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ISSN: 2456–5474	RNI No. UPBIL/2016/68367	VOL.- VII , ISSUE- V June - 2022
	Innovation The Research Concept

Vascular Plant Diversity of Sahastradhara, Doon Valley, Uttarakhand

Paper Id : 16150 Submission Date : 2022-06-08 Acceptance Date : 2022-06-18 Publication Date : 2022-06-25
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Poonam Sharma
Associate Professor And HoD
Dept. Of Botany
S. G. R. R. (P. G.) College
Dehradun ,Uttarakhand, India,

Arun Joshi
Assistant Professor
Botany
S.G.R.R. (P.G.) College
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Smriti Sawan
Assistant Professor
Botany
D.A.V. (P.G.) College
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

Present investigation deals with a survey study on the vascular plant diversity of Sahastradhara, Dehradun. During the survey, about 56 species were observed which reveals that the area is rich in vascular plants. In the assemblage dicotyledons in abundance and are represented by 43 species followed by monocotyledons with 9 species. However, pteridophytes with 4 species are documented in the area.

Keywords

Vascular Plants, Species, Assemblage, Abundance, Area.

Introduction

Sahastradhara is most accessible region in terms of tourism at Dehradun, located 38º 38´ 84´´ N and 78º 12´ 94´´ E. Being, its accessibility the anthropogenic activities are happening in an alarming rate. The present study shows great diversity of angiosperms mainly vascular plants in the area. The vascular plants provide a healthy system for a long range of toxicological assays, helpful for the estimation of environmental hazards to the habitat and ecosystem (Opera et al., 2007). In estimation about 25% vascular plants are endemic to India (Singh et al., 2015) and most of them belong to Himalayan regions. Sahastradhara comes under north-west Himalaya and therefore, it is necessary to study the vegetation and its documentation from the region. The study provides a list of vascular plants diversity from the area.

Objective of study

To study the vascular plant diversity of Sahastradhara, Doon Valley which is one of the accessible tourist destination and becoming one of the hot spots of anthropogenic activities.

Review of Literature

The present study has been conducted on the basis of work done by the other workers (Byung J.W. 2014 ; Gaur RD ; Groombridge , B , Jenkin , M.1998 ; Gupta R etal. 2008 ; Opera A etal. 2007 ; Pocheville A 2015 and Singh. P. etal 2015).

Methodology

The plant materials were surveyed and collected during field excursion in winter season (November & January months) to Sahastradhara, Dehradun. The study site lies 38º 41´ 64´´ to 38º 57´ 84´´ North latitude and 78º 19´ 64´´ to 78º 26´ 84´´East longitudes. The plants were identified on the basis of relevant literatures (Gaur, 1999; Gupta et al., 2008 & Byung, 2014) and were preserved on herbarium sheets. The sheets were authentically identified by BSI (Botanical Survey of India), Northern circle, Dehradun. All the sheets have been deposited in the herbarium, Botany Department, S.G.R.R. (P.G.) College, Dehradun with their accession numbers.

Analysis

On the basis of our study following observations have been made which are summarized in Tables 1, 2 & 3.

