Studies on Weed Flora of Theog and Kotkhai Area of Himachal Pradesh

Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; Sp 9(5): 867-875 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 www.phytojournal.com Studies on weed flora of Theog and Kotkhai area JPP 2020; Sp 9(5): 867-875 Received: 23-08-2020 of Himachal Pradesh Accepted: 25-09-2020 Dinesh Kumar Pal Dinesh Kumar Pal, Rajeev Dhiman and Varun Attri Department of Forest Products, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Abstract Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal The present investigation “Studies on weed flora of Theog and Kotkhai area of Himachal Pradesh” was Pradesh, India undertaken to study the plant wealth of the area with main emphasis on weed flora. The study area lies between North latitudes 31º-5´ and 31º-10´ and East longitudes 77º-22´-30´´ and 77º-30´. This area is Rajeev Dhiman mostly situated in the west of Shimla District, from where, a total of 26 weeds were collected which Department of Silviculture and belongs to 19 families. Samples of each species were collected, dried according to the standard Agroforestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar procedure. For each weed species, common names, distribution, description, habitat, flowering and University of Horticulture and fruiting time was collected following the available literature. The aim of the study was to gather Forestry, Nauni, Solan, knowledge about the different weeds of the area and their habit which can be utilized for future reference Himachal Pradesh, India and further research purposes, so as to make preventive measures to avoid loss from these weeds to existing vegetation. Varun Attri Regional Research Station, Keywords: Weeds, lantana, parthenium, etc. PAU, Ballowal Saunkhri, Balachaur, SBS Nagar, Punjab, India Introduction Weed is a general term which is used for any plant growing where it is not wanted. Ever since humans first attempted the cultivation of plants, they have had to fight the invasion by weeds into areas chosen for crops. Some unwanted plants later were found to have virtues not originally suspected and so were removed from the category of weeds and taken under cultivation. Other cultivated plants, when transplanted to new climates, escaped cultivation and became weeds or invasive species. The category of weeds thus is ever changing, and the term is a relative one. Weeds compete with crop plants for water, light, and nutrients. Weeds of rangelands and pastures may be unpalatable to animals, or even poisonous; they may cause injuries, as with lodging of foxtails (Alopecurus species) in horses’ mouths; they may lower values of animal products, as in the cases of cockleburs (Xanthium species) in wool; they may add to the burden of animal care, as when horses graze in sticky tarweeds (Madia species). Many weeds are hosts of plant disease organisms. Examples are prickly lettuce (Lactuca scariola) and sow thistle (Sonchus species) that serve as hosts for downy mildew; wild mustards (Brassica species) that host clubroot of cabbage; and saltbrush (Atriplex species) and Russian thistle, in which curly top virus overwinters, to be carried to sugar beets by leafhoppers. Many weeds are hosts of insect pests, and a number are invasive species (Anonymous, 2020) [1]. Himachal Pradesh situated in the lap of northwestern Himalayas is one of the richest repositories of plant diversity in India. However, during the past three decades, because of the increased pace of development and interference of humans through introduction of invasive exotics, the ecology of the state has changed tremendously. Ragweed parthenium, billy goat weed, and lantana-the three exotics from South America-have caused much harm in the state because of their invasive potential. Considered as most invasive exotic weed, Lantana is spreading over more than 2,30,000 hectares of forests in Himachal Pradesh (HP). It threatens the regeneration of native plant species. Hence, it is necessary to gather information regarding the weeds present in the forests to minimise the damage to existing vegetation. Material and Methods The present study on weeds was carried out for gathering information regarding the weed flora of Theog Forest Division, located in district Shimla of Himachal Pradesh. The study area is Corresponding Author: situated between North latitudes 31º-5´ and 31º-10´ and East longitudes 77º-22´-30´´ and 77º- Dinesh Kumar Pal 30´. This area is mostly situated in the west of district Shimla and comes under Theog and Department of Forest Products, Kotkhai Sub-divisions. The total geographical area of the division is 64000 ha (512 Km²), out Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of of which 32045.10 ha, i.e. 50.07 per cent of the total geographical area is under tree cover. The Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal altitudinal range of this area lies between