Vanishing Plant Wealth of the Valley of Flowers

Vanishing plant wealth of the Valley of Flowers

B.K. Bamola. A.K. Badoni & G.S. Paliwal

Aamola BK. Badoni AK & Paliwal GS 1995. Vanishing plant weallh of (he Valley of Flowers. Palaeobolanis/44 . 207-214.

The 'Valley of Flowers'- a National Park, is located in the upper reaches of the Bhyunder Ganga in the far intelior of the Garhwal Himalaya. This Alpine Valley, reputed for a variety of blooming plant species, is now facing an abrupt peril of losing its charm. owing to human encroachment in various ways. The present article allempts to describe ils vegetation from the phyto-sociological point of view alongwith the noristics. II is revealed that some f the species reported from this locality during the pa.st 2-3 decades earlier, have been completely eliminated. The greatest danger which the valley is facing stems from the rapidly increasing population of the pernicious weed Persiwria polys/achya. Osmunda clay/of/iana, a tall fern, is also spreading very fa.st and in due course will definitely prove yet another hazard. It is alarming to note lhat the 'Himalayan Blue Poppy' (Meconopsisaculeata) for which Ihe valley has been so famous. can hardly be seen now. Our list includes 330 plant species encountered in this area, alongwith a separate enumeration of plant species which have become rare. Some suggestions have been offered towards restoring the grandeur of this beautiful abode of Nature.

Key-words- Taxonomy, Angiosperms, PhylO-sociology.

B.K. Bamola. A. K. Badof/i & C.S. Paliwal. Developmental Botany LabOI'UU}/)'. Departmen/ a/Botany. H.N.B. Carhwal University. Srillaxar 246174 (Puri. u.P.), India.

