Diversity of Selaginella in the karstic region of Sewu Mountains, Southern Java

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AHMAD DWI SETYAWAN
SUGIYARTO SUGIYARTO
ARI SUSILOWATI
WIDODO WIDODO

Abstract

Setyawan AD, Sugiyarto, Susilowati A, Widodo. 2015. Diversity of Selaginella in the karstic region of Sewu Mountains, Southern Java. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1318-1323. Sewu mountains are a series of medium-sized mountains (400-500 m asl.), located in the southern part of Java Island, are one of the most complete karst areas in Indonesia, both in geology, ecology, economy and culture. Karst region is characterized by a rock lifted from the seabed and easily dissolved by rainwater, thus forming the domes of hills, valleys, and underground caves. This area is prone to drought because it is not able to hold water. Meanwhile, Selaginella is a herbaceous plant that requires water as a media to fertilization. This study aims to determine wether the species of Selaginella are able to survive in karst habitats of Mts. Sewu or not. Fieldwork was conducted several times in August 2007, November 2011 and August 2013. These should include observation on herbarium sheets of Selaginella collection from Herbarium Bogoriense (BO), the Research Center for Biology, IIS (LIPI), Cibinong, Bogor, but of 600 herbarium sheets of Selaginella of Java, no specimen comes from Mts. Sewu. In this study, it was found four species of Selaginella, namely: S. ciliaris, S. involvens, S. plana, and S. repanda. S. ciliaris is a species that has a very high morphological diversity so that they can grow in a variety of habitats. The existence of S. involvens is quite interesting because this species usually grows in highlands. S. plana is a lowland species, so it can be found in moist places and shady. S. repanda is a species adapted to dry areas, making it very easy to be found in the Mts. Sewu region.

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