The present study addresses species composition, biomass production, the contribution of agroforestry (AF) to meeting annual fodder and fuel wood demands at the village level and the socio-cultural value of agroforestry species in the Kosi watershed. Vegetation analysis revealed that agrisilviculture, agrisilvipastoral and agrihortisilviculture systems were prevalent AF systems in the watershed. The highest number of tree species (16) were found under the AF system of Kantli followed by Dhaniyakot (14 species) and Sauraal (13 species). The total biomass of agricultural crops and trees in the AF systems varied between 159.26 and 164.35 MT ha^–1 at the study sites. The traditional AF system is the prime source of fodder production. Approximately 45–50% fuelwood requirements fulfilled from agroforestry. The remaining fodder requirements of the study sites were met from natural forests and purchased fodder. Agroforestry systems contributed between 7.53 and 10.56% of the total annual fuel wood consumption at these study sites. 17 species were documented for medicinal purposes and used for curing different ailments. The introduction of agroclimatically suitable high-yielding varieties of horticultural and cultivation of medicinal, wild edible, fibre and lac-yielding tree species under agroforestry systems has been recommended for the cash income of farmers.

Bryophytes serve as cost-effective, reliable biomonitors and bioindicators for assessing pollution and ecosystem health in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Their sensitivity to contaminants makes them valuable for environmental monitoring; future research is needed to understand their underlying mechanism. This paper communicates the potential of bryophytes as bioindicators of environmental pollution, monitoring methods of bryophytes as bioindicators and future prospects.

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is a major plantation species in central India, where planting material quality critically influences early establishment and growth. This study compared the early field performance of four planting material types: tissue culture plants raised in polypots (TC–Polypot) and root trainers (TC–Root Trainer) procured from the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; tissue culture plants procured from Sachdev Nursery and Tissue Culture Lab, Damoh, Madhya Pradesh (TC–MP); and presprouted stumps (PS–MP) procured from the Regional Office, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (MPFDC), Madhya Pradesh. The plantation trial was established at Compartment 877, Beat Kataphod, Range Kataphod, Dewas Forest Division, Madhya Pradesh in the second week of July 2023. Plant height, collar diameter, height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio, and survival were assessed at 28 months after planting using grid-based random sampling across 2,230 plants. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test revealed significant differences among planting material types for all parameters (p < 0.05). TC–Polypot recorded the highest mean height (91.72 ± 1.98 cm) and collar diameter (20.35 ± 0.33 mm), followed by TC–Root Trainer, TC–MP, and PS–MP. Survival ranged from 72.24% (TC–Polypot) to 58.60% (PS–MP). The H/D ratio was comparable across TC types (4.50–4.54) but lower in PS–MP (4.07), indicating sturdier stem form. Tissue culture planting materials, particularly TC–Polypot, demonstrated superior early performance and are recommended for high-productivity teak plantations in central India. Long-term monitoring is needed to confirm whether early growth advantages translate into shorter rotation cycles.

This communication reports four new additions to the Flora of Palakkad district, Kerala. These species are Dianella ensifolia, Euonymus crenulatus, Ilex denticulata, and Nervilia infundibulifolia. This study provides a succinct summary encompassing habitat, phenology, range, and coloured images.

Hymenidium benthamii (DC.) Pimenov & Kljuykov, a rare and less-known species has recently been collected nearly after a long period from India. Apart from a brief diagnosis and types, no detailed illustration or photograph was available for this species. Therefore, a detailed description and a colour photo-plate and illustration based on our collections, have been provided for the first time to facilitate identification of this less-known species.

Three angiosperm species, naturalized in India: Erigeron canadensis L., E. sumatrensis Retz. (Asteraceae) and Stemodia verticillata (Mill.) Hassl. (Plantaginaceae) are being reported as new distributional records for the Telangana state, India. Updated Nomenclature, brief description and  relevant photographs are provided.

This study explores the diversity and distribution of lichens within the Similipal National Park (SNP) in Odisha. The research examines how lichens in the SBR can serve as indicators of habitat variability. Various forms of lichens were sampled from different sites of SNP, distributed across the Mega-habitat. Result indicated the occurrence of 88 species of different forms of lichens under 47 genera, which belong to 23 families. The collected lichen species are inhabited on substratum like tree barks, rocks, throughout the transition, buffer, and core zones. The lichen families Graphidaceae and Parmeliaceae are dominant in different vegetation zones. The families such as Physciaceae, Caliciaceae, Trypetheliaceae, Arthoniaceae, and Pyrenulaceae are distributed to limited genera but enriched at the species level. Likewise, Arthonia, Cryptothecia, and Herpothallon   (Arthoniaceae), Lecanora (Lecanoraceae), Pertusaria (Pertusariaceae), Lepraria (Ramalinaceae), Buellia (Caliciaceae), and Graphis (Graphidaceae) are the most predominantly and uniformly distributed lichen genera to SNP. This essential information on the distribution of lichen species is useful for conservation and monitoring efforts. Extensive survey and mapping are under progress which may reveal a greater number of new and novel species at different locations within SNP harbouring rich bio resources.

Aeginetia indica L. (Orobanchaceae), an obligate root holoparasitic angiosperm, is reported here as a new distributional record for the state of Telangana, India. The species was collected from the Marlapaya forest, Lingal Range, Amrabad Tiger Reserve, Nallamala hills of the Eastern Ghats, growing as a root holoparasite on grasses. A taxonomic description, along with notes on habitat, host association, phenology, distribution, colour photographs and herbarium voucher data, is provided here to facilitate easy identification and to document this extension in the known geographical range of the species in peninsular India.

Ophiorrhiza chownai (Rubiaceae), a novel species from Lower Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, India is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is closely allied to O. caudata C.E.C.Fisch. and O. hispida Hook.f., but differs in having deeply bifid stipules, leaves with 11-23 pairs of lateral nerves, bracts multifid, longer flowers, style and unequal stigma lobes. A detailed description, ecology, distribution, phenology and comparable characters with other closely allied species are provided here.