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THE 'Valley of Flowers' is a high altitude National Nestling in the shadow of the glittering snow-clad Park, situated between lat. 79°35' - 79°40'N and long. peaks, the valley is adored with several clear running 30°40' - 300 45'E in the upper reaches of the Bhyunder streams, their banks covered with lush-green vegetation. Ganga, in the far interior region of the Garhwal The splendour of the valley has been drawing the atten Himalayas, lying in the Zanskar ranges, an off-shoot of tion of the naturalists and travel enthusiasts from far and the great Himalayan ranges. It was established on wide. In the words of Frank Smythe: November 6, 1982. Although previously known "In all my mountain wanderings, I have not seen a amongst the natives as the Bhyunder Valley, this famous more; beautiful flower than this Primula; the fine rain Alpine Valley owes its present name and international drops clung to its soft petals like galaxies of seed pearls reputation due to the efforts and enthusiasm of the British and frosted its leaves with silver. Lower, where we mountaineers, especially R.L. Holdsworth and Frank camped near a moraine were Androsaces, Saxifrages. Symthe who discovered it accidentally while they were Sedums, yellow and red Potentillas. Geums, Geraniums, returning from their successful ascent of Kamet (7,756 Asters, Gentians, to mention but a few plants, and it was m). in the Zanskar Himalayas in the year 1931. impossible to take a step without crushing a flower. Next 20X THE PALAEOBOTANIST day we descended to lush meadows. Here our camp was THE PRESENTSTATE ANDCAUSEOF CONCERN embowered amidst flowers, snow-white drifts of Anemones, golden lily-like Nomocharis, Marigolds, Globe flowers, Delphiniums, Violets, Eriotrichiums, As mentioned earlier, this world-famous valley has Blue Corydalis, wild roses, flowering shrubs, and been a paradise for the lovers of Nature since long. However, during the past couple ofdecades or so, due to rhododendrons, many of these !lowers with homely these opening of the new routes and roads, and conse sounding English namcs. The Bhyunder Valley was the quently beller transport facilities, there has becn an in most beautiful valley that anyone of us has seen ... others creased influx of the visitors. Besides, due to several will visit it, analyse it and probe it but, whatever their other factors listed inthis communication, the ecological opinions, to me it will remain the Valley of Flowers, a balance of the valley has been adversely influenced. valley of peace and perfect beauty where the human There is a noticeable deterioration in the ecosystem and spirit may find repose". it is now fast losing its charm and allraclion. A visitor The area is approachable from Govindghat, its now generally returns with a feeling of despair and is in nearest road-head which is 295 km away from Haridwar, fact unable to visualize the beauty once exhibited by it. on the Haridwar-Badrinath road. After crossing the In order to restore the ecosytem and also to preserve the Alaknanda River at Govindghat, an ascending bridal valuable heritage for posterity, the valley proper together path along the Bhyunder Ganga leads to Ghangaria, 12.5 with its surroundings have been constituted into a nation km from Govindghat, from where the valley is only 25 al park, named as "The Valley ofFlowers National Park", km away. The entire area comprises steep mountains and on November 6, 1982. In spite of these efforts put in by slopes except the locale along the Pushawati River where the Government authorities, there has been no significant there is a moderately flat area of about 5 km in length improvement thus far, owing to the lack of proper scien and I to 2 km in width. The valley proper extends in tific analysis. NE-SW direction but from the temporary wooden bridge A survey of the literature reveals that the collection, on the Pushawati River to Bhamni-Dhar, the valley is enumeration, and recording of the plant species from the spread in the N-S direction. valley has been allempted by several workers including Geologically, this region falls into the central crys Smythe (1938), Ghildyal (1957), Rau (1964) and talline rocks which are ofgranite composition. The main Naithani (1984). Their publications mainly emphasize valley has been formed due to the receding of the main the taxonomic aspects, and the ecological approach, glacier Tipera Kharak. Lateral morains exhibit luxuriant particularly the phyto-sociological analysis, has hardly growlh of Belula ulilis. The rock-falls, debris-falls, and received the allention, it deserves. The present study has been undertaken to understand the vegetation composi old-sl ides, generally of scree deposits, are also common tion vis-a-vis the earlier records, relating to the environ there. The Pushawati River shifts the slope angles of the ment and other factors and to frame out some suggestions lateral moraines due to which a position of slope-in which could be helpful in maintaining and improving the stability is created. The slope conditions are ofclifftype. ecological balance. Prominent joint systems of the sets are commonly ob Our ideas are based on the analysis of our repeated served in the granite rocks. visits here during the span of two years (1986-1992), The valley continues to be in bloom for nearly three from June to middle of October. In order to prepare a list complete months although its floral composition keeps of the plants present in the valley, a herbarium has been on changing, every few days. Blooming is initiated im prepared, with the representative collection available, mediately after the snow starts melting and the peak and the plants identified after comparing these with the flowering season is witnessed from about the middle of specimens present at the Garhwal University Herbarium July to the middle of August. By September, the hue (GHU), Forest Research Inslitute Herbarium (DO), and starts Changing and the onset of autumn bids farewell to the herbarium of the Northern Circle of the Botanical the !lowers. The entire vegetation perennates for' next Survey of India, Dehradun (BSD). aboul five months, when the valley becomes completely The vegetation has been analysed from phyto snow-bound. sociological viewpoint. The belt transact method (Oost- BAMOLA. ET AL. - VANISHING PLANT WEALTH OF THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS 209

ing, 1958) was adopted for sampling. The belt was Following is the list of plants covering trees, bushes reckoned 10m for the first half km where the vegetation and herbs, that have been recorded from the valley: is dominated by trees and Alpine bushes. For the rest of Abies pindrow Royle the valley, it was I m wide since the vegetation is chiefly AceI' cappadocicum Gledt. herbaceous. A distance of 250 m was maintained be Acomastylis elew (Wall. ex Royle) F. Bolle tween each belt. The belts extended in length from the Aconitum atrox (Bruhl.) Mukherjee

