Genus Acacia P. Miller S. L. (Fabaceae) in Maharashtra (India): Diversity and Ecological Status
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Science Research Reporter, 5(2): 153-176, (Oct. - 2015) © RUT Printer and Publisher Online, Open Access Available at http://jsrr.net ISSN: 2249-2321 (Print); ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Research Article Genus Acacia P. Miller s. l. (Fabaceae) In Maharashtra (India): Diversity and Ecological Status Garad K. U. 1*, R. D. Gore2, S. P. Gaikwad3 1 Taxa Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Shankarrao Mohite Mahavidyalaya, Akluj, Solapur- 413 101 (MS), India. 23 Life Science Research Laboratory, Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur- 413 006 (MS), India. *[email protected] Article Info Abstract Received: 03-09-2015, Present taxonomic revision on the genus Acacia P. Miller is provided based on Revised: 26-09-2015, critical field studies, and examination of specimens deposited in various herbaria Accepted: 30-09-2015 such as Botanical Survey of India, Pune (BSI); Blatter Herbarium, Mumbai (BLAT); and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Herbarium, Keywords: Aurangabad (BAMUA); Walchand College Herbarium, Solapur (WCAS. The Acacia, Ecology, Maharashtra, genus Acacia P. Miller comes under 34 species and 5 subspecies in Maharashtra. Phylogeny, Revision, A. concurrens Pedly, is newly recorded from Maharashtra. This revision provides Socioeconomic. an artificial key to species, updated nomenclature, citations, detailed morphological descriptions, notes on identity, present ecological status, and socioeconomic relevance within political boundaries of Maharashtra state (India). INTRODUCTION mid-19th century, following a series of paper The cosmopolitan genus Acacia comprises in excess between 1842 to 1875 by the George Bentham. The of 1380 species (Maslin et al., 2003). Acacias grow genus was first described by Philip Miller in 1754 in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate parts of and until 1842, when Bentham clearly defined it‟s the World and are found in the Africa region (144 limits (by restriction of name Acacia to mimosoid species), Asia (89 species), the Americas (185 plants having numerous free stamens), number of species) and the Australian region (993 species). species which are now referable to genera within However, many uncertainties exist with definition, this tribe Ingeae and Mimoseae, had been referred classification and phylogeny of Acacia itself. to it. In 1875 Bentham published his final (World) Recent studies of the phylogeny and generic status classification and this remained placed for 100 of Acacia using cladistic analyses of morphological years. The first major rearrangement of Bentham‟s and chloroplast DNA sequence data have been scheme was undertaken by French botanist Jaques especially informative in developing a better Vassal in 1972. Vassal divided Acacia into three understanding of the group Chappill & Maslin subgenera Acacia, Aculeiferum and Heterophyllum (1995), Grimes (1995; 1999), Robinson & Harris (=Phyllodineae) and this work assisted in providing (2000), Miller & Bayer (2000; 2001) and Miller et the conceptual framework for Pedley‟s (1986) al. (2003a; 2003b). These new data clearly shows formal split of the genus into three genera. Initially, that the genus at presently defined (i.e. Acacia s.l.) Pedley viewed Acacia comprising three large is not monophyletic and most likely will be split subgenera, as Vassal had done previously. into number of separate genera at some future date However, in 1986 Pedley raised the rank of these (Miller et al., 2003a). The circumscription of group to that of genus, Acacia, Senegalia and Acacia has been relatively stable since about the Racosperma respectively. Although, it was http://jsrr.net 153 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Garad et al., generally accepted at the time that Acacia revision of the genus Acacia for Maharashtra state comprised number of desperate group. Pedley‟s to aid in diversity, simplifying overview framework proposal was not widely accepted by the botanical on the identification, nomenclature, floristic, community. Of primary concern was the conservation, evolutionary studies, and present widespread nomenclature disruption that would ecological status together with an overview in the ensue from splitting this enormous cosmopolitan direction of identifying them in favor of generating genus. It was considered that more comprehensive currency for local farmers, by their economic and information was needed in order to make correct socioeconomic relevance. decision, and in particular, the need for broad based for comparative studies of Acacia that included MATERIALS AND METHODS genera from tribes Ingeae and Mimoseae was Study site identified. Discussion of the reasons for not Maharashtra State is fundamentally a part of