Floristic Diversity of Ambaji Forest in Banaskantha District, Gujarat, India

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FLORISTIC DIVERSITY OF AMBAJI FOREST IN BANASKANTHA DISTRICT, GUJARAT, INDIA

Article 1Patel R.S. and 2Reddy A.S. Received on 1Biology department, KKSJ Maninagar Science College, 11 July 2017 Ahmedabad, Gujarat

2Department of Bioscience, Sardar Patel University, Accepted on: Vallabh vidhyanagar, Gujarat, India 19 Aug 2017

ABSTRACT

Gujarat is situated in the Central Western part of India, with an area of 1, 96,020 Sq. km. The Eastern hilly region is formed by Southern, Western and Northern extension of Aravalli, Satpura and Sahyadri (Western Ghat) Mountain ranges respectively. Ambaji range forest belonging to Banaskantha District. It is a part of Ambaji-Balaram wildlife sanctuary. Ambaji is a town within taluka Danta of District Banaskantha, North Gujarat.India. The Pin code of Ambaji town is 385110 It is known for its historical and mythological connections. Ambaji town is known for possessing mines which produce fine quality marble and granite. Ambaji town is located at 24.33°N 72.85°E. It is at altitude of 480 metres (1,570 ft) surrounded by Aravalli hills. Ambaji range forest is a part of Danta taluka of 300 sq. km. geographical area of the range. North Gujarat is following under Boswellia forest type (Champion & Seth 1968), the following are the three main forests upon which the local people depending for various purposes. Present paper deals with total 9 Sacred groves and 51 sacred plants are enumerated from the different sacred groves of forest patches protected by the local people through religious belief and cultural practices evolved to minimize destruction. These sacred groves are being protected for generations together to maintain the unique diversity, endemic,

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medicinal and useful valued species. Extensive field trips were carried out in the sacred grove at monthly intervals. Specimens of flowering plants were collected and identified with the aid of different regional floras. KEY WORDS : Sacred grove, Traditional, Tribals, Ambaji forest areas

INTRODUCTION

Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana and Patan are the four districts of North Gujarat, among them in Banaskantha district the Danta and Ambaji range forests are the part of Danta taluka having the part of Aravalli hills. Ambaji range forest is a part of Danta taluka situated on eastern part of the Banaskantha district in North Gujarat. The forest type is dry deciduous and scrub (Champion and Seth, 1968) harbors about 400 tracheophyte plant species, including pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. These forest areas are inhabited by around 20 tribes. These forests are inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups including the tribes like Bubadiya, Parghi, Taral, Bhemiyat, Dhrangi, Khair, Laur, Makwana, Dabhi, Solanki, Chauhan, Gamar, Parmar, Rohisa, Rathod, Mansi, Damor, Khermal, Kodarvi etc. These tribes cover 48 per cent of the total population. The adivasi (local people) dwelling in the forest have good knowledge of herbal medicine. The herbal practice is a part and parcel of their life and is developed into an efficient method of healthcare system, though it is diffused outside their societies. The present investigation was carried out in Ambaji range forest of Banaskantha district of North Gujarat.

Fig:1 Map of Study area

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Tribal people of Ambaji forest range directly depend upon forest resources for their daily needs. Ambaji is within the Aravali Range literally meaning 'line of peaks', is a range of mountains in western India running approximately 800 km in a northeastern direction across Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. It is also called Mewat hills locally. Ambaji town also in between the borders of North Gujarat and Abu Road of Rajasthan. As of 2001 India census, Ambaji had a population of 13,702. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Ambaji has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 60% of the males and 40% of female’s literate. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age. Ambaji enjoys all types of weather. In Summer, it's hot and humid and temperature remains between 26-46°C Degrees with hot winds. In Winter, the temperature ranges between 10 and 36 degrees Celsius during this period, which is quite cold and best time and in Monsoon Season, the average rainfall is about 15 to 30 inches per season, sometimes even heavy rainfall. Ambaji is at Altitude: 480 m. Therefore, weather remains relatively pleasant throughout the year. Synoptic View Saxton & Sedgwick (1918) and Yogi (1969) have listed most abundant families available in the area. I have prepared similar list of ten dominent families for comparative study for the present area. Table.1. The ten dominated families of Ambaji Range Forest. Sr.No. Name of the family Present study Yogi Saxton Shah & (1970) Sedgwick (1978) (1918) 1. Papilionaceae 43 77 55 194 2. Poaceae 34 132 257 241 3. Asteraceae 25 42 197 89 4. Acanthaceae 20 27 108 69 5. Euphorbiaceae 20 35 91 63 6. Cyperaceae 17 50 86 108 7. Cucurbitaceae 15 23 27 33 8. Convolvulaceae 14 31 24 52 9. Rubiaceae 11 13 84 30 10. Amaranthaceae 10 17 23 26

