The Pteridophyte Flora of Khao Khiao, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Abstract

A total of 113 species and six varieties from 59 genera within 25 families of pteridophytes were recorded from a single transect at the Khao Khiao area in the Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Among these, three families, four genera and eight species were fern allies, the remaining majority being ferns. Three families of ferns, namely Polypodiaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae, were the most frequent families with 17, 13 and 12 species, respectively, although it is of note that most of these species were uncommon or rare. As regard to habit, terrestrials (65 species and two varieties) followed by epiphytes (39 species and two varieties) dominated with fewer lithophytes (21 species and two varieties). Ten and two species of ferns and fern allies, respectively, displayed more than one habit. With respect to habitat, the tropical rain forest section displayed the highest biodiversity (68 and six species of ferns and fern allies, respectively), followed by the hill evergreen forest (50 and two species of ferns and fern allies, respectively) with grassland and secondary forest considerably poorer (12 species two varieties of ferns). Sixteen species and 3 varieties of fern, and four species of fern allies grew in more than one forest type (habitat).