RESEARCH PAPER Botany Volume : 5 | Issue : 2 | Feb 2015 | ISSN - 2249-555X Inventorization of Vascular plant diversity in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamrup Metro District, Assam KEYWORDS Vascular plant, Diversity, Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary A. Kar R. Borah N.K. Goswami The Energy and Resources Institute, The Energy and Resources Institute, Department of Bioengineering and North Eastern Regional Centre, North Eastern Regional Centre, Technology, Gauhati University, Chachal, VIP Road, Hengrabari, Chachal, VIP Road, Hengrabari, Guwahati Guwahati Guwahati D. Saharia The Energy and Resources Institute, North Eastern Regional Centre, Chachal, VIP Road, Hengrabari, Guwahati ABSTRACT The present investigation deals with the composition of vascular plants in the Amchang Wildlife Sanctu- ary, Assam. A total of 301 vascular plant species under 234 genera and 106 families including Pterido- phytes 35 species, Gymnosperm 01 species and Angiosperm 265 species were recorded from the sanctuary during the survey period. Angiosperm included trees (82), shrubs (19), herbs (96), climber (35), lianas (9), epiphytes (6), grass (9), bamboo (6) and palm (2) and stem parasite (1). Uses of the plants recorded under the study belong to category of timber (44), vegetable (47), medicinal (56), edible fruit (12), ornamental (46), fodder (32), broom (2) and miscellaneous uses (62). INTRODUCTION versity and on useful plants in protected areas of Assam. Protected areas are considered most effective tools for pro- Some of them are Jain & Hajra (1975) on the plant diver- tecting species from extinction and from the impact of human sity of Manas Wildlife Sanctuary; Dutta, et al., (1974) on induced threats. These areas help to conserve ecosystems forest flora of North Cachar Hills and Borail Range; Kar & that provide habitat, shelter, food, fodder, source of Non-Tim- Borthakur (2008) on Flora of Umananda Island of Brahma- ber Forest Products (NTFPs), helps in recharging ground wa- putra River; Baruah & Baruah (2000) on hydrophytes of Ka- ter, offer scope for pollination of commercially valuable crops, ziranga National Park; Baruah & Baruah (2007) on vegeta- act as carbon sink, helps in soil stabilization etc. (Noss, 1992). tion characteristics of grassland of Kaziranga National Park ; Baruah et al., (2003) on biodiversity status in Manas Bio- Assam has an geographical area of 78,433 sq. km, ly- sphere reserve; Bharali & Borua (2003) on diversity of or- ing in between 24°44΄ N to 27°45΄N latitude and 89°41΄ chid flora of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Biosphere and 96°02΄ E longitudes. The state is surrounded by hills Reserve; Gogoi et al., (2009) on orchid flora of Joypur and mountains on the north, east and the south side. To Reserve Forest of Dibrugarh district; Gogoi et al., (2009) the west, it merges with the West Bengal and Bangladesh on orchid flora of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Bio- plains. The state has the Brahmaputra valley in the north- sphere Reserve ; Gogoi (2005) on Dendrobium genus of ern part bordering to Arunachal Pradesh and the Barak Dibru-Saikhowa National park and Biosphere Reserve; Dey valley in the southern part bordering to Mizoram, Tripura et al., (2007) on Orchid diversity in Manas National Park, and Meghalaya. The state is enriching with 4273 species Assam; Pegu et al., (2013) on ethnobotanical study of Wild of vascular plants comprising of 1448 genera distributed Edible Plants in Poba Reserved Forest; Purkayastha et al., in 272 families. This represents about 25.12% of the total (2007) on ethno medicinal plants from Dibru-Saikhowa Bio- vascular flora of India (Chowdhury 2005). sphere Reserve; Bujarbarua & Sarma (2006) on the diversity of family Poaceae in Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam. So Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary was established vide govern- far Amchang wildlife Sanctuary is concern, no published lit- ment notification (order no. FRW.11/224/25), on 19-06-2004. erature is available on vascular plant diversity of Amchang Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary is an amalgamation of the three Wildlife Sanctuary and no attempt has been made to ex- erstwhile Reserve Forests (RF)- Amchang RF (53.18 sq.km), plore the sanctuary for inventorization of vascular plants. South Amchang RF (15.50 sq.km) and Khanapara RF (9.96 However, the preliminary documentation of the floral and sq.km) and lies between 26°13´E - 26°09´E and 91°50´N- faunal diversity by forest officials prior to declaration of the 91°59´N. Sanctuary is a home to diverse fauna including 44 three-reserved forest as sanctuary was done sporadically. species of mammals and over 250 species of birds. Survey Therefore, present investigations were carried out with the carried out by a research team recorded the presence