Abstract

MORPHOLOGY, ANATOMY, ETHNO BOTANICAL STUDIES OF CLIMBING FERN: LYGODIUM FLEXUOSUM (L.) SW. A REVIEW

Shobhit Kumar Srivastava* and Jonnada A. V. Prasada Rao

Abstract

Nature has provided a remedy to cure all ailments of mankind. The Indian subcontinent is one of the most interesting phytogeographical regions of the world, as it displays a large variety of habitats and climatic zones with different geological history. India is rich in plant wealth and facilitates better systematic. Lygodium is an abundant genus comprising of 10 species. The necessity of herbal medicine is being increasing day by day due to their safety and usefulness. The ferns are found to be abundant in the Himalayas and Western Ghats, which are the two hotspots of biodiversity in India. Being a group of lower plants, they were always uncared for and their important aspect has been ignored. Very less attention has been given towards the utility of Ferns though they possess economic importance and medicinal value. Different parts like rhizome, stem, fronds, pinnae and spores are useful in the treatment of various diseases. Herbs are playing a key role in increasing the economy of the country and had taken the Nation on to the new alleyway to achieve the goal of development. In very dry or exposed places, the veins and lamina of Lygodium flexuosum are often rather copiously hairy. Lygodium flexuosum is very common at lower altitudes 300 and 900 m and sometimes covering adjacent small bushes, climber in Sikkim & Darjeeling forests ascending up to 1500 m altitude. It belongs to the family Lygodiaceae (Schizaceae) and widely used in treating various ailments like jaundice, wound healing and eczema. This review considers the bioactivity basis of this medicinal plants and this may help for further detailed investigations. This article reviews the complete details of the Morphology, Anatomy, Distribution and Ethno botanical activities.

Keywords: Lygodium flexuosum, Diversity, Herbal Medicine, Pteridophytes, Darjeeling, India.