Beatriz S. Belonias and Lite M. Bañoc
ABSTRACT
A total of 93 species of pteridophytes belonging to 24 families and 55 genera were found in Mt. Pangasugan at elevations of 5-400 m above sea level (ASL). These comprise 22 families of ferns with 52 genera and 84 species, and 3 families of fern-allies with 3 genera and 9 species. Only 83 species were identified.
The families Polypodiaceae and Aspidiaceae are the most diverse in terms of number of genera and species. Species diversity was low (11 to 24 species) at 5-40 m ASL, increased up to 40 species at 81-100 in ASL but gradually declined to as low as 15 at 101-340 m ASL.
Majority of the pteridophytes collected are terrestrial (66.7%). The aquatic species comprise only 4.3%; the epiphytes, 16.1% and the petrophytes, 12.9%.
Selaginella engleri and Tectaria denticulata are the most widely adapted across different elevations followed by Angiopteris paliniformis and Microsorium punctatum and then by Lygodium japonicum. However, Selaginella engleri was best adapted at lower elevations while Tectaria denticulata favored higher elevations.
Herbarium specimens of the pteridophyte collections are presently kept and maintained at the ViSCA Herbarium, Dept. of Plant Breeding and Agricultural Botany, ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines.
Keywords: Pteridophytes, ferns, fern-allies, species, herbarium
Annals of Tropical Research 16(2):(1994)
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