Question

A saprophytic bryophyte found in the Himalayas is

• A. Sphagnum
• B. Marchantia
• C. Parella
• D. Buxbaumia

Answer 1

The correct option is D Buxbaumia

Buxbaumia is a moss, not a flowering plant, but for the sake of understanding it could be compared to a plant, which has conspicuous flowers during the springtime then no visible parts (leaves, branches, roots) during the rest of the year.

The genus Buxbaumia is interesting because it lacks the conspicuous leafy green parts, that are characteristic of most mosses. Instead, the reproductive parts of Buxbaumia are the key discerning feature. The capsules supported by the stalk or seta are called as the sporophytes.

In the case of Buxbaumia, the sporophytes are extremely disproportionate compared to the minute leafy parts, which can only be seen under a microscope.

Buxbaumia is considered rare because it has no perennial leafy parts. It would be nearly impossible to find it, without the presence of sporophytes, which only occur for a short time in the spring. Once the spores are released from the capsule, it withers and breaks off. In addition, Buxbaumia does not typically grow in the same spot every year.
The genus Buxbaumia was reported from India for the first time by Udae, Shrivastava and Kumar from western Himalayas as new species.