Climbing Angiosperms of Manas National Park, Assam: Diversity and Ethnobotany

Bioscience Discovery, 8(2):158-165, April - 2017

Print & Online, Open Access, Research Journal Available on http://jbsd.in ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print); ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

Research Article

D Baro* and S K Borthakur

Department of Botany Gauhati University, Guwahati-781014, Assam *[email protected]

Article Info Abstract Received: 22-02-2017, The Manas National Park located at the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas in Revised: 19-03-2017, Baksa and Chirang districts of Assam with a plethora of diverse vegetation types Accepted: 30-03-2017 that plays a pivotal role in conservation of varied ecosystem. The inhabitants in and around the Park are of different ethnic group like Bodo, Garo, Rabha, etc. Keywords: and they play a vital role in conservation of flora and fauna of the Park. Climbers, Diversity, However, these people also depend on the plant resources of the area in their day Habitat, Traditional uses, to day life. The present study highlights the prevalence of climbers in the floristic composition of the area and also recorded the uses of some of the climbers by the ethnic groups of the area .A total of 88 species along with their habitat and ability recorded from the area and out of these 33 species are found to be used by the local ethnic communities of area.

INTRODUCTION adequately dealt about the climbing species of The climbing plants are part of Indian flora Manas National Park .In the present work, an (Sharma and Arya, 2016). Some of the climbing attempt have been made to explore the diversity of species are often exhibit vigorous growth and fast climbers in Manas National Park (MNP) and their growing. Depending on climbing mechanism habitat specificity contribution to the vegetation climbers are classified into root climbers, hook climbers, tendril climbers, leaf or stem climbers or MATERIALS AND METHODS: twinners( Agarwal, 2013). They are used by all the Study area people either directly as folk medicine or indirectly Manas National Park occupies an area in the preparation of pharmaceuticals (Majumdar et of 500 sq. km and it is located at the foothills of the al., 2006; Manikandan et al. 2009). Thus the Bhutan Himalayas in Baksa and Chirang districts of peoples depend on climbers for several purposes Assam with a longitude 26°35'-26°50'N and like medications, non timbers forest product, food, latitude 90°45'-91°15'E. The prominent vegetation etc. In different part of India studies on diversity of types of MNP comprises of Sub-Himalayan Light climbers were undertaken by a number of workers Alluvial Semi-Evergreen forests in the northern (Gentry, 1991, Ghosh and Mukherjee, 2006; parts, East Himalayan mixed Moist and Dry Bandopadhya and Mukherjee, 2010; Jangid and Deciduous forests (the most common type), and Sharma, 2011) and opined that climbers form the Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland and Assam Valley main components of ecosystem. However, no Semi-Evergreen Alluvial Grasslands. attempt has been made as such to study the diversity The present work was conducted during the of climbing species in NE India. Even the work of session 2015-16 as a part of the floristic exploration Das et al.,2009; Hajra, 1978; Rabha, 2001 did not of the area.

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Baro and Borthakur Extensive field work, exploration and collection of Mukherjee , 2010; Balachandran and Rajendiran , plants were carried out in different seasons. 2014) .Herbarium specimen were prepared by Identification of collected specimens were made following standard methodology (Jain and Rao, with the help of relevant literature (Bor and 1977) and were deposited in the Herbarium of Raizada, 1982; Mahajan, 2006; Bandopadhya and Botany Department ,Gauhati University (GUBH).

Figure: 1. Source: https://www.google.co.in

Figure: 2. Pie diagram shows ethnobotanical use of the plant part.

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Figure: 3. ten dominant Angiosperm families contributing climbing species in the study area

Figure: 4. (A) Passiflora foetida L.; (B) Beaumontia grandiflora Wall.;(C) Stephani japonica (Thunb.) Miers.; (D) Aristolochia cathcartii Hook.f. (E) Spatholobus parviflorus (DC.) Kuntze (F) Cuscuta reflexa Roxb

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Table 1. List of Climbers and their uses in Manas National Park, Assam

