Bulletin of Arunachal Forest Research, Vol. 33(2), 63-65: 2018 ISSN 0970-9487 COUNTING FLORAL DIVERSITY DURING TRANSECT WALK IN KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

Ashem Rahul Singh1*, Feroz Ahmed2 1Yaiskul Hiruhanba Leikai, Imphal West- 795001, Manipur 2Aaranyak, Sommonoy Path, Survey, Beltola, Guwahati-781028, Assam *Email: [email protected]

Abstract The paper is a collection of during transect walk in Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Count station was done at 400 × 5 m each along the transect line (2000 m). The collected specimen divides into (more than 6 m); (less than 6 m) and herbs (not more than 1 m) according to their physiological structure. Out of the 100 floral species identified, 63 were , 12 shrubs, 24 herbs and 1 climber. Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae and Verbenaceae were the most dominant families. Keywords: Kaziranga; Floral diversity; Transect

INTRODUCTION The present study recorded 100 species belonging to 90 genera and 51 families. This Kaziranga National park is one of the includes 63 trees, 24 herbs, 12 shrubs and 1 biodiversity hotspot regions of the world climber (Table 1-4). The most dominant (Mittermeier et al., 2005). It is located in family was Euphorbiaceae with 10 species, Bokakhat and Kaliabor sub-divisions of followed by Poaceae (7 species), Verbenaceae Golaghat and Nagaon districts in Assam. (6 species) and Lauraceae (5 species). Kaziranga National Park covers an area of 430 Bignoniaceae, Mimosaceae and Papilionaceae km2 divided into four ranges namely comprises 4 species each, Asteraceae, Kaziranga, Eastern, Western and Bura Pahar. Elaeocarpaceae, Lythraceae, Moraceae and The headquarters of the four ranges are Rubiaceae consists 3 species each, and Kohora, Agoratoli, Bagori and Ghora-kati. The Apocynaceae, Bombacaceae, Boraginaceae, Kaziranga National Park was declared as Tiger Marantaceae, Myrtaceae and Zingiberaceae reserve in 2006. Besides, the park is also home consists 2 species each. 31 mono-phyletic to herbivore such as Asiatic Elephant, Asiatic families were also recorded. Verbenaceae was wild Buffalo, Hog Deer and Eastern Swamp found as the most dominant family among Deer. shrubs and Poaceae among the herbs. Mimosa invisa and Rosa acicularis were found MATERIALS AND METHODS growing invasively within the Park area posing The standard method of Jain and Rao a great threat to the native species. (1977) was used for plant collection. Various literatures were referred for identification of Table 1: Trees of Kaziranga National Park collected plant species. The collected Sl Scientific name Family herbarium specimens were deposited to the 1. Aesculus assamica Hippocastanaceae Museum of Aaranyak, Guwahati. 2. Albizzia lebbek Mimosaceae RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3. Albizzia procera Mimosaceae 4. Alstonia scholaris Apocynaceae

