FIRST TAXONOMIC REPORT ON BRYOPHYTES OF MALAM JABBA VALLEY, DISTRICT SWAT, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present study was conducted to explore the Bryophytes flora of Malam Jabba, a lush green valley of District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Frequent visits were arranged to study the valley and a total of 16 Bryophyte species covering 12 families and 15 genera were collected in three seasons (winter, summer and spring) during 2016-2017. The dominant family was Aytoniaceae represented by 2 genera with 3 species. The Bartramiaceae and Marchantiaceae were represented by 2 species belonging to 2 genera respectively. The remaining families i.e. Brachytheciaceae, Bryaceae, Fissidentaceae, Funariaceae, Hypopterygiaceae, Mniaceae, Pelliaceae, Polytrichaceae and Radulaceae were represented by 1 species each. A dichotomous key was prepared for the identification and characterization of the species, genera and families on the basis of morphological characteristics of the thallus with special reference to their reproductive structures. Out of the total survey 9 species i.e. Plagiochasma appendiculatum, Plagiochasma rupestre, Bartramia ithyphylla, Philonotis fontana, Brachythecium plumosum, Funaria hygrometrica, Dumortiera hirsuta, Marchantia emarginata, Plagiomnium cuspidatum were new to swat, while Hypopterygium didictyon, was a new record for Pakistan.