Wild Dicotyledonous Flora of Pantnagar Uttarakhand

Abstract

newlineABSTRACT newlinePresent study was conducted to explore the floristic diversity of wild newlinedicotyledonous plants from Pantnagar area in district Udham Singh Nagar of newlineUttarakhand during January, 2016 to December, 2021. The plant species collected in this newlinestudy were identified using Floras, monographs, literature available on internet and newlineherbarium consultation. Circumscription of families and orders is accepted as in newlineAngiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification and species are arranged following it. The newlinenomenclature of species is updated mainly by following Plants of the World Online newlinedatabase. A total of 450 species (including 4 subspecies, 5 varieties) of 311 genera newlinebelonging to 79 families of 28 orders of wild dicotyledonous plants were recorded in the newlinestudy area. Order Fabales is the largest order with 83 species of 42 genera belonging to 2 newlinefamilies (Fabaceae s.l. and Polygalaceae), followed by Lamiales (70 species, 50 genera, newline10 families), Asterales (43 species, 34 genera, 2 families), Caryophyllales (37 species, 27 newlinegenera, 10 families), and Malvales (30 species, 20 genera, 2 families). Species wise, newlinethese five dominant orders contribute 58.44% to the total wild dicot flora. Among 79 newlinefamilies, Fabaceae with 82 species and 45 genera is found to be the dominant family, newlinefollowed by Asteraceae (44 species, 34 genera), Malvaceae (29 species, 19 genera), newlineLamiaceae (20 species, 17 genera), Acanthaceae (20 species, 13 genera), and newlineEuphorbiaceae (15 species, 8 genera). Species wise, these 5 families together constitute newline46.66% flora. Out of 311 genera recorded, family Fabaceae contains the highest number newlineof genera (45), followed by Asteraceae (32), Malvaceae (19), Lamiaceae (17) and newlineAcanthaceae (14). Ipomoea L. is recorded as the largest genus with 9 species, followed newlineby Euphorbia L. and Solanum L. (07 species each), Crotalaria Dill. ex L. (06 newlinespecies), Trifolium Tourn. ex L., Vicia Tourn. ex L., Ficus Tourn. ex newlineL., Alternanthera Forssk. and Phyllanthus L. (05 species each). Herbs with 242 species newline(53.54%) are the dominating habit form followed by trees (84 species, 18.66%) shrubs newline(76 species, 16.88%) and climbers (50 species, 11.11%). Presence of 102 invasive alien newlinespecies and 136 weed species was also recorded in the area. First ever report of Mikania newlinemicrantha Kunth (Asteraceae), one of the worst 100 invasive alien species in the world, newlinein the study area and Uttarakhand is noteworthy. The flora of the study area is rich, newlinespecies wise, with 450 species but a major part of it is constituted by invasive alien newlinespecies and weeds indicating poor status of natural vegetation. newline(D.