platystomum Müll. Arg. Anthracothecium subruanum Makhija & Patw. Anthracothecium thwaitesii (Leight) Müll. Arg. Lithothelium thiorencens Aptroot & Shipman Pyrenula bahiana Malme Pyrenula defosa Mull. Arg. Pyrenula immissa (Stirton) Zahlbr. Pyrenula introducta (Stirton) Zahlbr. Pyrenula mastophoroides Müll. Arg. Pyrenula oculata A. Singh & Upreti Pyrenula pinguis Fée Pyrenula platystoma (Müll. Arg.) Aptroot Pyrenula submastophora A. Singh & Upreti Pyrenula leucostoma Ach. Pyrenula leucotrypa (Nyl.) Upreti Pyrenula ochraceoflavens (Nyl.) R. C. Harris. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Bark Mosses, rock Bark, rock Rock, soil, bark Rock, bark Bark, rock Bark, twigs, rock Dead wood, rock, twigs Rock Rock Rock Rock Twigs Rock Bark, rock Bark, rock Rock Rock Bark Rock Rock Rock Rock Rock, bark Rock, twigs, bark Bark Bark Bark Rock, soil Rock, twigs, bark Rock Soil Bark Bark Rock Rock Rock Bark Bark Rock Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Rock Rock Rock Rock Rock Rock, soil Rock Rock Bark, wood Rock Rock, twigs, bark Lichen flora of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India 23 24 Peltigeraceae Pertusariaceae 25 Porpidiaceae 26 Ramalinaceae 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Rhizocarpaceae Streocaulaceae Teloschistaceae Thelotremataceae Tephromelataceae Umbilicariaceae Usneaceae Verrucariaceae Peltigera collina (Ach.) Schard. Peltigera polydactylon (Neck) Hoffm. Peltigera praetextata (Flörke) Zopf Peltigera rufescens (Weiss.) Humb. Pertusaria albescens (Huds.) Choisy & Wern. in. Wern. Pertusaria amara (Ach.) Nyl. Pertusaria composita Zahlbr. Pertusaria granulata (Ach.) Müll. Arg. Pertusaria leucosora Nyl. Pertusaria multipunctata (Tuckner) Nyl. Porpidia albocoerulescens (Wulfen) Hertel & Knoph in Hertel Porpidia crustulata (Ach.) Hertel & Knop in Hertel Phyllopsora furfuracea (Pers.) Zahlbr. Phyllopsora haemophaea (Nyl.) Müll. Arg. Phyllopsora himalayensis G. K. Mishra, Upreti & Nayaka Phyllopsora swinscowii Timdal & Krog Ramalina conduplicans Vain. Ramalina hossei Vain. Ramalina roesleri (Hochst) Hue Ramalina sinensis Jatta Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC in Lam. & DC Lepraria sp. Stereocaulon foliolosum Nyl. Stereocaulon myriocarpum Th. Fr. Stereocaulon pomiferum Duvign. Caloplaca cinnabarina (Ach.) Zahlbr. Caloplaca flavorubescens (Huds.) J. R. Laundon Caloplaca himalayana Y. Joshi & Upreti Caloplaca ochroplaca Poelt & Hinteregger Caloplaca pachycheila Poelt & Hinteregger Caloplaca pindarensis (Räsänen) Poelt & Hinteregger Caloplaca subsoluta (Nyl.) Zahlbr. Ioplaca pindarensis (Räsänen) Poelt & Hinter. Xanthoria candelaria (L.) Th. Fries Xanthoria elegans (Link.) Th. Fries Diploschistes muscorum (Scop.) R. Sant. Tephromela khatiensis (Räsänen) Lumbsch Umbilicaria indica Frey Umbilicaria vellea (L.) Ach. Usnea aciculifera Vain Usnea longissima Ach. Usnea orientalis Mot. Usnea perplexans Stirt. Usnea subfloridana Stirt. Dermatocarpon miniatum (L.) Mann Dermatocarpon miniatum var. compactum (Lamy) Zahlbr. Dermatocarpon vellereum Zschacke Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum Vain. Endocarpon rosettum A. Singh & Upreti Normandia pulchella (Borrer) Nyl. Placidium squamulosum (Ach.) Breuss. Verrucaria margacea (Wahlenb.) Wahlenb. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Bark Bark, soil Bark Rock, twigs Bark Bark Bark Bark Mosses, bark Soil Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Rock, soil Rock, bark Rock Twigs Twigs Bark Rock Rock Bark Rock, bark Bark Bark, rock Rock Rock Rock Bark Rock Bark Rock Twig, bark, rock Bark Rock Rock Rock Twigs Twigs Twigs Twigs Rock Bark Bark, rock, soil Twig, bark, rock Rock, soil Rock, bark, twigs Twigs Rock 47 48 GEOPHYTOLOGY Table 3. Dominance of lichen families with respect to species in the GWLS. Sr. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Families Parmeliaceae Physciaceae Cladoniaceae Pyrenulaceae Lecanoraceae Teloschistaceae Lobariaceae and Ramalinaceae Verrucariaceae Collemataceae Pertusariaceae Graphidaceae and Usneaceae Candelariaceae Peltigeraceae Acarosporaceae and Stereocaulaceae Megasporaceae Bacidiaceae, Porpidiaceae and Umbilicariaceae Arthoniales, Caliciaceae, Catillariaceae, Chrysothricaceae, Coccocarpaceae, Fuscideaceae, Icmadophilaceae, Nephromataceae, Ochrolechiaceae, Pannariaceae, Rhizocarpaceae, Thelotremataceae and Tephromelataceae Number of families: 34 helpful in carrying out future biomonitoring and bioprospectional studies in the area. Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the Director CSIRNational Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, for providing laboratory facilities and to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for financial support (BSC-0106). One of the authors (R.B.) is grateful to Biopros PR, Department of Science and Technology (DST-SERB), New Delhi for the grant of Young Scientist Award (SR/FTP/ ES-134/2010 and SR/FTP/ES-30/2013). View publication stats Number of genera 23 8 1 3 4 3 2 5 2 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 Number of species 45 27 18 16 13 10 8 8 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 2 1 80 214 References Awasthi D. D. 1991. A key to the microlichens of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Bibliotheca Lichenolgica 40: 1-337. Awasthi D. D. 2000. Lichenology in Indian Subcontinent. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India. Awasthi D. D. 2007. A compendium of the macrolichens from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India. Coppins B. J. & James P. W. 1984. New or interesting British lichens V. Lichenologist 16(3): 241-264. Harris R. C. 1995. More Florida lichens including the 10c tour of the pyrenolichens. The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY, U.S.A. pp. 125. Walker F. J. & James P. W. 1980. A revised guide and microchemical techniques for the identification of lichen substances. Bull. Brit Lich. Soc. 46 (Suppl): 13-29.