Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Tropical Life Sciences Research logoLink to Tropical Life Sciences Research
. 2015 Dec;26(2):111–119.

Contribution to the Pteridophyte Flora of Langkawi Archipelago, Peninsular Malaysia

Haja Maideen 1,*, Ahmad Damanhuri 1
PMCID: PMC4729403  PMID: 26868714

Abstract

The pteridophyte flora of Langkawi Archipelago consists of 130 species, 1 subspecies and 12 varieties in 68 genera and 27 families. This value represents 22.1% of the 647 taxa at the species level and below reported for Peninsular Malaysia. Of the 143 recorded taxa of pteridophytes at the species level and below, 8 species in 2 genera and 2 families are lycophytes and the other 135 taxa in 66 genera and 25 families are monilophytes or ferns.

Keywords: Ferns, Flora, Langkawi Archipelago, Monilophyte, Lycophyte

The richness and uniqueness of the pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) of the Langkawi archipelago were observed a long time ago by many botanists and plant collectors leading to many collections being made from various parts of the islands. Among the important fern collectors of the Langkawi islands are Md. Haniff, Md. Nur, H. C. Robinson, M. R. Henderson, H. N. Ridley, R. E. Holttum, S. C. Chin, A. Bidin, R. Jaman and, recently, the authors. The first account of the ferns of Langkawi appeared in Ridley (1908), who reported several species. This was followed by the observations of Henderson (1939) and Holttum (1968).

Chin (1977) studied the fern flora of the limestone hills of Peninsular Malaysia including those located on the Langkawi islands. He reported the presence of three species of calcicolous ferns from Langkawi. Ten years later, Bidin (1987) reported a total of 145 taxa of ferns at the species level and below from this group of islands. The present report is focused on collections made during a scientific expedition in 2003 and data from several herbaria.

During the expedition organised by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), pteridophyte specimens were collected along various jungle trails on the main island (e.g., Gunung Raya trail, Gunung Machinchang, Telaga Tujuh and Kisap Forest) and several surrounding islands, including Dayang Bunting Island, Tuba Island, Singa Besar Island and Langgun Island. Habitats of pteridophyte along the trails and its vicinities were surveyed to obtain as many specimens and species as possible. Areas in the vicinity of a stream were carefully examined as these shady and very moist environments are suitable for the growth of ferns. All specimens collected by the authors during the expedition were wrapped in newspaper, wetted with alcohol and stored in a plastic bag. Evaporation from the newspaper keeps the plants cool and moist. To prepare a herbarium specimen, material from the plastic bag was transferred to a standard plant press and pressed flat and dried in an oven (50ºC). The dried specimens were then identified by following the identification keys to species by Holttum (1968) and Parris et al. (2010, 2013). The identified species were then deposited at the UKM herbarium (UKMB). Specimens that have been previously collected and deposited in herbaria of several institutions, such as UKM (UKMB), Universiti Malaya (KLU), Kew Botanical Garden (K) and Singapore (SING), were also examined in this study.

Pteridophytes of the Langkawi archipelago comprise 143 taxa at the species level or lower in 68 genera and 27 families (Appendix 1). These represent 22.1% of the 647 taxa at the species level or lower reported for Peninsular Malaysia (Parris & Latiff 1997). The occurrence of various vegetation types on the islands, such as limestone, mangrove, lowland, beach strand vegetation and heath forest support, have made the flora of pteridophytes here very diverse and unique.

The lycophytes in this archipelago are represented by only two families: Lycopodiaceae (one species) and Selaginellaceae (seven species). The other 135 taxa are ferns belonging to 65 genera and 23 families. The largest family that occurs in Langkawi archipelago are Pteridaceae, with 27 species, followed by Polypodiaceae (22 species), Thelypteridaceae (13 species), Hymenophyllaceae (9 species) and Aspleniaceae, Dryopteridaceae and Selaginellaceae, with 8 species each.

The pteridophyte flora of the islands is more luxuriant due to the influence of Thailand climatic elements and limestone outcrops (Latiff 1994). Some interesting species, namely Adiantum philippense, Aglaomorpha coronans, Bolbitis malaccensis, Drynaria bonii, Platycerium holttumii, Selaginella griffithii, and Tectaria brachiata, are found in the Langkawi islands. A. philippense, D. bonii, P. holttumii and T. brachiata are restricted to the northern part of Malaya (Holttum 1968; Bidin 1987). Meanwhile, A. coronans, which are mainly distributed in the Asian mainland, is known only from Langkawi in Peninsular Malaysia (Bidin 1987). The rare B. malaccensis, which is known only from one collection in Thailand, has been found only in the Langkawi and Tioman islands. Furthermore S. griffithii has been reported in Thailand and in Langkawi (Wong 1982).

