Taxonomic and Anatomic Studies on Some Ferns of District KOTLI, AZAD JAMMU and KASHMIR

The present study was carried out for taxonomical and anatomical studies of ferns collected from District Kotli, AJK. Total nine ferns were collected and identified as Adiantum pedatum L., Adiantum capillus-veneris L., Adiantum caudatum L., Pteris multifida L. Pteris vittata L., Asplenium platyneuron L., Christella dentata Forssk., Dryopteris carthusiana Vill., Aleuritopteris argentea Fee. Adiantum pedatum, Adiantum capillus-veneris and Asplenium platyneuron had spores on the lower side of pinnae while Adiantum caudatum had spores on apex of pinnae. Anatomical characters were observed under light microscope. The transverse sections of both petiole and stem had cuticle, epidermis, cortex, endodermis, pericycle, parenchyma, sclerenchyma, collenchyma, metaxylem, protoxylem and phloem. Trichomes were found on the epidermis of few species. Dictyostele was found in all species except Adiantum pedatum and Adiantum caudatum which had amphiphloic siphonostele. Mesarch xylem was found in Adiantum pedatum, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Aleuritopteris argentea, Adiantum caudatum and Christella dentata. Diarch xylem was present in rest of the species. Length of cortical cells was highest in Dryopteris carthusiana in both petiole and stem i.e. 2.04𝜇m and 2.01𝜇m respectively. Highest width of cortical cells was observed in Dryopteris carthusiana i.e. 1.82𝜇m and 1.88𝜇m respectively. In petiole, length of metaxylem was greater in Pteris vittata while width was greater in Adiantum caudatum. The length of protoxylem was greater in Pteris multifida while width was greater in Pteris vittata. In stem, length of metaxylem was greater in Adiantum caudatum but width was greater in Dryopteris carthusiana. The length and width of protoxylem was greater in Pteris vittata.