http://sfribulletin.org.in/vol-33-issue-2-2018/ BULLETIN OF ARUNACHAL FOREST RESEARCH, 33(2): 2018 5. Anthocephalus Rubiaceae 37. Holigarna longifolia Anacardaceae chinensis 38. Holorrhena Apocynaceae 6. Aphanamixis Meliaceae pubescens polystachya 39. Lagerstroemia Lythraceae 7. Aporosa wallichii Phyllanthaceae floribunda 8. Artocarpus Moraceae 40. Lagerstroemia Lythraceae heterophyllus parviflora 9. Bauhinia variegata Papilionaceae 41. Lasia spinosa Araceae 10. Bischofia javanica Euphorbiaceae 42. Litsea monopetela Lauraceae 11. Bombax ceiba Bombacaceae 43. Litsea salicifolia Lauraceae 12. Bombax insigne Bombacaceae 44. Macaranga indica Euphorbiaceae 13. Bridelia retusa Euphorbiaceae 45. Mallotus Euphorbiaceae 14. Bridelia stipularis Euphorbiaceae philippinensis 15. Canarium resiniferm Burseraceae 46. Oroxylum indicum Bignoniaceae 16. Carallia lucida Rhizophoraceae 47. Palaquium Sapotaceae 17. Careya arborea Lecythidaceae obovatum 18. Catunaregam Rubiaceae 48. Phoebe lanceolata Lauraceae spinosa 49. Premna bengalensis Lamiaceae 19. Cinnamomum Lauraceae 50. Pterospermum Malvaceae bejolghota acerifolium 20. Cordia myxa Boraginaceae 51. Schima wallichii Theaceae 21. Crateva unilocularis Capparaceae 52. Sterculia villosa Sterculiaceae 22. Dalbergia sissoo Fabaceae 53. Stereospermum Bignoniaceae 23. Dillenia indica Dilleniaceae suaveolens 24. Dysoxylum Annonaceae 54. Sterospermum Bignoniaceae reticulatum personatum 25. Echinocarpus sp Elaeocarpaceae 55. Streblus asper Moraceae 26. Elaeocarpus Elaeocarpaceae 56. Syzizium formosum Myrtaceae floribundus 57. Talauma hodgsonii Magnoliaceae 27. Elaeocarpus Elaeocarpaceae 58. Tamarindus indica Caeselpinaceae armenica 59. Tamarix dioica Tamaricaceae 28. Emblica officinalis Euphorbiaceae 60. Tetrameles Tetramelaceae 29. Erythrina acuminata Papilionaceae nudiflora 30. Erythrina variegata Papilionaceae 61. Trewia nudiflora Euphorbiaceae 31. Eugenia sp Myrtaceae 62. Uncaria sinensis Rubiaceae 32. Ficus sp Moraceae 63. Vitex sp Verbenaceae 33. Garcinia tinctoria Table 2: Shrubs of Kaziranga National Park 34. Glochidion Euphorbiaceae ferdinandi Sl Scientific name Family 35. Glochidium Euphorbiaceae 1. Ardisia sp Primulaceae ellipticum 2. Clerodendrum Verbenaceae 36. Gmelina arborea Verbenaceae indicum

64 Ahmed et al., 2018: COUNTING FLORAL DIVERSITY IN KAZIRANGA 3. Chloranthus elatior Chloranthaceae 13. Mimosa invasa Mimosaceae 4. Clerodendrum Verbenaceae 14. Phragmites karka Poaceae viscosum 15. Phrynium pubinerve Marantaceae 5. Eupatorium Asteraceae 16. Saccharum munja Poaceae odoratum 17. Solena heterophylla Cucurbitaceae 6. Glycosmis arborea Rutaceae 18. Spilanthes acmella Asteraceae 7. Lagerstroemia Lythraceae 19. Stachytarpheta Verbenaceae reginae indica 8. Leea indica Vitaceae 20. Saccharum narenga Poaceae 9. Litsea salicifolia Lauraceae 21. Stenochlaena Blechnaceae 10. Phynium sp Marantaceae palustris 11. Sterospermum Bignoniaceae 22. Vetiverria zizanoides Poaceae personatum 23. Vitex negundo Verbenaceae 12. Ziziphus mauritiana Rhamnaceae 24. Zinziber rubens Zingiberaceae

Table 3: Herbs of Kaziranga National Park Table 4: Climber of Kaziranga National Park Sl Scientific name Family Sl Scientific name Family 1. Alpinia allughas Zingiberaceae 1 Calamus sp Cannaceae 2. Ageratum Asteraceae conyzoides 3. Arundo donax Poaceae ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4. Diplazium Athyriaceae Forest staffs of Kaziranga National Park esculentum are highly acknowledged. 5. Desmodium Papilionaceae concinnum REFERENCES 6. Erianthus revinae Poaceae Jain, SK., Rao, R.R., 1977. A Handbook of 7. Eulophia species Orchidaceae Field and Herbarium Methods. Today and 8. Forrestia hookeri Commelinaceae Tomorrow, New Delhi. 9. Glochidion Euphorbiaceae Mittermeier, R.A., Gill, R.P., Hoffmann, ferdinandi M., 2005. Hotspots Revisited: Earth’s 10. Heliotropium Boraginaceae Biologically Richest and most indicum Endangered Terrestrial Ecosystems. 11. Imperata cylindrica Poaceae Cemex, Mexico, pp. 392. 12. Mimosa rubicaulis Mimosaceae

65