A Catalogue of The Higher Plants of The Adhwani Temperate Forest and Its Fringe Areas (Western Himalaya, India)

Abstract

Ajendra Singh Bagri, Neeraj Singh, Gulshan Kumar Dhingra, Prabhawati Tiwari

The present study deals with the floristic inventory of higher plants (angiosperms and gymnosperms) found in a richly biodiverse temperate forest area (Adhwani forest; 30o06′1′′–30o06′7′′ N and 78o72′3′′ –78o72′6′′ E; 1700–2200 m asl (above sea level) in western Himalaya, India. A total of 477 species of flowering plants belonging to 105 families and 315 genera were recorded in the Adhwani forest and its fringe areas. The information on plant life form, flowering and fruit- ing, local elevational distribution, indigenous uses and availability status are provided. An account of the invasive and alien species occurring in the area is also provided. Gentiana cephalodes Edgew. (Gentianaceae) and Buddleja crispa Benth. (Buddlejaceae) are revealed as new distribution recordings among the flora of Garhwal district. Asteraceae (47 species and 33 genera) was the dominant family followed by Fabaceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae and Ranuncu- laceae. Desmodium (9 species) was a dominant genus in the study area followed by Crotolaria, Cyperus and Euphorbia (6 species each). The herbs dominate the life forms of the area with 317 species (66.45%) followed by shrubs (14.46%), trees (12.99%) and climbers (6.07%). The flora of the area represents three IUCN index species viz. Quercus lamellosa (NT), Quercus oblongata (NT) and Ulmus wallichiana (VU) and 57 invasive and alien species. The presented catalogue with comprehensive information on of higher plants will be helpful to the plant scientists, planners and forest department when for developing and managing this richly biodiverse forest area.

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