J bank ofthe Pushpawati River to the point where the steep A. violaceum Jacq. ex Stapf. slopes end. Besides, the quadrat (0.50 x 0.50m) method Aconogonum rwniciJolium (Royle ex Bab.) Hara was also followed in the areas where extensive patches Agrostis munroana Ait. ex Hemsl. of Persicaria polystachya are seen. Simultaneously, the A. pilosula Trin. data for temperature and relative humidity have also Aletris peuciflora (Klotz.) Hand. Maz. been recorded on each visit. Allium humile Kunth A. wallichii Kunth Anagalis busua·(Buch.-Ham.ex D. Don) DC. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A. contorta (D.Don) Hook. f. Androsace chamaejasme Hort. A. sannentosa Wall. In our opinion the starting point ofthe valley is a spot Anaphalis cunelfolia (DC.) about 2 km off Ghangaria. For the present study, the A. vitiJolia Buch.-Ham.ex DC. temporary wooden bridge on the Pushpawati River has Angelica archengelica L. been considered as the starting point. From this place up A. glauca Edgew. to half a km, there is an area largel y occupied by the tree Anthriscus namorosa Spreng. species, growing on the steep slopes. The dominant Arabis amplexicaulis Edgew. species are: Abies pindrow and Betula utilis. Alongwith A. bijuga Watt. these, Michelia kiposa and Sorbus cuspidata are also A. nova ViiI. distributed randomly. The climber Hedera nepalensis, in Arenaria ciliolala Edgew. the form of a woody liana, is seen growing atop most of A. glanduliflora Edgew. ex Edgew. & Hook. f. the fir trees. Leaving aside this area, one finds that the A. orbiculata Royle ex Edgew. rest of the valley has predominantly herbaceous vegeta A. perlevis (Will.) Hand.-Maz. tion with scattered bushes. Almost these Rhododendron Arisaemajacquemontii BI. campanulatum and R. lapidotum are really remarkable A. propinguum Schott. for their beauty. The other Alpine bushes found rather Artemisia nilagirica (CI.) Pamp. commonly include: AceI' cappadocicum, Cotoneaster A. roxburghiana Bassev. acuminata. C. obtusa, Hippophae rhamnoides, Asterdiplostephioides (DC.) CI. . Juniperus communis, 1. indica, 1. squamata, Lonicera Astilbe rivularis Buch.-Ham.ex.D.Don obova. L. purpurescens, Myricaria bracteata, Rhus Astragalus cendolleanus Royle ex Benth. acuminata. R. punjabensis, Ribes glaciale, R. himalense. A. chlorostachys Lindl. Rubus Joliolosus, Salix Jruticosa. S. karelinii. S. A. himalayanus Klotz. lindleyana, Sorbus ursina, and Spiraea canescens. Bergenia stracheyi (Hook. f. & Thoms. Engl.) Among the herbaceous forms, P. polystachya is the Berberis umbellata Wall. ex D. Don most common species and its spread is in the largest part Betula utilis D. Don of the valley. This is followed by Allium, Anaphalis, Bistorta affine (D.Don) Greene Anemone, Bistorta, Caltha, Campanula, Corydalis, B. amplexicaulis (D. Don) Greene Galium. Gentiana. Heracleum, Impatiens, Ligularia, B. vaccinifolia (Wall. ex Massn.) Greene Morina. Oenothera, Oxyria, Pedicularis, Phomis. B. vivipara (L.) S.F. Grey Potentilla. Ranunculus, Senecio. Saussurea, Selinum, Boenninghausenia albiflora and Thalictrum, etc. (Hook.) Meissn. 210 THE PALAEOBOTANIST

Parasite Cypripedieum cordigerum D. Don Corydolis longipes DC Bosehan;aekia himalaico Hook. & Thoms.

