Abstract

Genus Hyophila Brid.; a moss belonging to subfamily Barbuloideae, family Pottiaceae is represented by 7 species in India; out of these, three species: H. involuta (Hook.) Jaeg., H. rosea Williams and H. comosa Dix. et P. Vard. occur in Central India. Earlier H. rosea alone was reported from Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR) but during floristic studies of bryophytes of PBR, which is well known for its biodiversity and is rich in bryophytic vegetation, H. involuta has been encountered for the first time. This taxon has been earlier reported from several other localities and shows wide distribution in India in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Assam, South India and Western Himalayas etc. H. involuta is characterised by dioecious plants, erect dark green habit and radiculose stem (5-18 mm in size). Leaves are oblong, spathulate, carinate with percurrent costa, 1.8-2.8 mm x 0.56-0.86 mm, seta erect, capsule cylindrical with beaked operculum. Peristome is absent and spores are small, brown coloured, spherical, 8-12 µm in diameter. The species is distributed in various localities of PBR: Tamia Valley, Jambu Dweep. Near Police Training School, Near Forest Office, Pandav Caves and Bee Fall. H. involuta closely resembles with H. rosea which occurs in the same vicinity, in leaf size and shape, leaf cells and shape of capsule; however, it differs in its radiculose habit, uniform leaf arrangement, longer seta and smaller spores from the latter species.

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