Sr. Scientific name Habitat Fl.& Fr. Part uses Uses No. 1. Abrus precatorius Linn. Scrub / deciduous Oct.-Jan. Root Medicine (Papilionaceae) forest 2. Ampelocissus barbata (wall.) Open forest Mar. - Sept. Planch. (vitaceae) 3. Ampelocissus latifolia (Roxb.) Scrub forest, mixed July-Sept. Planch. (vitaceae) forest 4. Aristolochia cathcartii Hook.f. Hilly evergreen forest. Mar.-Dec. leaves Medicine (Aristolochiaceae) /deciduous forests. 5. Aristolochia tagala Cham. Hilly evergreen forest. Apr.-Dec. Root Medicine (Aristolochiaceae) 6. Argyreia argentea (Roxb.) Mixed forest, roadside July-Mar. Arn. ex Choisy (Convolvulaceae) 7. Argyreia capitate Arn. Deciduous forest Sept.-Mar. (Convolvulaceae) 8. Argyreia roxburghii Choisy Deciduous forest July-Dec. (Convolvulaceae) 9. Beaumontia grandiflora Wall. Hilly evergreen forest. Mar-Oct. Roots/ Medicine (Apocynaceae ) leaves 10 Byttneria grandiflora DC. Semi evergreen hilly Apr.-Dec. (Malvaceae) forests. 11. Byttneria pilosa Roxb. Semi evergreen hilly May-Nov. Roots /bark Medicine (Malvaceae) forests 12 Cayratia geniculata (Blume) Semi evergreen hilly Mar.-Nov. Gagnep. (Vitaceae) forests 13. Cayratia japonica (Thunb.) Forest areas, Mar.-June. Gagnep. (Vitaceae) roadsides. 14. Cissampelos pareira L. Deciduous forest Mar-Dec. Stem Medicine (Menispermaceae) 15. Cissus quadrangularis L Open area June - Jan. Stem Medicine (Vitaceae) 16. Cissus rependa Vahl. Secondary forest May-Dec. (Vitaceae) 17. Cissus repens Lamk. Dense hilly forest Apr.-Nov. Leaves / Vegetables (Vitaceae) tender shoots 18. Clitoria ternatea L. Open area July-Dec. (Papilionaceae) 19. Clematis acuminate DC. Evergreen forest, Feb-June. (Ranunculaceae) Scrub forest 20. Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt Deciduous forest Jan-Dec Fruits Vegetables (Cucurbitaceae) 21. Cucumis trigonus Roxb Deciduous forest Dec-Mar. Fruits Vegetables (Cucurbitaceae) 22. Cuscuta reflexa Roxb Dense / Deciduous Aug.-Jan. Stem Medicine (Cuscutaceae) forest 23. Cyclea barbata Miers Hilly forest areas July. May

