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BULL. BOT. SURV. INDIA Vol. 2, Nos. 3 & 4: pp. 387-423, 1960 A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION TO THE FLORA OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE Systemutic Botunistl, Botanical Survey of Indiu, Northern Circle, Dehra Dun ABSTRACT The paper describes the salient features of the vegetation of the Siwalik range, the Chenab valley, he high uplands of Batote, Kistawar and Bhadrawah of Jammu province, the .Pir Panjal range, Lolab valley and the mountain spurs of north-eastern portion of Kashmir province. A systematic census of 687 specie of which 660 are Angiosperms, 6 are Gymnosperms and 21 yePFridophytes is included in the paper. Among plants of interest collected were hvo endemf specla, VU., Viola falconeri Hook. f. & Thorns and Hedysarum cachemirianum Benth., seven new records, viz., Onopordon acanthium L., Callian- themum rutaefolium C. A. Mey., Enhydra pucfuans Lour., Merendera persica Boiss., Luzula pallescens (Wg.) Bess., Asperula odorata L., and Conrum macula!um L. and new areas of distribution for Thesium himalense Royle, Hipprrris iulgaris L., Menyanthes trrfolrata L., and Lathraea squarnaria L. which are previously unrecorded in the published literature on the flora of this area. These are largely composed of sand and lime stones and lead lo the high uplands bounded by the mountains of Kashmir has been visited by many Botanists from the Himalayan range, the Pir Panjal, beyond which lie the days of Jacquemont (1801-1832) with the primary vale of Kashmir, Baltistan and Ladakh. The vegetation purpose of collection of plants. Their rich collection of Jammu province can be divided naturally into three has been deposited in several herbaria of the world. distinct belts, each of which exhibits its own type of However, apart from general observations on their iti- vegetation influenced by altitude, climate and rainfall. nerary and collection, there is no published catalogue 1. The flat semi-arid land influenced by South-West of their collection in any of the scientific journals. monsoon supporting scrub-forests. Recently the writer visited several parts of Jammu and 2. The Siwalik range of low hills and broken spurs Kashmir State with a view to prepare a systematic with scrub-forests at low levels and mixed vegetation at census of the flora. During the first visit in the year higher elevations. 1956, the writer spent most of the time in collecting 3. The. higher uplands with predominant temperate plants at several places in the vale of Kashmir, an ac- flora. count of which together with the systematic list is under The semi-arid level land cut up by innumerable publication (Rao 1960). During the years 1958 and 1959, ravines is situated between 300 to 400 m. and forms a the writer extended his studies into a number of new continuation of the warmer parts of Punjab and areas of the State which were not visited during the year supports scrub-forests dominated by Acacia spp., Toona 1956. Collections were made in the months of Septem- and Grewia. The scrub-forests are very much exploited ber during 1958 and May to July in the year 1959. The causing soil erosion leading at certain places to bleak collection includes two endemic species Viola falconeri and barren ravines. The ravine flora is chiefly repre- and Hedysarunz cuchemiriunum, seven new records, sented by Saccltarum muaja, Ipumoea carica, Carthamus viz., Onopordon acanthium, Callianthemum rotuefolium, oxyacantha and Artemisia scoparia. Being a warmer Enhydra fluctuans, Luzula pallescens, Asperula odorata, tract, this part of the land supports Mango (Mangifera Merendera persica, Conium maculatum and new areas intiica) and Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) wherever the soil of distribution for Thesium himalense, Hippuris vul- is moderately fertile. During rainy months the low lying garis, Menyanthes trifoliata and Lathraea squamaria. areas give rise to a number of jheels supporting a good The total number of species of which specimens were number of aquatic plants. Sagittafia guayanemis, a collected is 687, of which 660 are Angiosperms, 6 white flowered aquatic herb was found growing in abun- Gymnosperms and 21 Pteridophytes. These are enu- dance along with Limnanthemttrn cristatum in these merated in the systematic list of the paper. jheels. The vegetation in and around Jammu province The Siwalik range of Jammu was explored in and resembles the flora of adjacent sub-montane districts of around Udhampur. The area ranges from 650 to 1400 m. the Punjab State. The province consists of a fringe of consisting mostly of low hills covered with scrub forests flat arid land bordering the Punjab districts, gradually at the lower reaches followed by Chir at higher eleva- rising by a succession of ranges of broken ground and tions (Fig. 8). The scrub forest is chiefly composed of low hills which form-- continuation of the Siwalik range. species of Indigofera, Cassia, Adhatoda, Dodonaea, ' Now Ecologist, Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. Nerium, Zizyphus, along with