accepting Pedley‟s generic classification is outlined western India, which covers a large Indian in Maslin (1987; 1988). Pedley published his Peninsula region. It is the third largest state with 35 defence of his scheme in 1987 and 1989. Since district, of Indian union and covers an area of 1986, there has been an accumulation of much new 3,07690 sq. km. It lies between the latitude 220 1‟ to data derived from both morphological and 160 4‟ N and longitude 720 6‟ to 8009‟ E. It is about molecular genetic studies and this has led to a better 800 km East to West and 700 km North to South understanding of the classification and phylogeny of surrounded by irregular boundary. In the West state Acacia. A summary of new data is given in Maslin is bounded by the Arabian Sea, which has a long et al. (2003). This new work has confirmed that coast line of about 720 km, resting on the North– subgenus Acacia and subgenus phyllonideae are West it is bounded by Gujarat, on the North by monophyletic and subgenus Aculeiferum is not Madhya Pradesh, on the South–East by Andhra monophyletic. Maslin et al. (2003) recognize three Pradesh and on the South by Karnataka and Goa. monophyletic assemblages within this last subgenus Physiographically the state is divided in to five and suggest at least five genera can be recognized divisions viz. Kokan, Deccan (Desh), Khandesh, within Acacia s.l. Marathwada and Vidarbha. In Kokan Sahyadri Acacia s.l. is represented by 89 species in range runs from North to South parallel to the coast. India. Indian Acacia can be divided into two main The Western edge forms the Sahyadri escarpment groups, one group includes species with fernlike while the rest of plateau slopes gently towards the pinnate leaves divided into small leaflets and East and South-East, it entirely covers the5district another group includes species bearing phyllodes of the state also it receives high rainfall (250-440 (broadened leaf petiole functioning like leaf blade). cms) and are densely forested. Ghat region goes Most species with fernlike pinnate leaves are native across 11 districts and are densely forested with of Indian subcontinent while phyllode bearing high rainfall (250-440 cms), also covers the main species are native of Australia and planted in water-shade for Deccan (Desh) region by flowing modern social-forestry throughout India. rivers of the Godavari and the Krishna with their Present taxonomic revision records 34 numerous tributaries.A major part of Maharashtra is species and 5 subspecies of Acacias.l.in physically an undulating plateau, Desh or Deccan is Maharashtra. They are dominant shrubs and trees mainly receives flat land and comprise 7 district. mainly in dry deciduous forests and scrub jungles in Moreover, Khandesh lies in valley of the Tapi river, the State. Acacias are key species in bushland and Marathwada and Vidarbha or estern Maharashtra savannah habitat, providing food and other stands on uplands plateaus. recourses for an enormous diversity of mammals, The climate of Maharashtra is monsoonal birds, and invertebrates, as well stabilize the and controlled by Arabian Sea due to its cooling microclimate by given that gloom under which effects and by the altitude of Sahyadri mountains. grasses grows and farm animals feed. Species of Also there is a diurnal fluctuation in rainfall and Acacia have ability to thrive under adverse temperatures which varies in all the divisions by conditions. Its value is in high quality of animal year to year. Because of such physiographical and fodder, fuel wood, timber, gums etc., as well as climatic conditions floristic pattern in state differs contributing to soil stabilization and improvement greatly. The forests state are broadly classified in to through nitrogen fixation (Springuel & Mekki, 3 main types along with subtypes 1) Moist tropical 1993). Given this importance, we herein provide a forests, 2) Dry tropical forests, and 3) Montane http://jsrr.net 154 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Science Research Reporter, 5(2): 153-176, (Oct. - 2015) subtropical forests (Champion & Seth, 1968). The taxonomic identity confirmed with the help of Among these types dry tropical forests includes the available literature Cooke (1901), Ahmedullah & „Babul (Acacias) forests‟ which mainly came across Nayar (1986), Kamble & Pradhan (1988), Sanjappa 7 district of the Deccan (Desh) division in the state (1991), Lakshminarasimhan & Sharma, (1991), and most likely to be the „residence of Acacias‟ in Chakrabarty & Gangopadhyay (1996), Almeida Maharashtra. (1998), Naik (1998), Matthew (1999), Singh & Data collection Karthikeyan (2000), Yadav & Sardesai, (2002), Initially, a preliminary list of Acacia species for Garad (2013), Gaikwad et al.(2014a; 2014b), Ali Maharashtra was prepared by referencing to all (2014), Gore (2015), Gaikwad & Gore (2015), available literature. Intensive and extensive field