Tall herbs Herbs

Braehyaclis anomalium (DC) Kitamurg Dauylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo Nom. B. pllhescells (DC) Ail. & CI. Denlhoneajacquelllontii Bor Briz.a media L. Desl1lodium eLegalls DC BlIplelirumfalcotwn L. var. mar!?inatum Deyeuxia pulcheLLa (Griseb.) Hook.f. Wall. ex DC) CI. Drahe praciLLima Hook.f. & Thoms. B. hamillOnii Balak. D. lasiophyLLa Royle B. himalayense Klotz. Dubyaea hispida DC Calanwgrostis emodensis Griseb. Elsholtzia cilia/{( (Thunb.) Hylender CalLianlhemul11 pimpineLLoides (D. Don) Efrulieosa (D.Don) Rehder Hook. f. & Thoms. Epilobium eylilldricwn D.Don Callha palustris L. E. lasiophyLLum Hausskn. Campanula ariswta Wall. E latilolium L. e. coloraw Wall. E paluspe L. e. lalilolia L. Epipaetis helleborine (L.) Crantz. e. JIlodesla Hook. f. Thoms. Epipogium aphyLLlIIn (Sen.) Sw. Campylolropis arioearpa (Maxim.) Schindr. E roseum (D.Don) Lindl. Cara!?mw brevispina Royle Erigeron alpinus L. Carex nivalis Bool. E Inultiradietus (Lindl. ex DC) CI. e. nuhigena D. Don. Erysimum hieraciifolium L. Cassiopelasligia/{l (Wall.) D. Don Euphorbia pilosa L. Cephalanlhera longilolia (L.) Fritsch. EuonY/11usfil1lbricatus Wall. ClwerophyLLum nubigenum (DC) Hand-Maz. E hamillonianus Wall. Cieerhila cyanea (D. Don) Beauv. F{Lllopia convolvulus (L.) Holub. e. lesserliana DC Fastuca giganlea (L.) ViII. e. nwerorhiza (Royle) Beauv. E polyeolea Stapf. Circoeasleragrestis Maxim Fragaria nuhicola Lindl. ex Lacaite Circaea alpina L. subsp. imaicola (Aschen. et FritiLLaria cirrhosa D. Don Magn.) Kitam. F. myeli Hook. Clemmis barbeLLata Edgew. Galium aeutuln Edgew. e. buchwwniana DC G. aparine L. e. connota DC G. asperifolium Wall. e. gra/(l Wall. Gaultheria trichophyLLa Royle CLinopodium ul1lbrosum (M.Bieb.) Moch. Gentiana aquatica L. e. vulgare L. G. argentea (D.Don) CI. ClinlOnia udensis Trautv. & Mey G. eontrow Royle Codonopsis viridis Wall. G. stipitata Edgew. Cortia depressa (Don) Norman G. lubijlora (G. Don) Griseb. Corydalis comuta Royle G. venus/{( (G.Don) Griseb. e. cashl1leriana Royle GentianeLLa pedunculata (D. Don) H. Sm. COlOneasleracuminata Lindl. Geranium coLLinul11Stepf. ex Willd. Cucubalas baccifer L. G. himalayense Klotz. Cyothll/a lomenlosa (Roth.) Mag. G. lamnerti Sw. e. micmphyLLus Edgew. G. nepalellSe Sw. BAMOLA. LJ AL - VANISHING PLANT WEALTH OF THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS 211

C. pratense L. Nepe{({ goveniana (Benth.) Benth. C. robertianum L. N. laevigata (D. Don) Hand.-Maz. C. wallichianwn D. Don ex Sw. Oreorehis indica (Lindl.) Hook.f. Cerhera pusilla (Wall. ex DC.) Goel et Oreorehis micrantha Lindl. Bhattacharya Origanum vulgare L. Cewil roylei Bolla Osmunda c!aytoniona COllostegia hhirta (81.) Mig. Osmorrhizo oristaw (Thunb.) Royle Coo(/yerajitsut (Lindl.) Hook. f. Oxyria digyna (L.) Hill C. repens (L.) R.Br. Parie{(lne micrantha Ledeb Hahenaria lmilahris (Lindl.) Hook.f. Panwssia rubicola Wall. ex Royle Hedera nepalensis Koch. Parochetus commttnis Buch-Ham. ex D.Don Hierochola laxa R.Br. ex Hook.f. Pedieularis bicornuw Klotz. Hippophae rlwmnoides Servo P. hifida (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Pannel Hypericum elodeoides Choisy P. gracilis Wall. ex Benth. H. hookerianum Wt. & Am. P. hojjineisteri Klotz. Inula F,randijlorum Willd. P. oderi Vehl. Iml){{tiens al11plexieaulis Edgew. P. peetinata Wall. ex Benth. I. IJicomufa Wall. Persicoria polystachya (Wall. ex Meissn.) I. glalldulifera Royle Gross. I. rocemosa DC. Phelum alpinllll1 L I. suleata Wall. Ph/omis hraeteosa Royle ex Benth. Jasminum humile L. Picrorhiza scrophulariflora Pennell Juneus himalensis Klotz. Pilea racel110sa (Royle) Tuyama Juniperus communis L. var. sexatilis Pallas Pimpinella diversifolia DC. 1. indica Berrol Pleetranthusjaponicus (Burm. f.) Koidzuma 1. squama{({ Buch.-Ham. P. meddeni Benth. ex Hook. f. Koenigia nepalensis D. Don P. rugosus Wall. ex Benth. Lamiwll album L. Pleurospermwn angelicoides (DC.) CI. Lecanthus peduncularis (Royle) Wedds. P. densiflorum (Lindl.) CI. LeontopodiuJll hinwlayanum DC. Poa pagophila Bor. Ligularia amplexicaulis DC. P. supina Schrad. L. arnicoides DC. Podophyllum hexandrum Royle Listera longij'aulis King & Pant Polemonium caeruleum subsp. himalayanwn L0I/1{{{0f!,onium carinthiacum (Wulf.) Reichnb. (Backer) Hara Lonicera odorala Royle ex Hook. f. & Thoms. Polygala crotolarioides Buch.-Ham. ex DC. L. purpureseens Walp. Polygonatum graminijolium Hook. LUz'ula multiflora (Retz.) Lej. Potentialla argyrophylla Wall. ex Lehm. Malaxis muscifera (Lindl.) Kuntz. P. artrosangllinea Lodd. Malva verticilla{(l L. P. biflora Willd. ex Schlecht Mecanopsis aculeata Royle P. ariocarpa Wall. ex Lehm. Megacarpaea polyandra Benth. P. fruticosa L. var. pwnila Hook f. Michelia ~iposaBuch.-Ham. ex DC. P.fulgens Wall. ex Hook. Morina longifolia Wall. ex DC. P. gelida C.A. Mey Muhlenbergia hil11alayensis Hook.ex Hook.f. P. lescheneulti{{/I{{ Set. Myriactis nepalensis Less. Potentilla leuconeta D. Don Myricaria hracteata Royle P. polyphylla Wall. ex Lehm. Neollia listeroides Lindl. Prenanthes brunaniana Wall. ex DC. 212 THE PALAEOBOTANIST