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241

194

108 89 69 63 43 34 25 20 20 17

Papilionaceae Poaceae Asteraceae Acanthaceae Euphorbiaceae Cyperaceae

Fig. 1. Comperative account of dominated families of Ambaji Forest Analysis of floral hierachis The following table shows the total number of families, genera and species of the area. Table 2. Synoptic view of no. of families, genus and species. Class/group Families Genus Species Polypetalae 42 113 180 Gamopetalae 24 111 142 Monochlamydae 08 25 44 Dicotyledons Monocotyledons 11 47 68 Total 85 296 434

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General Aspects of Vegetation

16%

41% 10%

33%

Polypetalae Gamopetalae Monochlamydae Monocotyledons Fig. 2. Synoptic view of floral components

The vegetation of the area is of semi arid, open, scrub type. The trees and shrubs are widely spaced. Deciduous trees are situated in dense forest in both hilly region and slopes also. The annuals grow during short season from September to March, mostly herbs and shrubs were noted in flowering stage but trees were found in vegetative stage. During this investigation time, it was observed that the members of Asteraceae, Tiliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mimosaceae, Poaceae, Sapindaceae, Solanaceae, Rubiaceae, Rhamnaceae, Amaranthaceae and Acanthaceae were dominantly found in different forests pockets. During March, April and May the herbaceous plants and lower cryptogams like Bryophytes and Pteridophytes were not seen but they started appearing as forest undergrowth on the onset of monsoon in late June or early July and continue to remain present till January and February. Due to extreme climatic condition there is a great variation in the herbaceous flora. Most of the herbs starts their life cycle by the beginning of the monsoon and complete it by the end of December-January. Some of them however, can with stand cold weather and may continue to grow upto April while still others may be seen only upto the end of September. In general the number of species is the largest during October and the smallest during April-May. When the area receives first showers of monsoon, naturally there is a change from dry soil to the wet and a large number of perennials and seed-propagating annuals appear above ground. From June onwards the number of species increases gradually and attains the highest peak in

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October when the monsoon ends. During winter, low temperature has got an adverse effect on the vegetation. From March onwards, upto the middle of May, the humidity in the atmosphere is very poor and due to gusty winds and hot sun, the evaporation is rapid killing a large number of tender herbs. Most of the monocotyledons are short lived and they disappear by the middle of the rainy season. Patches of grasses are often spotable either by their height, they are Apluda mutica L., Heteropogon contortus (L.) Sorghum halepense (L.) Stapf., Aristida adscensionis L., Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P. Beauv., Digitaria adscendens (H.B. & K.) Henr., Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link., Paspalidium flavidum (Retz.) etc. Hill Forests These occur in patches in the hilly parts of the range. These hills such as Menagar hill, Gabbar hill, Surilo bhankhro, Raheniyo bhankhro, Rinchhado bhankhro, Matasur bhankhro, Dharaho bhankhro, Rabaranvalo bhankhro, Pareva nu pani hill, Godi ni bhes area etc. Thorny scrub jungle mixed with dry deciduous forest type is seen on slopes of hills. The following are rare tree species found with restricted distribution. Acacia farnesiana L.; Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Bth. & Hk. & ex Brand.; Albizia procera (Roxb.) Bth.; Anogeissus sericea Brandis.; Bridelia retusa (L.) Spr.; Crateva nurvala Buch. Ham. var. nurvala; Dalbergia lanceolaria L.; Dalbergia paniculata Roxb.; Ficus arnottiana Miq.; Gmelina arborea Roxb.; Morinda tomentosa Heyne ex Roth.; Moringa concanensis Nimmo in Grah.; Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.; Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochreut.; Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.; Schrebera swietenioides Roxb. Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.) A.Juss.; Tecomella undulata (Sw.) Seem.; Tectona grandis L. f. Following are the rare shrubs found in Ambaji range forest:: Acacia pennata (L.) Willd.; Adhatoda vasica (L.) Nees; Agave americana L.; Carissa congesta Wt.; Clerodendrum multiflorum (Burm. f.) O. Ktze. Crotalaria retusa L.; Dendrophthoe falcata (L. f.) Etting.; Dyerophytum indicum (Gibs ex Wt.) O. Ktze.; Helicteres isora L.; Indigofera oblongifolia Forsk.; Indigofera tinctoria L.; Jatropha curcas L.; Lawsonia inermis L.; Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne.; Melhania futteyporensis Munro.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Opuntia elatior Mill.; Plumbago zeylanica L.; Securinega virosa (Roxb. ex Willd) Pax & Hoffm.; Typha angustata Bory &Chaub.; Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal; Xeromphis spinosa (Thunb.) Keay. Herbs

