ABSTRACT
The biota of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi occurring in the Western Ghats were analyzed utilizing recent publications. The study revealed the occurrence of 1617 taxa of lichen-forming fungi (or lichens) with 1597 species, 19 varieties, 2 subspecies, 1 forma. The lichenicolous fungi were represented by 28 species. As the lichenicolous fungi are fewer in number and unexplored groups, the emphasis is given to lichens in the present communication. A total of 251 lichen taxa are endemic, of which, 129 are restricted in their distribution to the Western Ghats only. The lichen biota of Western Ghats is dominated by crustose lichens with 1117 taxa while foliose and fruticose forms represent 393 and 107 taxa. All the lichens taxa reported belonged to phylum Ascomycota and are dominated by Graphidales and pyrenocarpous lichens with 404 and 224 taxa, respectively. Graphis, Graphidaceae, Lecanorales and Lecanoromycetes are the most speciose genus, family, order and class in the region with 78, 210, 421, and 1288 taxa, respectively. As many as 1231 lichens in the region preferred to grow on bark only while 50 taxa shared substrates such as bark, rock, and soil. This region also represented a good diversity of cyanolichens (117) which are known indicators of moistness in the forests. Similarly, a study indicated that some parts of the Western Ghats are healthy and undisturbed by the presence of 88 foliicolous lichens. Several species of lichens are rare in the Western Ghats, and among them, at least five of them are not collected for a long time and are suitable for inclusion in the Red Data Book. Among different states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka represent maximum number of lichens represented by 963, 783, and 658 taxa, respectively. The lichens of Western Ghats show their affinities to the lichen biota of north-eastern India and 90tropical regions of the world. Although large quantities of lichens are being harvested from the Western Ghats, there is no authentic published account of the same. Also, there are no serious efforts for conservation of lichens in the Western Ghats.