Primula denticulata Sm. Scrophularia edgeworthii Benth. P. elliptica Roy Ie Sedum linearifolium Royle P. macrophylla D. Don S. orcedes (Dcne.) Hornet. P. reidii Duthie S. tibeticum Hook.f ..& Thoms. var. stracheyi Prunus comuta (Wall. ex Royle) Seud. Hook. f. & Thoms. Ranunculus hirtellis Royle ex D.Don S. trullipetalum Hook. f. & Thoms. Rheum moorcroftianum Royle SelirlUm elatum (Edgew.) Hiroe R. webbianum RoyIe S. vaginatum (Edgew.) CI. Rhodiola bupleuroides Wall. (ex Hook. f. & S. wallichianum (DC.) Raizada ex Saxena Thoms.) Fu. Senecio chrysanthemoides DC. R. crenulata (Hook. f. & Thoms.) Ohba S. diversifolius Wall. ex DC. R. heterodonta (Hook. f. & Thoms.) A. Boris S. grandiflorus DC. R. imbricatum (Edges.) Welpers S. kunthianus Wall. ex DC. R. quadrifidum Pall. S. ruflnervis DC. R. sinueta (Royle ex Edgew.) Fu. Sempervivum mucronatum Edgew. R. wallichiana (Hook.) Fu Sibbaldia parviflora Willd. Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don Silene edgeworthii Bocquet R. lapidotum Wall. ex G. Don S.jelconeriana Benth. Rhus acuminata DC. S. indica Roxb. ex Otth. R. punjabensis Stewart Solidago virga-aurea L. Ribes glaciale Wall. Sorbus cuspidata (Spach.) Hedland R. himalense Royle ex Dcne. Spiraea canescens D. Don Rosa macrophylla Lindl. Stachys sericea Wall. ex Benth. Rosularia rosulata (Edgew.) H. Ohba Stellaria alsine Grimm. Rubusjoliolosus D.Don S. documbens Edgew. Segina saginoides (L.) Karaten. S. onosperma Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don Salixjruticosa Anders. Stipa roylei (Nees) Mez. S. karelinii Tutcz. Strobilanthes atropurpureus Nees. S. lindleyana Wall. ex Anders. Swertia alala (Royle ex D.Oon) CI. Salvia nubicola Wall. ex Sw. S. speciosa O. Don Sanguiscorpa diandra (Hook.f.) Nordberg S. tetragona Edgew. Saryrium nepalense D.Don Syringa emodi Wall. ex Royle Saxifiaga asarifolia Sternb. Thalictrum alpinum L. S. diversifolia Wall. ex Sering T. chelidonii DC. S. hirculus L. T. elegans Wall. ex Royle Saxifragafllicaulis Wall. ex Sering T. panciflorum Royle S. taroxijolia Wall. ex DC. T. reniforme Wall. S. jacquemontiana Dcne. T. saniculaejorme DC. S. pernessifilia D.Don Thermipsis barbata Royle S. pulvinaria H.Smith Thymus linearis Benth. S. stenophylla Roy Ie Torilisjaponica (Hovtt.) DC. Saussurea albescens (DC.) Sch. Bip. Trifolium repens L. S. auriculata (DC.) Sch. Bip. Trigonella corniculata L. S./asticosa (DC) Sch.-Bip. T. emodi Benth. ,So gnaphaloides (Royle ex DC.) Sch. Bip. Trillidium govanianum (O.Oon) Kunth. Saussurea leontodontoides (DC.) Tripterospermum volubile (O.Oon) Hara S. piptathera Edgew. Triserum aeneum (HookJ.) R.R. Steward BAMOLA. ET AL. - VANISHING PLANT WEALTH OF THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS 213