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Acalypha ciliata Forsk.; Aerva lanata (L.) Juss.; Aloe barbadensis Mill.; Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC.; Ammania multiflora Roxb.; Barleria prattensis Santapau; Cassia italica (Mill.) Lam. ex F.W. Andrews subsp. micrantha; Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. et Fernand.; Cleome monophylla L.; Clitoria biflora Dalz.; Corchorus tridens L.; Croton bonplandianum Baill.; Cucurbita maxima Duch.; Cyathocline purpurea (D.Don.) O. Ktze.; Dentella repens (L.) Forst.; Dipteracanthus patulus (Jacq.) Nees; Eranthemum roseum (Vahl.) R. Br. Euphorbia prostrata Ait.; Flaveria australasica Hk. f.; Goniogyna hirta (Willd.) Ali; Haplanthus verticillatus (Roxb.) Nees; Hewittia sublobata (L.f.) O. Ktze.; Hygrophilla serphyllum (Nees.) T. Anders.; Indigofera tenuifolia Rottl.; Iphigenia indica (L.) A. Gray; Justicia simplex D.Don.; Lepidagathis cristata Willd.; Leucas biflora R.Br.; Leucas lavandulaefolia Rees.; Limnophila indica (L.) Druce; Merremia gangetica (L.) Cufod.; Mollugo cerviana (L.) Ser. in DC.; Pedalium murex L.; Phyllanthus debilis Klein.; Pimpinella heyneana Wall.; Polycarpaea corymbosa (L.) Lam.; Polygonum plebeium R.Br.; Rhyncosia aurea DC.; Rungia pectinata (L.) Nees; Spergula arvensis L.; Teramnus labialis (L.f.) Spr.; Tricholepis radicans (Roxb.) DC.; Urena lobata L.; Verbascum chinense (L.) Sant.; Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi & Ohashi. Vegetation along the roadsides and hedges A number of plants grow as weeds. Acanthospermum hispidum DC.; Cassia auriculata Linn.; Echinops echinatus Roxb.; Xanthium strumarium Linn. etc. are common. Other scattered plants are Amaranthus spinosus Linn.; Digera muricata Mart.; Sida cordifolia; Sida ovata; Waltheria indica L.; Corchorus aestuans L.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Tribulus terrestris L.; Zizyphus mauritiana Lam.; Alysicarpus procumbens (Roxb.) Schindl.; Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers.; Cassia occidentalis L.; Blumea mollis (D.Don.) Merrill; Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.; Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ram. & Raj. On the hedges a number of twiners belonging to various families such as Capparaceae, Convolvulaceae, Menispermaceae, Papilionaceae, Vitaceae, Asclepiadaceae etc. are found. The general pattern of vegetation is of a scrub forest type the dominant species are: Abutilon indicum (L.) Sw.; Hibiscus ovalifolius (Forsk.) Vahl.; Melochia corchorifolia L.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del.; Boswellia serrata Roxb.; Maytenus emarginata (Willd.) D. Hou; Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merrill.; Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.; Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet; Caesalpinia crista L.; Cassia auriculata L.; Delonix elata (L.) Gamble; Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd.; Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.; Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Bth.; Prosopis juliflora

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(Sw.) DC.; Ageratum conyzoides L.; Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Xanthium strumarium L.; Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Holarrhena antidysenterica (Heyne ex Roth) Wall.; Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.; Hemigraphis latebrosa (Heyne ex Roth.) Ness. var. heyneana; Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus (Nees) Dalz.; Lantana camara L. var. aculeata; Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze; Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit;, Amaranthus spinosus L.; Ficus carica L.; Ficus hispida L.f.; Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb.