about 900 m to 3150 m above mean sea level. The Pradesh, India entire tract is mountainous. The area, on average, receives an annual rainfall of about 1200mm ~ 867 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry http://www.phytojournal.com The main objectives of the study were collection, nomenclature has been made up to date with the help of identification, classification and documentation of weed flora recent taxonomic literature. of the study area. To achieve these objectives, extensive field surveys were carried out in the entire study area during Results and Discussion flowering/fruiting period to facilitate the process of The area was surveyed for weed flora in the theog and identification, covering all seasons of the years 2009 and Kotkhai region of Himachal Pradesh. There was about 26 2010. The collected specimens were pressed in blotting sheets species of weeds belonging to 19 families were encountered. in the wooden or iron presses and were oven-dried afterwards. The information about them was collected from the available The macroscopic characters were taken into consideration for literature and is discussed as under: the identification and description of plant specimens. The 1. Argemone mexicana Linn. Family : Papaveraceae Local/ Common Name : Prickly Poppy, Mexican Poppy (E.); Bramha-dandi (S.); Bharband (H.) Place of Collection : Near Sainj (along the road to Balag), 1300 m Field Book No. : UHF-12968 (Dinesh K. Pal) Distribution & Habitat : A native of America, naturalized throughout India as a weed; by roadsides and in fields; ascending upto 1500 m in Western Himalaya. Description : A robust, erect, prickly, glabrous, glaucous, annual herb with yellow latex, upto 1 m. Leaves 5-15 cm long, sessile, stem- clasping, sinuate-pinnatifid, variegated green and white. Flowers bright yellow, 2-5 cm in dia. Sepals 2. Petals 4. Stamens many. Capsule about 2 cm long, bristly, elliptic-oblong, dehiscing at the top by short valves. Seeds many. Flowering/Fruiting : May-September 2. Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) Pugsley Family : Fumariaceae syn. Fumaria parviflora Lamk. subsp. vaillantii Hook. f.; Fumaria vaillantii Loisel var. indica Hausskn. Local/ Common Name : Jhinchra (Vern.); Fumitory (E.); Araka, Kalapanga (S.); Pitpapra, Shahterah (H.) Place of Collection : Saryun (Fagu), 2480 m; Chandni, 1850 m Field Book No. : UHF-12719 & -11267 (Dinesh K. Pal) Distribution & Habitat : Common in fields as a weed of cultivation in the temperate regions upto 2500 m. Description : A much branched annual herb, often scandent. Leaves pale-green, pinnately divided, leaflets further lobed into very narrow segments, which in turn are further lobed or entire. Flowers minute, white to pinkish or purplish, in numerous short, terminal or leaf-opposed racemes, raceme 2-5 cm long, sepals lanceolate and much smaller than the corolla-tube. Fruit globose, one-seeded, indehiscent. Flowering/Fruiting : April-June 3. Thlaspi arvense Linn. Family : Brassicaceae Local/ Common Name : Common Pennycress, Fan-weed (E.) Place of Collection : Bakhol (Mahasu), 2200 m Field Book No. : UHF-12816 (Dinesh K. Pal) Distribution & Habitat : A weed of cultivation, sometimes on waste ground; throughout the temperate and sub-alpine Himalaya, between 1000-4000 m. Description : An erect, glabrous, annual herb. Stem 10-25 cm, erect, simple or corymbosely branched above, Radical leaves obovate, petioled, toothed, soon withering; cauline amplexicaul, oblong-lanceolate, usually acute, toothed; auricles sagittate. Flowers white, small, in racemes. Fruiting racemes elongated; pedicels spreading, almost as long as the pods. Pods about 1 cm in dia., laterally much compressed, obovate-orbicular, broadly winged, top notched. Seeds 5-6 in each cell Flowering/Fruiting : April-June 4. Thlaspi cochleariforme DC. syn. Thlaspi alpestre auct (non Linn.) Hook. f. & T. Anderson Local/ Common Name : Alpine Pennycress (E.) Place of Collection : Saryun (Fagu), 2480 m Field Book No. : UHF-12714 (Dinesh K. Pal) Distribution & Habitat : A weed of cultivation and waste ground in temperate and sub-alpine Himalaya between 2000- 4000 m. Description : A perennial herb. Stems usually tufted, 10-25 cm, stiff, rarely branched, glabrous, somewhat glaucous, and erect. Rootstock often ~ 868 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry http://www.phytojournal.com branched and shortly creeping near the surface. Radical leaves oblong or ovate, sometimes almost orbicular, often toothed near the base; cauline leaves oblong or obovate-cordate, stem-clasping with two short obtuse lobes (auricles), 1.0-2.5 cm dia., entire, Flowers white, raceme much elongated when in fruiting; pedicels horizontal, as long as the pods; pods 0.5-0.7 cm long, oblong- ovate, narrowed towards the base; valves compressed, winged. Seeds 4-8 in each cell. Flowering/Fruiting

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