There are some differences between the results of the previous study (Bidin 1987) and the present one. In this paper, the authors added additional species of lycophytes (eight species) which were not reported in the previous study. The compiled list presented here is based on the currently accepted names as given in the latest monographic works. This means that the previous list contains names that are not in use or synonyms. For example, Bidin and Jaman (1986) described P. platylobum as a novel species, which is found in Langkawi, but in the latest revision of the Polypodiaceae (Hovenkamp 2013), it was reduced to a synonym under Platycerium coronarium. The same trend occurred in the Davalliaceae. Bidin (1987) listed Humata repens and Humata vestita as distinct species, but Nooteboom (2013) lumped these two species and recognised them as Davallia repens.

Pteridophytes in the Langkawi archipelago are more diverse compared to pteridophytes in other offshore islands due to the large size of the main island and also the occurrence of various vegetation types on the islands, such as limestone hill, mangrove, lowland, beach strand vegetation and heath forest.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the curators of the following herbarium: KLU, K, UKMB, National Herbarium of Malaysia (KEP) and SING for giving permission to access and study the herbarium specimens. This study was carried out with funding from UKM through UKM-GUP-2011-174 for which the authors are very grateful.

Appendix 1.

Checklist of pteridophytes. The current enumeration is the updated version of the flora based on Parris (2010). All new records are marked with an asterisk (*).

Lycophytes

LYCOPODIACEAE

  • *Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. Serm.

SELAGINELLACEAE

  • *Selaginella argentea (Wall. ex Hook. & Grev.) Spring

  • *Selaginella delicatula (Desv. ex Poir) Alston

  • *Selaginella griffithii Spring

  • *Selaginella intermedia (Blume) Spring

  • *Selaginella minutifolia Spring

  • *Selaginella wallichii (Hook. & Grev.) Spring

  • *Selaginella willdenowii (Desv.) Baker

Monilophytes

ASPLENIACEAE

  • Asplenium macrophyllum Sw.

  • Asplenium nidus L. var. nidus

  • Asplenium paradoxum Bl.

  • Asplenium pellucidum Lam.

  • Asplenium phyllitidis D. Don

  • Asplenium salignum Bl.

  • Asplenium tenerum G. Forster

BLECHNACEAE

  • Blechnum orientale L.

  • Stenochlaena palustris (Burm. f.) Bedd.

CIBOTIACEAE

  • Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.

CYATHEACEAE

  • Cyathea borneensis Copel.

  • Cyathea contaminans (Wall. ex Hook.) Copel.

  • Cyathea glabra (BI.) Copel.

DAVALLIACEAE

  • Davallia denticulata (Burm.f.) Mett.

  • Davallia divaricata Bl.

  • Davallia trichomanoides Bl. var. lorrainei (Hance) Holtt.

  • Davallia trichomanoides Bl. var. trichomanoides

  • Davallia repens (L.fil.) Diels

  • Davallia pectinata (Sm.) Desv.

DENNSTAEDTIACEAE

  • Microlepia speluncae (L.) T. Moore var. villosissima C. Chr.

  • Microlepia strigosa (Thunb.) C.Presl

DRYOPTERIDACEAE

  • Bolbitis appendiculata (Willd.) K. Iwatsuki

  • Bolbitis heteroclita (C. Presl.) Ching

  • Bolbitis malaccensis (C.Chr.) Ching

  • Bolbitis virens (Hook. & Grev.) Hennipman var. compacta Hennipman

  • Ctenitis subobscura (H. Christ) Holttum

  • Elaphoglossum callifolium (Bl.) T. Moore

  • Polystichum prolificans Alderw.

GLEICHENIACEAE

  • Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) Underw.

  • Dicranopteris speciosa (C. Presl) Holtt.

HYMENOPHYLLACEAE

  • Cephalomanes javanicum (Blume) Bosch

  • Crepidomanes bipunctatum (Poir.) Copel.

  • Crepidomanes kurzii (Bedd.) Tagawa & K. Iwat.