Fig:3 Menagahar Forest near Koteshwar Common trees Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd.; Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wang.; Boswellia serrata Roxb.; Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.; Cordia dichotoma Forsk.; Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.; Delonix elata (L.) Gamble; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennett.; Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.; Ficus benghalensis L.; Ficus hispida L.f.; Ficus racemosa L.; Holarrhena antidysenterica (Heyne ex Roth.) Wall.; Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch.; Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merrill.; Limonia acidissima L.; Madhuca indica J.f. Gmel; Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) Sinclair; Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb.; Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.; Sterculia urens Roxb.; Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.; Wrightia dolichocarpa Bahadur & Bennett ; Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.; Zizyphus mauritiana Lam. Trees found occasional Acacia chundra (Roxb. ex Rottl.) Willd.; Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. subsp. indica (Bth.); Acacia radiana Savi.; Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr.; Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.; Albizia lebbeck (L.) Bth.; Albizia odoratissima (L. f.) Bth.; Annona squamosa L.; Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb.) Wall. ex Bedd.; Azadirachta indica A. Juss.; Balanites aegyptiaca (L) Del.; Bauhinia racemosa Lam.; Bombax ceiba L.; Cassia fistula L.; Cordia gharaf (Forsk.) Ehrenb.; Dendrocalamus strictus Nees in Linnaea.; Emblica officinalis Gaertn.; Erythrina suberosa

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Roxb.; Ficus religiosa L.; Ficus carica L.; Ficus virens Rees.; Grewia tiliaefolia Vahl. var tiliaefolia.; Mangifera indica L.; Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth.l Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb) Bth.; Prosopis cineraria (L.) Drace; Salvadora oleoides Decne.; Salvadora persica L.; Sapindus laurifolius Vahl.; Spermadictyon suaveolens Roxb.; Tamarindus indica L.; Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) W. & A.; Terminalia crenulata Roth.; Vitex negundo L.; Wrightia tomentosa R. & S.; Zizyphus xylopyra (Retz.) Willd. Rare Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.; Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Bth. & Hk. f. ex Brandis; Albizia procera (Roxb.) Bth.; Anogeissus pendula Edgew.; Anogeissus sericea Brandis.; Bridelia retusa (L.) Spr.; Dalbergia paniculata Roxb.; Dalbergia lanceolaria L.; Ehretia laevis Roxb.; Erythrina suberosa Roxb.; Ficus arnottiana Miq.; Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr.; Gmelina arborea Roxb.; Hymenodictyon excelsum (Roxb.) Wall.; Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dub.; Melia azedarach L.; Morinda tomentosa Heyne. ex Roth.; Moringa concanensis Nimmo. in Grah; Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.; Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochreut.; Pandanus odoratissimus L.f.; Parkinsonia aculeata L.; Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merrill.; Schrebera swietenioides Roxb.; Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.) A. Juss.; Syzygium heyneanum Wall.; Tecomella undulata (Sw.) Seem.; Tectona grandis L. f. Common Shrubs Abutilon indicum (L.) Sw.; Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze.; Asparagus gonoclados Baker; Caesalpinia crista L.; Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br.; Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew.; Capparis sepiaria L.; Cassia auriculata L.; Cassia occidentalis L.; Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. var. gangeticum; Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.; Euphorbia nerifolia L.; Grewia flavescens Juss.; Lantana camara L. var. aculeata.; Maytenus emarginata (Willd.) D. Hou; Ocimum gratissimum L.; Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Pupalia lappacea (L.) Just.; Sida acuta Burm.f.; Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Vicoa indica (L.) DC.; Waltheria indica L. Occasional: Adhatoda vasica (L.) Nees; Agave americana L.; Baliospermum montanum (Willd.) Muell.- Arg.; Barleria prionitis L.; Cadaba fruticosa (L.) Druce; Carissa congesta Wt.; Corchorus olitorius L.; Crotalaria linifolia L.; Datura innoxia Mill.; Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Etting; Dyerophytum indicum ( Gibs. ex Wt.) O. Ktze.; Eranthemum roseum (Vahl.) R. Br.; Euphorbia nivulia Buch.Ham.; Grewia hirsuta Vahl.; Indigofera astragallina DC.; Indigofera tinctoria L.; Jatropha curcas L.; Kirganelia reticulata (Poir.) Baill.; Opuntia

