Diversity of Vascular Plants of Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim and Its Conservation

1416 Indian Forester [October, DIVERSITY OF VASCULAR PLANTS OF KANCHENJUNGA BIOSPHERE RESERVE, SIKKIM AND ITS CONSERVATION D. MAITY AND G.G. MAITI Department of Botany University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia (West Bengal). Introduction of Sikkimese that can be seen while travelling through Sikkim. Sikkim, the beauty spot of the Eastern Himalayas, lies to the North of West This tiny state although occupies Bengal, gracing it like a crown. The nearly 0.2% of the total geographical areas Kanchenjunga peak is the third highest in of the country but it shelters about 25% of the world at a height of 8,598 m. Sikkim is the flowering plants of India. Thus, 2885.02 the second smallest state of Indian km2 of the state now comes under Wildlife Republic with its mountainous extent of Protected Areas (Singh and Singh, 2002). variable height of 244 to 8,598 m extending The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 as for about 114 km from North to South and amended up to 2002 is in force in Sikkim about 60 km from East to West. It is since 1976, covering wildlife inside as well bounded by Darjeeling Gorkha Hill as outside the Protected Areas. This region Autonomous Council (DGHAC) of West is also rich in many endemic, threatened, Bengal in the South, Tibet in the North, rare and hundreds of botanically Bhutan in the East and the West going interesting plant species and thus is over Singalila range of Nepal. demarcateded as one of the ‘Hot Spot” areas in India (Nayar, 1996). The Sikkim The state lies between 27o04' to 28o07' region is virtually the abode of a rich North Latitudes and 88o01' to 88o55' East variety of Rhododendrons, Orchids, Longitudes having a total area of about Primroses, Lilies, Begonias, Magnolias, 7,096 km2. Poppies, Saxifragas, Hedychiums, Cobra lilies and several others enthralling plants The sylvan surroundings stand with horticultural values. At present the unrivalled in their natural beauty, state has one Biosphere Reserve and five befittingly called the jewel in the crown of Sanctuaries. India. Sikkim is truly under the domain of Buddhist influence of history, culture and Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve the spiritualism as seen by the presence of (KBR) is considered one of the virgin 198 monasteries and Mani Lakhang all pockets in the Sikkim Himalaya, known over the four districts and at Gangtok, the earlier as National Park since 1977 capital of the state. The cultural remains, covering a comparatively smaller area of all over the state, influence the social life 1,784 km2. It is now increased to 2619.92 2009] Diversity of Vascular Plants of Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim ... 1417 km2 and declared as biosphere reserve in and also the earlier collections deposited 2000 (7th February) to conserve the unique both at Central National Herbarium (CAL) biodiversity of the area. It lies in between and Sikkim Himalaya Circle, Botanical 27o15’-27o57’ North latitude and 88o02’- Survey of India, Gangtok, Sikkim (BSHC). 88o40’ East longitude. The core zone is In almost all the cases the specimens were 1,784 km2 and the buffer zone area is matched with the observed characters 835.92 km2 under four sectors as Buffer under simple dissecting microscope or Zones I-IV . The biosphere reserve has the whenever necessary under zoom boundary of the Lhonak river and Lhonak microscope. In most of the cases flowers La in the North and the river Tista in the are dissected for the identification of East. To the South it includes the boundary collected specimens. An enquiry has been of various reserve forests above Toong, made to the villagers with regards to Tholung valley, Hee, Taryang, Karchi, different uses of plants and plant parts as Yoksum, Lapdeng, Khechipalri, Chhaney a document for ethnobotanical important up to the Singalila range covering the species, major and minor forest products catchment area of Rongyong, Monmu, etc. Kayam, Relli, Prek, Rimbi and Kalej rivers and streams of South and West Forest Topography and Climate Divisions of the state. It is bounded to the West by the Singalila range which forms The topography of this biosphere the international boundary between reserve is quite variable. The elevation Sikkim and Nepal. It also has a short ranges from 500 to 8,598 m, with almost stretch of international boundary with no flat piece of land anywhere. Mt. China (Tibet) in the North-West corner of Kanchenjunga (8,598 m), the world’s third the state. highest mountain, is sacred to the Sikkimese as their guardian deity and Materials and Methods considered as the holiest of the holy. The mountains run through North-East to The collection of specimens within the South-West and gradually increasing in KBR was done during 1999 to 2004. The height towards North-West. The snow-clad collection trips, of about 10 days duration, mountains, the lower hills-cover with dense during pre- (March-April) and post- evergreen forests, many rivers and rivulets monsoon (October-November) and during cascading