  • Gonocormus minutus (Blume) Bosch

  • Meringium denticulatum (Sw.) Copel.

  • Microtrichomanes digitatum (Sw.) Copel.

  • Pleuromanes pallidum (Blume) C. Presl

  • Selenodesmium obscurum (Blume) Copel.

  • Vandenboschia maxima (Blume) Copel.

LINDSAEACEAE

  • Lindsaea ensifolia Sw.

  • Lindsaea heterophylla Dryand.

  • Lindsaea lucida Blume

  • Lindsaea parasitica (Roxburgh ex Griffith) Hieron

  • Lindsaea repens (Bory) Thwaites

  • Tapeinidium pinnatum (Cav.) C.Chr.

LOMARIOPSIDACEAE

  • Cyclopeltis crenata (Fěe) C. Chr.

  • Lomariopsis lineata (C. Presl.) Holttum

LYGODIACEAE

  • Lygodium circinnatum (Burm.f.) Sw.

  • Lygodium flexuosum (L). Sw.

  • Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Brown

  • Lygodium polystachyum Wall. ex T. Moore

  • Lygodium salicifolium C. Presl

MARATTIACEAE

  • Angiopteris evecta (Forst.) Hoffm.

MARSILEACEAE

  • Marsilea crenata C. Presl.

NEPHROLEPIDACEAE

  • Nephrolepis auriculata (L.) Trimen

  • Nephrolepis hirsutula (G. Forst.) C. Presl

OLEANDRACEAE

  • Oleandra neriiformis Cav.

OPHIOGLOSSACEAE

  • Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook.

  • Ophioglossum reticulatum L.

PARKERIACEAE

  • Acrostichum aureum L.

  • Acrostichum speciosum Willd.

POLYPODIACEAE

  • Aglaomorpha coronans (Mett.) Copel.

  • Belvisia mucronata (Fée) Copel.

  • Drynaria sparsisora (Desv.) T. Moore

  • Drynaria rigidula (Sw.) Beddome

  • Drynaria bonii Chr.

  • Goniophlebium persicifolium (Desv.) Bedd.

  • Lecanopteris sinuosa (Wall. ex Hook.) Cope1.

  • Leptochilus macrophyllus (Blume) Noot. var. macrophyllus

  • Leptochilus macrophyllus (Blume) Noot. var. pedunculatus (Hook. & Grev.) Noot.

  • Loxogramme avenia (BI.) C. Presl

  • Microsorum heterocarpum (BI.) Ching

  • Microsorum nigrescens (Bl.) Pic.Serm.

  • Microsorum punctatum (L.) Copel.

  • Microsorum scolopendria (Burm.f.) Pic. Serm.

  • Platycerium coronarium (J. König) Desv.

  • Platycerium holttumii de Jonch. & Hennipm.

  • Pyrrosia lanceolata (L.) Farw.

  • Pyrrosia longifolia (Burm. f.) C.V. Morton

  • Pyrrosia penangiana (Hook.) Holtt.

  • Pyrrosia piloselloides (L.) M. G. Price

  • Pyrrosia stigmosa (Sw.) Ching

PTERIDACEAE

  • Adiantum caudatum L.

  • Adiantum capillus-veneris L.

  • Adiantum latifolium Lam

  • Adiantum mathewsianum Hook.

  • Adiantum peruvianum Kl.

  • Adiantum philippense L.

  • Adiantum polyphyllum Willd.

  • Adiantum stenochylamys Bak.

  • Adiantum tenerum Swartz.

  • Adiantum trapeziforme L.

  • Antrophyum callifolium BI.

  • Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn.

  • Cheilanthes tenuifolia (Burm.f.) Sw.

  • Doryopteris ludens (Wall. ex Hook) J. Sm.

  • Haplopteris angustifolia BI.

  • Haplopteri ensiformis Sw. var. ensiformis

  • Haplopteri ensiformis Sw. var. latifolia Holttum.

  • Hemionitis arifolia (Burm.f) T. Moore

  • Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link

  • Pteris biaurita L.

  • Pteris ensiformis Burm.f.

  • Pteris longipinnula Wall. ex J. Agardh.

  • Pteris mertensioides Willd. subsp. mertensioides

  • Pteris scabripes Wall. ex J. Agardh.

  • Pteris venulosa Bl.

  • Pteris vittata L.