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elatior Mill.; Sida ovata Forsk.; Sida cordifolia L.; Solanum indicum L.; Tephrosia villosa (L.) Pers.; Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.; Zizyphus nummularia (Burm. f.) W. & A.; Zizyphus oenoplia (L.) Mill. Rare Acacia pennata (L.) Willd.; Aloe barbadensis Mill. ; Barleria prattensis Santapau; Crotalaria retusa L.; Indigofera oblongifolia Forsk.; Lawsonia inermis L.; Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne.; Melhania futteyporensis Munro.; Plumbago zeylanica L.; Securinega virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Pax & Hoffm.; Xeromphis spinosa (Thunb.) Kaey; Common herbs and undershrubs Acalypha indica L.; Acanthospermum hispidum DC.; Achyranthes aspera L var. aspera.; Ageratum conyzoides L.; Alloteropsis cimicina (L.) Stapf.; Alysicarpus procumbens (Roxb.) Schindl.; Amaranthus spinosus L.; Ammania baccifera L.; Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees; Argemone mexicana L.; Bergia suffruticosa (Del.) Fenzl; Bidens biternata (Lour.) Merr. & Sherff; Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) Roth.; Blumea mollis (D. Don.) Merr.; Boerhavia diffusa L.; Borreria articularis ( L. f.) F.N. Will.; Borreria stricta (L.f.) K. Schum.; Bulbostylis barbata (Rottb.) Cl.; Cassia pumila Lam.; Cassia tora L.; Celosia argentea L.; Cenchrus ciliaris L.; Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad; Cleome viscosa L.; Commelina benghalensis L.; Commelina diffusa Burm. f.; Convolvulus microphyllus (Roth.) Sieb. ex Spr.; Conyza stricta Willd.; Corchorus aestuans L.; Crotalaria medicaginea Lam.; Cucumis sativus L.; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; Cyperus alulatus Kern.; Cyperus exaltatus Retz. var. dives; Cyperus iria L. var. iria.; Cyperus rotundus L. subsp. rotundus.; Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC.; Digera muricata (L.) Mart.; Digitaria adscendens ( H. B. & K.) Sub sp. Adscendens; Elytraria acaulis (L.F.) Lindau; Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.; Enicostema hyssopifolium (Willd.) Verdoon; Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R. Br. var. brachystachya.; Euphorbia hirta L.; Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl. var. pluristriata.; Glinus lotoides L.; Hemigraphis latebrosa (Heyne ex Roth.) Nees var. heyneana.l Hibiscus ovalifolius (Forsk.) Vahl.; Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit.; Indigofera cordifolia Heyne.; Indigofera linnaei Ali in Bot.; Ipomoea coptica (L.) Roth.; Justicia diffusa Willd.; Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya & Rajgopal; Leucas urticaefolia R.Br.; Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb var. amara Lam.; Luffa cylindrica (L.) M.J. Roem.; Martynia annua L.; Melilotus indica Ali.; Merremia gangetica (L.) Cufod.; Momordica charantia L.; Momordica dioica Roxb.; Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus (Nees) Dalz.; Ocimum canum Sims.; Oplismenus burmanii (Retz.) P. Beauv.; Panicum psilopodium Trin var. psilopodium.; Paspalidium flavidum (Retz.) A.

