FLORA IN INDIA
FLORA IN INDIA
The flora of India is one of the richest of the world due to a wide range of climate, topology and environments in the country. It is thought there are over 15000 species of flowering plants in India, which account for 6 percent of the total plant species in the world. Due to the wide range of climatic conditions, India holds rich variety of flora that no other country can boast of. India covers more than 45,000 species of flora, out of which there are several species that are not found anywhere else. Since ancient times, use of plants as a source of medicines has been the inherent part of life in India. There are more than 3000 officially documented plants in India that holds great medicinal potential. India comprises seven percent of world's flora. India is divided into main eight floristic regions namely - Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indus plain, Ganga plain, the Deccan, the Malabar and the Andamans
CONSERTVATION OF FLORA IN INDIA
India has an estimated 16,000 vascular plants, 5,000 endemic species and 140 endemic genera according to the latest estimates, to be published in the forthcoming Guide to the Centres of Plant Diversity (S. Davis, pers. comm.).
Areas rich in endemism are north-eastern India, the southern parts of peninsular India, the Western Ghats and the north-western and eastern Himalaya. Most of India's natural vegetation has been greatly modified by agriculture, forestry and urbanization. Over 50% of the land area is cultivated and all forests, particularly moist forest types, are rapidly being degraded as a result of population pressure and shifting cultivation.
Under the Project on Study, Survey and Conservation of Endangered Species of Flora (POSSCEP), Red Data Books have been published (Nayar, M.P. and Sastry, A.R.K. (eds) 1897, 1988, 1990. Red Data Book of Indian Plants, Vols, 1, 2 and 3. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta). The total number of threatened plant taxa in all categories is 1,331
The flora of India is one of the richest of the world due to a wide range of climate, topology and environments in the country. It is thought there are over 15000 species of flowering plants in India, which account for 6 percent of the total plant species in the world. Due to the wide range of climatic conditions, India holds rich variety of flora that no other country can boast of. India covers more than 45,000 species of flora, out of which there are several species that are not found anywhere else. Since ancient times, use of plants as a source of medicines has been the inherent part of life in India. There are more than 3000 officially documented plants in India that holds great medicinal potential. India comprises seven percent of world's flora. India is divided into main eight floristic regions namely - Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indus plain, Ganga plain, the Deccan, the Malabar and the Andamans
CONSERTVATION OF FLORA IN INDIA
India has an estimated 16,000 vascular plants, 5,000 endemic species and 140 endemic genera according to the latest estimates, to be published in the forthcoming Guide to the Centres of Plant Diversity (S. Davis, pers. comm.).
Areas rich in endemism are north-eastern India, the southern parts of peninsular India, the Western Ghats and the north-western and eastern Himalaya. Most of India's natural vegetation has been greatly modified by agriculture, forestry and urbanization. Over 50% of the land area is cultivated and all forests, particularly moist forest types, are rapidly being degraded as a result of population pressure and shifting cultivation.
Under the Project on Study, Survey and Conservation of Endangered Species of Flora (POSSCEP), Red Data Books have been published (Nayar, M.P. and Sastry, A.R.K. (eds) 1897, 1988, 1990. Red Data Book of Indian Plants, Vols, 1, 2 and 3. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta). The total number of threatened plant taxa in all categories is 1,331