Taxonomic study of ferns and fern allies at Khunkorn Water Fall Forest Park, Chiang Rai province

Abstract

The taxonomic study of ferns and fern allies in Khunkorn Waterfall Forest Park,Chiang Rai province, has been conducted during October, 1996 -February, 1999. Threehundreds and fifty-seven specimens were found, they were classified into 153 species,56 genera and 24 families, of which, 137 species, 53 genera and 21 families arebelonged to true ferns and 16 species, 3 genera and 3 families are fern allies. The152 collected species included 91 terrestrial, 50 epiphytes and 11 lithophytes. Inthe three major types of forest, 79 species of ferns and fern allies occurred in theMoist Upper Mixed Deciduous Forest, 53 species thrived in the Dry Upper MixedDeciduous Forest and 78 species grow in Hill Evergreen Forest, whilst 15 speciesdistributed in all kinds of forest. It can be concluded that 76 species are the newrecords for Chiang Rai. Likewise, 4 species, which have not previously been recordedfor Thailand, they are ~iDicranopteris linearis~i (Burm.f.) Underw. var. ~imontana~i Holttpn,~iSelaginella ciliaris~i (Retz.) Spring. The other 2 species, ~iDrynaria~i sp. and probably anew variety of ~iBolbitis appendiculata~i (Willd.) K. Iwats., are still uncertain andneed further investigation. Full description of all species are given, keys to generaand keys to species for their identification are constructed, together withecological data, their distribution, vernacular name. In addition, colour photographsare also provided. The collected dryspecimens are deposited at the Professor KasinSuvatabhandhu Herbarium, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, ChulalongkornUniversity.