down from the rocky heights monsoon (June-August) seasons were done and rippling through the green expanse of and these collections were mostly in 3 the valleys all together constitute a gatherings for each species. All these magnificent and graceful panorama. collections were dried, fumigated, poisoned and finally mounted to prepared The soil is predominantly acidic and herbarium specimens. These herbarium rich in humus, with dark brown to reddish- specimens were duly kept in the herbarium brown colour on slopping hills and fine of Sikkim Himalayan Circle, Botanical loamy soils with dark greyish brown to Survey of India, Gangtok, Sikkim (BSHC). dark brown colour occur on steep low hill slopes. Water holding capacity of the soil All these collections were identified is medium. The erosion and deposition by with the consultation of relevant literature streams and rivers have resulted in a sandy 1418 Indian Forester [October, to sandy loam, clayey soil mixed with origin, hence, are confined at high altitude heterogeneous matrix in some places areas. Perhaps the exceptions are the (Chauhan et al., 2003). Karthak (ca. 1,750 m) and Khechipalri (ca. 1,945 m) near Yoksum which are The climate of this Biosphere Reserve present in the sub-tropical and temperate has its own peculiarities caused by its regions, respectively, and comparatively geographical location, relief and altitude at low altitudes. Among the high altitude which varies from place to place. It is lakes, Kishong and Panch Pokhri are well burning summer at the foot hills and known. These lakes are sacred to the local freezing chills in winter at high mountains. people and worshipped by them (Roy and The weather is pleasant during spring and Thapa, 1998). autumn. The Biosphere Reserve area falls under heavy rainfall regions of the country Vegetation and Forest Types and get 200-500 cm annually. In general the rainfall is heavy and well distributed KBR is considered as one of the richest from June to September, of which June- phytodiversity centres within the Sikkim July are the wettest months, while it is Himalayas due to its unique geographical moderate in April and October. The reserve position. A wide range of physiography also experiences a wide range of humidity and eco-climatic conditions have but it generally remains above 70% in most adequately expressed themselves in giving of the time; however, it rises up to 95% in rise to rich gene pool of both wild and June-July with the annual means being ca cultivated plant species, which are growing 82.5% (Bandyopadhyay and Singh, 1998). profusely in this phytogeographical region. Apart from this, many plant species of KBR has numerous tributaries which neighbouring and far off countries viz. originate from the glacial regions in the Nepal, Bhutan, China, Tibet, Myanmar, West and North-West part of the biosphere Malaysia and to a lesser extent with reserve, flowing down towards the South- Penisular Indian affinities as well as a East face and ultimately meet the main good number of endemic species are met river of Sikkim, the great Tista, within this reserve. The vegetation of this demarcating the eastern boundary line of biosphere reserve can be broadly classified it. The largest glacier system – Zemu is in subtropical, temperate and alpine forest situated in the North-West corner of this types. biosphere reserve where from the river Zemu Chu originates and meets the Tista. Sub-tropical forest : Sub-tropical forest Rongyong, Monmu, Kayam, Relli, Prek, occurs up to an altitude of about 1,800 m Rimbi and Kalej rivers are the leading and the floral constituents are quite varied water sources of the reserve. The glacial from place to place. These are mainly complexes are the source of water to many mixed type forest comprising with the of the perennial rivers, mainly present major components of tree species like along the Singalila range. Three main Macaranga denticulata, Alnus nepalensis, glacier complexes are present within this Castonopsis tribuloides, Rhododendron biosphere reserve viz. Lhonak, Zemu and arbereum, Alangium chinense, Maesa Talung among which, Zemu is the largest. chisia, Malus sikkimensis, Ficus Most of the lakes of this reserve are glacial semicordata, Toricellia tiliifolia, Schima 2009] Diversity of Vascular Plants of Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim ... 1419 wallichii, Saurauia nepaulensis etc. Mahonia napaulensis, etc. In temperate Usually the tree trunks have luxuriant zone a number of interesting climbers viz. epiphytic growth of lichens, liverworts, Ceropegia pubescens, Aristolochia mosses, ferns, orchids and many other griffithii, Clematis montana, C. acuminata, angiosperm species. The predominant C. buchananiana, Dicentra scandens, shrubs are Dichroa febrifuga, Oxyspora Holboellia latifolia etc. are growing very paniculata, Buddleja asiatica, well. Edgeworthia gardneri, Rubus ellipticus, Mussaenda roxburghii etc. Among the The dominant herbaceous species are climbers dominant genera are Piper, Aconogonum molle, Bistorta vaccinifolia, Smilax, Tetrastigma, Rhaphidophora etc.

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