Acacia modesta and 15 388 BULLETIN OF THE BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA [Vol. 2 Daibergia sissoo. With the rise in elevation one could follows the Chenab river upto 12 miles. The banks of see the abundance of Wendlandia exserta, a medium Chenab exhibit the same features as found .elsewhere. sized tree with a flush of white flowered large racemes The main feature of the flora is the abundance of Pinus along with Bauhinia vahlii a huge climber with big white excelsa and Cedrus deodara on the mountains. Another flowers. The flora is of a more temperate character than feature is the occurrence of Acceuthobiun~ minutissi- of the plains. Some of the herbs commonly met with mum, locally known as 'Armi', parasitising the branches are the species of Ranitnculus, Clematis, Gerbera, of Pinus excelsa. The 'armi' attack is so heavy that one Androsace and Dipsacus. The mountain tops and slopes could see the decay and death of the valuable timber are covered with Pinus roxburghii sometimes mixed up yielding tree covering a wide range of this area. Due with. Quercus ilex, Q. irzcana and Parrottia jacque- to heavy infection of 'armi' the pine branches are very montiana. much fasciated, distorted and stunted. Wherever there Gradually the flora becomes very interesting as one is 'armi' attack, it is followed by infection of Fomes proceeds along the spurs of mountain 2istricts to the pini a red ring rot fungus which attacks the heartwood higher uplands of Kud, Sannasar, Batote on the Western rendering the tree undt for commercial exploitation side and Bhadrawah and Kistawar on the Eastern side. (Fig. 7). The areas around Kud, Patani Top (Fig. 6), Sannasar The noteworthy feature of the 'armi' attack is the and Batote were next explored. The mountain ridges invasion of broad leaved species from the adjacent areas are dominated by Chir pines gradually followed by especially Quercus ilex after the decay and death of Cedrus at higher elevations. In open and cleared forest pines. The infection is so heavy at certain places that areas species of Rosa, Viburnum, Dipsacus, Prinsepia, pines are beaten back by Quercus ilex, an economjcally Sarcococca and lndigofera are found in abundance. The unimportant tree. The displacement of pines by Quercus mountains slopes are covered with Viburnum nervosum, ilex is a cause of much concern to the State. The Rhus cotinus and .Quercus ilex. Patani Top, a small mountain slopes and banks of Chenab river support rich plateau at an altitude of nearly 2400 m. between Kud herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. The interesting and Batote exhibits plants of temperate region. The plants of this region are Withania somnifera, Capparis spws and ridges are covered with Cedrus and pines. spinosa and Daphne oleoides. During the march from Patani Top to Sannasar one Kistawar, a plateau at an altitude of 1800 m. is sur- could see on the gentle' mountain spurs the shrubby rounded on all sides by massive spurs with peaks growth of Berberis, Spiraea, Prinsepia, Elsholtzia, ranging from 4000 to 4500 m. with heavy winter snow- Viburnum and Quercus ilex. The mountain ridges form fall. The vegetation is dominated by very good deodara huge hemispherical mounds supporting lovely meadows trees at higher elevations closely followed by pines wherein Poa, Juncus, Cynodon, Potentilla, Pedicularis, especially in the dry inner valleys Pinus gerardiana, Geum, Geranium, Paranassia and Pilea umbrosa are from which edibIe seeds are collected for export. The prominent. The meadows are heavily grazed and are mountain slopes are very rich with reference to plants free from plants of tree habit. At Sannasar the cup- of medicinal importance. The plants of common occura shaped meadow holds a small. lake of sparkling water rence are Atropa acumirtata, Carum carvi, Phytolacca devoid of any vegetation. The edges of the lakelet are acinosa (Fig. 4), Artemisia brevifolia and Skimmia fringed with species of Polygonurn, Erianthus, Oplis- laureola. The other herbaceous plants are species of menus, Poa, Cynodon, Muhlenbergia, Veronica, Maws, Aconitum, Actaeu (Fig. 3), Podophyllum, Salvia, Medicago and- Ranunculus. Bordering the beautiful Lamium, Lychnis, Origanum and Urtica. The Kistawar meadows there are thick forests of pines mixed with plateau is surrounded by good saffron yielding areas. many broad leaved species. Buckwheat and barley are also grown in abundance. The Chenab 'valley area in and around Batote, Doda The higher cold part of the land is extensively used to and Thathri were explored. The valley is abounding in grow apple, pear, etc. rich vegetation of mixed type. Conifers are confined to The eastern portion of Chenab valley with number mountain tops and gentle slopes towards the valley have of mountains forms the district of Bhadrawah. The Olea cuspiduta, Quercus ilex and Pinus roxburghii. mountains and spurs form the Balesh range with peaks Besides the shrubby vegetation forms a conspicuous from 4000 to5000 m. Bhadrawah valley situated at an feature on the slopes.

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