of a objectives a. inventorization of vascular plant diversity of total of 38 species of mammals, 15 species of amphibians, 52 Amchang wildlife Sanctuary and b. to find out useful plants species of reptiles and 76 species of butterflies in the sanctu- of the sanctuary. ary (Sharma et al, 2011). The vegetation in the sanctuary is predominantly semi-evergreen and moist-deciduous type with MATERIALS AND METHODS secondary growth of. Shorea robusta, Tectona grandis, Bam- Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of 78.64 sq km bus spp, Musa spp, Calamus spp, etc. is located in Kamrup Metro district of Assam and lies be- tween 26°13´E - 26°09´E and 91°50´N - 91°59´N and altitu- Several publications came out on assessment of plant di- dinal ranges are 60.42 m to 312.15 m (plate 1). 48 X INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH RESEARESEARCHRCH PAPEERR Volume : 5 | Issue : 2 || FebFeb 20152015 || ISSNISSN -- 2249-555X2249-555X Detailed surveys of the vascular plants of Amchang Wild- handicraft item, piscicidal, cultural significance, local liquor, life Sanctuary were conducted from 2009 to 2012 covering silk worm food plants etc. wild species (plate 2 and plate 3). Surveys were conduct- ed from twelve sites (direction) of the sanctuary viz., Pan- ikhaiti, Hatisila, Lahapara, Bonda, Hajongbari, Thakurkuchi, Panbari, Botahghuli, Jorabat, Tepesia, Kamarkuchi, and Khanapara. Transect method of Burnham et al., 2003 was followed depending upon the habitat and forest condition. Transects were laid in a stratified random manner to cover all the representative areas of the sanctuary. The informa- tion regarding the usefulness of the recorded plants was collected from primary (forest personal, fringe villagers, herbal healer etc.) as well as secondary sources (Chowd- hury, 2005; Kar & Borthakur 2007a, 2007b, 2007c; Kar et al., 2007; Kar & Borthakur 2008a, 2008b, 2008c; Kar 2009; Kar et al., 2011a, Kar et al., 2011b; Kar et al., 2012; Bhu- tani, 2009). The collected specimens were processed into mounted herbarium specimen following standard her- barium techniques (Jain & Rao 1977). Identification of the specimens was done by comparing the field descrip- tions and observations with the descriptions available in authentic literature (Kanjilal et al 1934-40; Bennet, 1986; Chowdhury, 2005) and confirmed with ASSAM Herbarium, Shillong. Herbarium specimens were deposited at the TERI herbarium as a voucher specimen for future reference. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total number of 303 species under 235 genera from 107 families (table 1, 2 and 3) were recorded from the study area. Out of the total species Pteridophytes comprises of 24 families, 26 genera and 35 species; Gymnosperm re- corded only 01 species. Angiosperm comprises of 82 fami- lies (dicot 66 and monocot 16), 208 genera (dicot 167 and monocot 41) and 267 species (dicot 213 and monocot 54); (figure 1). Out of the total recorded 267 angiosperm spe- Plate.1 Location map of study area (Amchang Wildlife cies the composition were trees (83), shrubs (20), herbs Sanctuary) (96), climber (35), lianas (9), epiphytes (6), grass (9), bam- boo (6) and palm (2) and stem parasite (1); (figure 2). Vascular plant species diversity in the Sanctuary Among Pteridophytes, Pteridaceae is the most dominant family in the study area in respect to number of species 300 (4 species), followed by Polypodiaceae (3 species), Adian- 250 taceae and Thelypteridaceae each with 3 species. Pteris is 200 150 the dominant genera representing 4 species, followed by No 100 Lygodium with 3 species and Pyrosia, Adiantum, Diplazium 50 and Christella each with 2 species. 0 Pteridophyte Gymnosperm Angiosperm Among dicotyledons (figure 3), Asteraceae is the most dominant family in the study area in respect to number of Plant group species (15 species), followed by Euphorbiaceae (12 spe- cies), Papilionaceae, Moraceae and Verbenaceae each Figure1: Vascular plant diversity in the sanctuary with (11 species), Ceasalpiniaceae with (10 species), Ru- taceae with (8 species), Rubiaceae and Solanaceae each with (7 species) etc. In Monocot (figure 4) Poaceae is the Plant habit categorey under Angiosperm in the dominant family (19 species) followed by Araceae and Are- Sanctuary caceae each with (6 species), Orchidaceae (5 species), Cy- 100 peraceae (4 species). Among the dicotyledons Ficus is the dominant genera (figure 5) representing with 7 species fol- No 50 lowed by Cassia and Solanum each with 5 species Clero- 0 dendrum with 4 species, Sterculia, Artocarpus, Albizia, Im- Tree Herb Shrub Linas Grass Palm patiens each with 3 species. Among the monocotyledons Climber Epiphyte Bamboo dominant genera (figure 6) are Bambusa, Calamus, Cyperus Stem parasite each with 4 species followed by Commelina, Oplismenus and Vanda each with 2 species. Habit With regard to the usefulness of the 303 plant species