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Comus; Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz.) Nees; Phyllanthus fraternus Webster; Physalis minima L.; Polygala chinensis L.; Polygonum barbatum L. var. gracile Steward; Portulaca oleracea L.; Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. var. laxiflora.; Sesamum indicum L.; Setaria glauca (L.) P. Beauv.; Solanum nigrum L.; Solanum surattense Burm. f.; Sporolobus diander (Retz.) P. Beauv.; Trianthema portulacastrum L.; Tribulus terrestris L.; Tridax procumbens L.; Triumfetta rotundifolia Lam.; Urginea indica (Roxb.) Kunth; Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.; Xanthium strumarium L.; Zornia gibbosa Span. Occasional Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medic.; Acalypha ciliata Forsk.; Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.; Alysicarpus monilifer (L.) DC.; Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC.; Amaranthus viridis L.; Amorphophallus commutatus (Schott.) Engler; Anagallis arvensis var. coerulea (Schreb.) Gren. & Godr.; Anaphalis cutchica L.; Arthraxon meeboldii Stapf.; Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell; Blainvillea acumella (L.) Philip.; Blepharis repens (Vahl.) Roth; Boerhavia chinensis (L.) Druce; Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A. Campus; Cardiospermum halicacabum L.; Cassia absus L.; Cassia obtusifolia L.; Catharanthus pusillus (Murr.) G. Don.; Chenopodium album L.; Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mats & Nak.; Cleome gynandra L. ; Clitoria biflora Dalz.; Coldenia procumbens L.; Commelina erecta L.; Crotalaria hirsuta Willd.; Cucumis setosus Cogn.; Cucurbita maxima Duch.; Curcuma inodora Blatt.; Cyperus squarrosus L.; Cyperus bulbosus Vahl.; Cyperus compressus L.; Cyperus difformis L.; Cyperus nutans Vahl var. eleusinoides (Kunth) Haines; Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P. Beauv.; Desmodium neomexicanum A. Gray; Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.; Eragrostis cilliaris (L.) R.Br. var. cilliaris.; Euphorbia geniculata Ort.; Euphorbia orbiculata H. B. & K.; Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L.; Fimbristylis aestivalis (Retz.) Vahl.; Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl. var. pluristriata.; Gloriosa superba L.; Glossocardia bosvallea (L. f.) DC.; Gnaphalium indicum L.; Gomphrena celosioides Mart.; Grangea maderaspatana (L.) Poir.; Heliotropium marifolium Koen.; Heliotropium supinum L.; Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. Beauv.; Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F. Muell; Impatiens balsamina L. var. coccinea; Indigofera tenuifolia Rottl.; Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.; Ipomoea sinensis (Desr.) Choisy; Justicia simplex D. Don.; Kickxia ramossisima (Wall.) Janch.; Lepidagathis trinervis Wall.; Leucas aspera (Willd.) Spr.; Leucas biflora R.Br.; Leucas cephalotes (Roxb ex. Roth.) Spr.; Lindenbergia muraria (Roxb ex. D.Don.) P. Bruehl.; Lindernia crustacea (L.) F. Muell.; Ludwigia octovalvis subsp. sessiliflora.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsp.; Merremia tridentata (L.) Hall. f. subsp. tridentata.; Mollugo pentaphylla L.; Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan; Nothosaerva

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brachiata (L.) Wt.; Oldenlandia corymbosa L.; Oxalis corniculata L.; Pedalium murex L.; Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.; Phyla nodiflora (L.) Grecne; Phyllanthus virgatus Forst.; Polygala erioptera DC.; Polygonum plebeium R.Br.; Rhynchosia aurea DC.; Sclerocarpus africanus Jacq.; Setaria tomentosa (Roxb.) Kunth; Sida cordata (Burm. f.) Borss.; Sonchus asper L.; Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.; Spergula arvensis L.; Sphaeranthus indicus L.; Striga angustifolia (D.Don.) Saldhana; Tephrosia strigosa (Dalz.) Sant. & Mahesh; Trichodesma amplexicaule Roth.; Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Ohashi; Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek var. sublobata (Roxb.) Verdc.; Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt.; Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi & Ohashi. Rare Aerva lanata (L.) Juss.; Ammania multiflora Roxb.; Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant.; Cleome monophylla L.; Corchorus tridens L.; Croton bonplandianum Baill.; Cuscuta chinensis Lam.; Cyathocline purpurea ( D. Don.) O. Ktze; Dentella repens (L.) Forst.; Dipteracanthus patulus (Jacq.) Nees; Flaveria australasica Hk. f.; Goniogyna hirta (Willd.) Ali; Haplanthus verticillatus (Roxb.) Nees; Hewittia sublobata (L. f.) O. Ktze.; Hygrophila serphyllum (Nees.) T. Andres.; Iphigenia indica (L.) A. Gray; Lepidagathis cristata Willd.; Leucas lavandulaefolia J.E.; Limnophila indica (L.) Druce.; Lindernia ciliata (Colsm.) Pennell; Mollugo cerviana Ser.; Phyllanthus debilis Klein.; Pimpinella heyneana Wall.; Polycarpaea corymbosa (L.) Lam.; Rungia pectinata (L.) Nees; Teramnus labialis (L. f) Spreng.; Tricholepis radicans DC.; Typha angustata Bory & Chaub.; Urena lobata L.; Verbascum chinense (L.) Santapau When the soil is completely dry during summer, such plants survive and disappear only after the first few showers of the next monsoon. Flora of cultivated fields Following are the main cultivated crops in this area. Abelmoschus esculentus Moench.; Cajanus cajan Millsp.; Cucumis sativus Linn.; Dolichos trilobus Linn.; Lagenaria leucantha (Duch.) Rusby.; Luffa acutangula Roxb.; Luffa cylindrica M. J. Roem.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum A. Shaw.; Phaseolus aconitifolius Jacq.; Phaseolus angularis Wt.; Vigna unguiculata Walp.; Zea mays Linn. Common Trees Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wang.;Boswellia serrata Roxb.;Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet; Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.; Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall ex G. Don; Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch.; Lannea