  • Taenitis blechnoides (Willd.) Sw.

SALVINIACEAE

  • Azolla pinnata R. Br. var. imbricata (Roxb.) Bonap.

SCHIZAEACEAE

  • Actinostachys digitata (L.) Wall. ex Reed

  • Schizaea dichotoma (L.) J.E. Smith

TECTARIACEAE

  • Pleocnemia irregularis (C. Presl) Holtt.

  • Tectaria brachiata (Zoll. & Mor.) C.V. Morton

  • Tectaria semipinnata (Roxb.) C.V. Morton

  • Tectaria angulata (Willd.) Copel.

  • Tectaria fissa (Kunze) Holttum

THELYPTERIDACEAE

  • Amphineuron immersum (BI.) Holttum

  • Amphineuron opulentum (Kaulf.) Holttum

  • Amphineuron terminans (Hook.) Holttum

  • Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy

  • Christella parasitica (L.) Lev.

  • Christella papilio (C. Hope) Holttum

  • Christella subpubescens (BI.) Holttum

  • Cyclosorus interruptus (Willd.) H. Ito

  • Mesophlebion chlamydophorum (C. Chr.) Holttum

  • Pronephrium asperum (C. Presl.) Holttum

  • Pronephrium repandum (Fée) Holttum

  • Sphaerostephanos heterocarpus (BI.) Holttum

  • Sphaerostephanos penniger (Hook.) Holttum var. penniger

WOODSIACEAE

  • Diplazium bantamense Bl.

  • Diplazium esculentum (Retz) Sw.

  • Diplazium malaccense C. Presl

REFERENCES

  1. Bidin A. A preliminary survey of the fern flora of Langkawi islands. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 1987;40(2):77–102. [Google Scholar]
  2. Bidin A, Jaman R. A new species of Platycerium from Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 1986;39(2):149–151. [Google Scholar]
  3. Chin SC. The limestone hill flora of Malaya I. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 1977;30(1):165–219. [Google Scholar]
  4. Henderson MR. The flora of limestone hills of the Malay Peninsula. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 1939;17(1):13–87. [Google Scholar]
  5. Holttum RE. Flora of Malaya, II. Ferns of Malaya. Singapore: Singapore Government Printer; 1968. [Google Scholar]
  6. Hovenkamp PH. Polypodiaceae. In: Parris BS, Kiew R, Chung RCK, Saw LG, editors. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records no. 48. Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes, vol. 2. Selangor, Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; 2013. pp. 97–198. [Google Scholar]
  7. Latiff A. Species and habitat diversity of Langkawi archipelago, Malaysia. Biodiversity and terrestrial ecosystems. Proceeding of the International Symposium on Biodiversity and Terrestrial Ecosystems. In: Peng CI, Chou CH, editors. Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica Monographs no. 14. Taipei: Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica; 1994. pp. 111–122. [Google Scholar]
  8. Nooteboom HP. Davalliaceae. In: Parris BS, Kiew R, Chung RCK, Saw LG, editors. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records no. 48 Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes, Vol. 2. Selangor, Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; 2013. pp. 73–96. [Google Scholar]
  9. Parris BS, Latiff A. Towards a pteridophyte flora of Malaysia: A provisional checklist of taxa. Malayan Nature Journal. 1997;50(4):235–280. [Google Scholar]
  10. Parris BS. Conspectus of Order, Families and genera of ferns and Lycophytes of Peninsular Malaysia. In: Parris BS, Kiew R, Chung RCK, Saw LG, Soepadmo E, editors. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records no. 48. Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes, vol. 1. Selangor, Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; 2010. pp. 3–14. [Google Scholar]
  11. Parris BS, Kiew R, Chung RCK, Saw LG, Soepadmo E. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records no. 48. Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes, vol. 1. Selangor, Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; 2010. [Google Scholar]
  12. Parris BS, Kiew R, Chung RCK, Saw LG. Flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records no. 48. Series 1: Ferns and Lycophytes, vol. 2. Selangor, Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; 2013. [Google Scholar]
  13. Ridley HN. A list of the ferns of the Malay Peninsula. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 1908;50:1–59. [Google Scholar]
  14. Wong KM. Critical observations of Peninsular Malaysian Selaginella. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 1982;35(2):107–135. [Google Scholar]

Articles from Tropical Life Sciences Research are provided here courtesy of Universiti Sains Malaysia Press

RESOURCES