T. spicatum Bor. Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew. Trollius acaulis Lindl. Swertia angustifolia var. pulchella Burkill Urtica ardens Link. Turritis glabra L. Virbumumgrandijlorum Wall. ex DC. Veronica umbelliformis Pannell Verbascum thapsus L. V. himalensisD. Don Veronica umbelliformis Pennell. Waldheimia glabra (Dcne.) Regl. V. himalensis D.Don W. tomentosq (Dcne.) Regl. Vicatis coniifolia DC. Shifting our attention towards the abundance of P. Viola bijlora DC. polystachya. a notorious weed in this valley, it must be V. pilosa BI. emphasized that this is going to be the chief threat to the Waldhemia glabra (Dcne.) Regl. ecological balance considering the valley as a whole. It is quite alarming to note that some of the species This weed has covered nearly 39 per cent of the area and reported 2-5 decades ago from here have either totally its relative dominance is about 47 per cent. These figures vanished or are at the verge of disappearance for they are are indeed extremely staggering. Considering the steeper now seen growing rarely. It may just sound unbelievabfe slopes of the valley only, we find that the frequency of that the Himalaya Blue Poppy" (Meconopsisaculeata), this weed reaches as high as 85 per cent. If an immediate check is not imposed, this weed may cover most the for which the valley has been so famous, can hardly be of valley within a couple of years. This presumption is traced now. Following is the list of plants which ha,,:e substantiated from the fact that this plant propagates either disappeared or are encountered only rarely: through rhizomes as well as the seeds and its seed output Aconitum atrox (Bruhl.) Mukherjee is enormous. Furthermore, it not only reaches consider Allium himile Kunth. able heights 2-3 m above the ground, the underground A. wallichii Kunth. growth is even more vigorous. Besides it, only a few Anthriscus nemorosa Spreng. scattered specimens of the herbaceous plants such as Arnebia euchroma (Royle) I.M. Johnston Impatiens, Galium, Geranium, Pamessia, Pedicularis, Circaeaster agrestis Maxim. Senecio, etc. can be seen. Didicies cunninghamii King & Pant. Not only this, but Osmunda claytoniana, a fern, has Drabe lasiophylla Royle Erysimum lambertii Sw. also occupied the area in dense patches throughout the Gemanthodium decaisnei CI. valley and is in fact next only to P. polystachya in dominance. This is followed'by Impatiens gigantia and Hypericum hookerianum Wt. &. Am. Lloydia tribetica Baker ex Oliver I. gladifera sulcata, remarkable species. A point worthy Megacarpea polyandra Benth. of note is that the frequency and dominance of these two Minuartia kashmirica (Edgew.) Matt. species calculated during 1987 is higher than those Morina wallichii Royle during the previous year. This is suggestive of the fact Nardostachys grandijlora DC. that these two plants may also prove to be hazardous to Kobresia laxa Nees. pther significant herbs in the valley. Pedicularis bicornuta Klotz. Apart from the danger from the notorious weeds and P. oderii Yahl. the biotic pressure in the form of disturbances caused by P. roylei Maxim. the visitors, yet another important factor responsible for Picrorhiza scrophular'ijlora Pennell the deterioration of the floral diversity is the complete Podophyllum hexandrum Royle ban on grazing imposed by the Forest Department since Polygonium hookeri Baker 1982. Although it is true that the first cause for the Potentilla bijlora Willd. ex Schlecht. degradation of the ecosystem of this valley is beyond Primula hydei Watt. doubt heavy grazing but the fact is that the complete ban P. minutissima Jacq. ex Dubby has also contributed in the same direction is also to be P. kotundifolia Wall. noted. This should be dug along the steep slopes, since P. wigramiana W.W. Sm. it is most abundant on these sites. 214 THE PALAEOBOTANIST