http://biosciencediscovery.com 161 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) (Menispermaceae) 24. Cyphostemma auriculatum Semi evergreen forest July - Nov. (Roxb.) P.Singh & B.V.Shetty (Vitaceae) 25. Derris cuneifolia Benth. Evergreen forests. April-Nov. (Papilionaceae) 26. Derris elliptica (Wall.) Benth. Evergreen /mixed Apr.-Nov. (Papilionaceae) forest 27. Dischidia bengalensis Colebr. Deciduous forest April - May (Apocynaceae) 28. Dioscorea alata Linn. Deciduous forest Aug.-June. Tubers Vegetables. (Dioscoreaceae) 29. Dioscorea bulbifera L. Deciduous forest July-May. Tuber Vegetable. (Dioscoreaceae) 30. Dioscorea hamiltonii Hook.f. Deciduous forest May-Mar. (Dioscoreaceae) 31. Dioscorea hispida Dennst. Deciduous forest June-Dec. (Dioscoreaceae) 32. Dioscorea pentaphylla L. Deciduous forest June-Dec. Tuber Vegetable. (Dioscoreaceae) 33. Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. In hilly forests. Sep.-Oct. Jeffrey. (Cucurbitaceae) 34. Epipremnum semi evergreen Apr-Jul. pinnatum (Linnaeus) Engler forests (Araceae) 35. Gloriosa superb L. (Liliaceae) Open area Jul–Aug. Leaves/ Medicine stem 36. Gouania tiliaefolia Lam. semi evergreen Feb.-Dec. (Rhamnaceae) forests 37. Gymnopetalum cochinchinense Deciduous forest Mar.-Sept. Fruits vegetables (Lour.) Kurz (Cucurbitaceae) 38. Hodgsonia macrocarpa (Bl.) Semi evergreen forest. Jan-Sept. Fruits Medicine Cong. (Cucurbitaceae) 39. Hoya arnottiana Benth. Semi evergreen forest. June-Jan. (Asclepiadaceae) 40. Ipomoea hederifolia L. Deciduous forest June-Dec. (convolvulaceae) 41. Ipomoea fistulosa Mart. ex Open forests in Feb.-July. Choisy (convolvulaceae) marshy areas. 42. Ipomoea obscura (L.) Ker Deciduous forests Sept.-June. Gawler (convolvulaceae) 43. Ipomoea quamoclit L. Deciduous forests July-Dec. (convolvulaceae) 44. Jasminum coartatum Roxb. Semi evergreen forest Mar-Nov. - (Oleaceae) 45. Marsdenia roylei Wight. Semi evergreen forest May-Nov (Asclepiadaceae) 46. Merremia hederacea (Burm. open deciduous forests Dec-Mar. f.) Hallier (convolvulaceae) 47. Merremia umbellata Hallier f. Deciduous forests Mar-July. (convolvulaceae) 48. Merremia vitifolia (Burm. f.) Deciduous forests Mar-Sep. Hallier. f. (convolvulaceae) http://jbsd.in 162 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print) 49. Mikania micrantha Kunth. Open forest, mixed Dec.-Mar. leaves Medicine (Asteraceae) forest, road sides. 50. Momordica charantia L. roadside/Grassland June-Oct. Fruits Vegetables. (Cucurbitaceae) 51. Mucuna bracteata DC., Deciduous forests Aug.-Jan. ( Papilionaceae) 52. Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC Mixed forest, Apr-Nov. ( Papilionaceae) Grassland area. 53. Mukia maderaspatana (L.) Grassland area. Apr-July Roem (Cucurbitaceae) 54. Myriopteron extensum Mixed forest May- Dec. (Weight) K. (Asclepiadaceae) 55. Natsiatum herpaticum, Buch- Evergreen forest Dec-Feb. Ham (Icacinaceae) 56. Naravelia zeylanica (L.)DC Semi evergreen forest, Oct- Mar. Stem Medicine (Ranunculaceae) mixed forest. 57. Operculina turpethum Grassland area. Mar -July. (L.)Manso. (Convolvulaceae) 58. Paederia foeitida L. Deciduous forests Jan.-Oct. Stem Vegetables. (Rubiaceae) /leaves 59. Passiflora edulis Sims. Open forest, Mixed Jun. - Nov. (Passifloraceae) forest 60. Passiflora foetida L. Open forest, Mixed Nov.-Mar. (Passifloraceae) forest 61. Pergularia daemia Forssk. Deciduous forests May - July. (Apocynaceae) 62. Piper betel Linn Semi evergreen forest Dec-Apr. Leaves Sociocultur (Piperaceae) al 63. Piper griffithii C. DC. Dense hilly forests. Apr.- Oct. (Piperaceae) 64. Piper longum L. semi evergreen forest Oct.-May. Fruit spice and (Piperaceae) Medicine 65. Piper nigrum L. Semi evergreen forest/ Mar.-July. Fruits Condiment. (Piperaceae) open forests. 66. Piper trioicum Roxb Semi evergreen forest Nov.-Jan. (Piperaceae) 67. Piper sylvaticum Roxb Semi evergreen forest Aug.-Oct. (Piperaceae) 68. Pothos scandens L. In hilly forests Feb.-Aug. (Araceae) 69. Porana paniculata Roxb. In deciduous forests. Nov.-Mar. (Convolvulaceae) 70. Rhynchosia viscosa Grassland/deciduous Aug-Oct. (Roth) DC. ( Papilionaceae) forest 71. Spatholobus parviflorus (DC.) Deciduous forests July-Dec. Kuntze (Papilionaceae ) 72. Smilax ovalifolia Roxb. Deciduous forests Aug- Nov. Whole Medicine (Smilacaceae) plant 73. Smilax perfoliata L. Semi evergreen forests Jan.-Dec. Whole Medicine (Smilacaceae) plant 74. Smilax zeylanica L. Deciduous forests June-Dec. Young Vegetables. (Smilacaceae) shoot 75. Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Deciduous forests June-Dec. Young Vegetables. http://biosciencediscovery.com 163 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Gandhi (Cucurbitaceae) leaves/ stem 76. Stephania japonica (Thunb.) Semi evergreen forests Mar.-Dec. leaves Medicine Miers. (Menispermaceae) , Grassland 77. Stixis scandens Lour tropical forests and Feb.-Nov. (Capparaceae) subtropical forests 78. Tetrastigma bracteolatum Semi evergreen hilly Mar.-Dec. (Wall.) Planch (Vitaceae) forests. 79. Tetrastigma lanceolarium Semi-evergreen hilly June-Feb. Planch. (Vitaceae) forests. 80. Thunbergia grandiflora Deciduous forests Apr.-Sept. (Rotlb) Roxb. (Thunbergiaceae) 81. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd) Hilly or plain Jan.-May. Stem Medicine Miers (Menispermaceae) deciduous forest. 82. Uncaria macrophylla Wall. Evergreen/ semi- Sep.-Apr. ( Rubiaceae) evergreen 83. Vitis riparia Michx. semi-evergreen June-Sept. (Vitaceae) 84. Vitis repanda (Vahl) W & A. semi-evergreen Feb. - Aug. (Vitaceae) 85. Vitis tuberculata M. Lawson Dense hilly forests. Mar.-Nov. (Vitaceae) 86. Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) Evergreen forest Feb.- Oct. Young Vegetables. D.C. (Rutaceae) leaves /shoot

