Two Species of Plagiochila New to Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

Two species of the genus Plagiochila (Dumort.) Dumort. viz., P. flexuosa Mitt. and P. sisparensis Steph., discovered from district Pithoragarh, Kumaon Hills, Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. In India, P. flexuosa Mitt. is earlier reported from South India and Eastern Himalaya while P. sisparensis Steph. is reported only from South India. Both the species are reported here from western Himalaya for the first time. The present report shows the extended distribution of the species from Eastern Himalaya and South India to Western Himalaya in India. Both the species have been described and illustrated herewith.