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coromandelica (Houtt.) Merrill; Limonia acidissima L.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Sapindus laurifolius Vahl. ; Sterculia urens Roxb.; Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. Common shrubs Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze.; Corchorus olitorius L.; Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.; Grewia flavescens Juss.; Lantana camara L . var. aculeata (L.) Mold.; Ocimum gratissimum L.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Vicoa indica (L.) DC. Herbs Achyranthes aspera L. var. aspera.; Andrographis echiodes (L.) Nees; Bidens biternata (Lour.) Merr. & Sherff; Boerhavia diffusa L.; Borreria articularis (L.f.) F.N. Will.; Borreria stricta (L.f.) K. Schum.; Cassia pumila Lam.; Cassia tora L.; Conyza stricta Willd.; Corchorus aestuans L.; Cyanotis cristata (L.) Schult. f.; Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC.; Elytraria acaulis (L.F.) Lindau ; Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.; Hemigraphis latebrosa (Heyne ex. Roth). Nees. var. heyneana Bremek.; Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F. Muell; Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit.; Justicia diffusa Willd.; Leucas aspera (Willd.) Spr.; Leucas urticaefolia R.Br.; Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus (Nees.) Dalz.; Ocimum canum Sims.; Polygala chinensis L.; Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. var. laxiflora (Camb.) Baker; Striga angustifolia (D.Don.) Saldhana; Trichodesma amplexicaule Roth.; Triumfetta rotundifolia Lam.; Urginea indica (Roxb.) Kunth.; Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt. Parasites in the area During botanical exploration, the following parasites are collected. Cuscuta chinensis Lamk.; Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.; Dendrophthoe falcata Etting.; Striga angustifolia (D.Don.) Saldhana.

Fig:4 Dense Forest of Trishuliyaghat

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CONCLUSION

Present study reveals that the ambaji forest represents the unique vegetation of the dry deciduous forest. The area is blessed with rich vegetation and holds Numbers of botanically interesting, economically important, endangered, threatened, endemic, and exotic elements. It also shows that ambaji forest have good potential of medicinal plants. The forest is not only rich in floristic diversity but also harbours many wildlife species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

RECOMMENDATION S

Considering its importance there is urgent need to protect this forest. For controlling further loss and restoration of plant diversity in future, reorientation of the attitudes of local indigenous community towards, restoration and maintaining biodiversity is of utmost importance. For immediate conservation of plant resources, effective environmental awareness programmes from Government and non-Government organizations in collaboration with local people is desired. To plan or launch any policies and programmes for conservation purpose it is necessary to estimate occurrence and availability of the species in the sample locality is the first and correct step.

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How to Cite this Article: Parthipan B, M Rajeeswari and Solomon Jeeva, 2016. Floristic Diversity of South Travancore Hindu College (S. T. Hindu College) Campus, Kanyakumari District (Tamilnadu) India. Bioscience Discovery, 7(1):41-56.

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