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION vide its Letter No. Fl- 17.1/2014-2015/RGNF-2014- Climbing species are found to be present in all 15-ST-Ass-65516. types of the vegetation in the study area. However, their presence is pronounced in the semi evergreen REFERENCES forests. A total of 86 species were recorded under Agarwal P, 2013. Study of useful climbers of 56 genera and 24 families. Among the recorded Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. International Journal families, 5 families belong to monocot and 19 of Pharmacy & Life Sciences, 4(9):2957-2962. families belong to dicot. Out of the total 86 species, Bandopadhya S and Mukherjee SK, 2010. Diversity 31 species have been found to be used by the ethnic of Climbing Plants in Koch Bihar District of West communities inhabiting in the area in their day to Bengal, India. Pleione, 4(1):82-89. day life.viz. medicine, sociocultural practices and as Barooah C and Ahmed I. 2014.Plant Diversity of source of food. Assam( A Checklist of Angiosperms & The floristic study forms a vital component of Gymnosperms).Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati. any natural resource management and planning Bor NL and Raizada MB, 1982. Some beautiful activities at the local, regional and global levels. Indian Climbers and shrubs. Bombay Natural History Sustainable utilization of natural resources of an Society, Oxford Univ. Press, Mumbai. area contributes significantly in economy of a Das S, Khan ML, Rabha A and Bhattacharjya DK. region. Their evaluation and proper database is a 2009. Ethnomedicinal plant of Manas National Park, prerequisite for all the developmental activates Assam, Northeast India. Indian journal of Traditional envisaged for the area ( Bor and Raizada, 1954; Pal, Knowledge, 8 (4): 514-517. 1960; Das et al., 2009; Ghosh , 2013; Barooah and Gentry AH, 1991. The distribution and evolution of Ahmed, 2014). climbing plants. The Biology of Vines. Cambridge AKNOWLEDGEMENT University Press, Cambridge. Pp.3-51. Ghosh A, The first author is grateful to the University Grants 2013. Diversity and Distribution of Climbing plants in Commission (UGC) awarding Ravij Gandhi littoral forest of North Andaman Islands, India. Indian National Fellowships (RGNf) for PhD programme Journal of Plant Sciences, 2 (3):35-42.

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How to Cite this Article: D Baro and S K Borthakur, 2017. Climbing Angiosperms of Manas National Park, Assam: Diversity and Ethnobotany. Bioscience Discovery, 8(2):158-165.

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