Controlled sheep grazing should be permitted in the Besides, the geological catastrophes are also con valley instead of (free) open grazing or a complete ban tributing to the depletion of the vegetation from this on this practice. This may be practised in the following valley. The landsl ides or the rock-falls block the route of manner: the ri ver and small rivulets in the valley rather frequently. At the onset of the growing season, when snow starts This causes flash-floods which erode the top soil heavily, melting, the cattle should be allowed to grace freely in alongwith which the shallow-rooted herbs and seeds are .the valley for 20-30 days. Subsequently these should be washed away. shifted to the Tipra Kharak Glacier. Here the ice melts a little later and thus by this time the conditions correspond MEASURES SUGGESTED FOR RESTORING THE VEGETATION just to those in the valley, 20-30 days before. After letting the cattle to graze in this area for about 3 to 4 weeks, they After the establishment of the Valley Flowers should be further moved to the Ratanban areas or the of National Park, the Government has started looking this Lakshman Pass. Having remained there for two to two area from conservation point of view and attempts are and a half months, the cattle should be allowed to return indeed being made by the Forest Department in this through the same route. In this way, the valley proper direction but still no apparent results could be observed. will experience grazing only during the onset and the end The following remedial measures are being suggested by of the growing season. P. polystachya is amongst the the authors to prevent further deterioration: species, emerging just at the start of the growing season I. A strict check should be implemented on the of the herbs, right when snow melting gets initiated, a visitors so that the ecosystem faces least biotic considerable number of young off-shoots and seedlings pressure. of this weed are likely to be damaged or consumed by 2. Young inflorescences of P. polystachya should the cattle. Most of the flowering plants are seen to be pruned down well before anthesis to check germinate a little later in this valley. Furthermore, during the dispersal of this weed through seeds. the end of the season, most of the species complete their 3. To check the spread of P. polystachya through life-cycle and start perennation and thus there will be the deep seated root system and the underground very little harm, if any, to these forms. rhizomes, 2 m deep trenches. Since the leaves of P. polystachya are fontly con 4. A labour-force should be constantly maintained sumed by the horses, the local horse-owners, who carry in the valley area proper to remove the rocks the visitors to the Hemkund, should be encouraged to cut fallen and the debris, over the ri ver and the off this weed to be used as a forage. Assumption is rivulets expeditiously, so that there are least further proved by the comparison of the vegetation of the chances of flash-floods. adjacent areas which are frequently grazed. Instan cewise, the area between Ghangharia and Hemkund is REFERENCES very rich in floral diversity and several of the species Ghildyal BN 1957. A bOlanicallrip 10 Ihe Valley of Flowers. 1. flombay Nutl. which are absent from the valley or are represented there Hi.'t. Soc. S4 . 365-386. . only by a few specimens, are flourishing on the way to Nailhani BD 1984 Flow o!Chumoli. Howrah. Hemkund in good numbers. We have ventured to offer Oosting HJ 1958. Tile .'tudy ollile elullt commull;ty. San Francisco. Rau MA 1964. A visillO the Valley of Flowers and Lake Hemkund in North suggestions to remedy this problems in the subsequent Garhwal. Ullar Pradesh.flull. /)o/. SUIT Indiu 6.169-171 paragraphs. Smythe FS 1938. The V"IIe." 0!F/0I1'ers. London