S.No.	Plant species	Family	Habit	Life form	Accession number
1.	Barleria cristata	Acanthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0035
2.	Dicliptera roxburghiana	Acanthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0024
3.	Goldfussia dalhousiana	Acanthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0005
4.	Amaranthus gangeticus	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0018
5.	Aerva sanuinolenta	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0022
6.	Amaranthus spinosus	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0027
7.	Alternanthera pungens	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0030
8.	Carissa carandus	Apocynaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0016
9.	Thevetia neriifolia	Apocynaceae	Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0043
10.	Phoenix acaulis	Arecaceae	Small Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0033
11.	Artemisia vulgaris	Asteraceae	Herb	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0003
12.	Ageratum conyzoides	Asteraceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0047
13.	Bidens pilosa	Asteraceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0028
14.	Bidens biternata	Asteraceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0123
15.	Erigeron canadensis	Asteraceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0002
16.	Inula cappa	Asteraceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0025
17.	Siegesbeckia orientalis	Asteraceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0009
18.	Stenolobium stans	Bignoniaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0040
19.	Capsella bursa-pastoris	Brassicaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0053
20.	Chenopodium ambrosioides	Chenopodiaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0026
21	Porana paniculata	Convolvulaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0008
22.	Swida oblonga	Cornaceae	Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0007
23.	Eriophorum comosum	Cyperaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0014
24.	Dryopteris mollis	Dryopteridaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0013
25.	Equisetum arvense	Equisetaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0001
26.	Ricinus communis	Euphorbiaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0046
27.	Anisomeles ovata	Lamiaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0038
28.	Colebrookia oppositifolia	Lamiaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0036
29.	Nepeta ruderalis	Lamiaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0039
30.	Ocimum basilicum	Lamiaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0052
31.	Lagerstroemia speciosa	Lythraceae	Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0022
32.	Leucaena glauca	Mimosaceae	Small Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0006
33.	Nyctanthes arbor-tritis	Oleaceae	Small Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0055
34.	Oxalis corniculata	Oxalidaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0121
35.	Plantago major	Plantaginaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0054
36.	Plumbago zeylanica	Plumbaginaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0057
37.	Arthraxon lancifolius	Poaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0017
38.	Apluda mutica	Poaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0050
39.	Capillipedium assimile	Poaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0029
40.	Dichanthium annulatum	Poaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0019
41.	Dendrocalamus strictus	Poaceae	Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0051
42.	Eragrostis tenella	Poaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0021
43.	Polypogon monspeliensis	Poaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0032
44.	Rumex haspatus	Polygonaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0037
45.	Adiantum capillus	Pteridaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0012
46.	Pteris longifolia	Pteridaceae	Herb	Cr.	SGRRBH/12/0048
47.	Rubus ellipticus	Rosaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0010
48.	Leptodermis lanceolata	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0023
49.	Lindenbergia indica	Scrophulariaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0031
50.	Solanum hispidum	Solanaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0120
51.	Solanum verbascifolium	Solanaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0015
52.	Solanum nigrum	Solanaceae	Herb	Th.	SGRRBH/12/0056
53.	Grewia disperma	Tiliaceae	Small Tree	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0004
54.	Boehmeria platyphylla	Urticaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0020
55.	Holmskioldia sanguine	Verbenaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0041
56.	Lantana camara	Verbenaceae	Shrub	Ph.	SGRRBH/12/0034

Table 1. Vascular plant diversity of Sahastradhara.
(Th.: Therophyte; Ph.: Phanerophyte and Cr.: Cryptophyte)

S.No	Plant groups	Family		Genera		Species
S.No	Plant groups	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
1.	Angiosperms
a.	Dicotyledons	25	80.65	40	75.47	43	76.78
b.	Monocotyledons	3	9.67	9	16.98	9	16.07
2.	Pteridophytes	3	9.67	4	7.55	4	7.14
	Total	31		53		56

Table 2. Taxonomic ranks in Sahastradhara.

S.No.	Life forms	Dicotyledons		Monocotyledons		Total
S.No.	Life forms	Number	%	Number	%
1.	Herbs	24	77.42	7	22.58	31
2.	Shrubs	13	100	0	0	13
3.	Trees	6	75	2	25	8

Table 3. Vegetation structure of angiosperms in Sahastradhara.

Result and Discussion

During the study, 52 plants species of angiosperms and 4 ferns were collected. Out of 52 species, 43 species with 40 genera belong to Dicotyledons and 9 species with 9 genera belong to Monocotyledons. Total 28 families of flowering plants were recorded with 49 genera 52 species of angiospermic plants. Among the plant life forms the biggest group was of herb (31) which is followed by shrub with 13 species, trees with 8 species and no climber were recorded. Total 52 species were reported from the study area. The life forms reported were therophytes (46.42%), phanerophytes (41.07%) and cryptophytes (12.5%). The 25 families represented dicot with 40 genera and 43 species. 3 families of monocots with 9 genera and 9 species. A total of 52 vascular plant species were reported from the study area. Over all, dicots contributed 76.78 % of the total species. Only a plant species of monocot observed and calculated from the site. It contributed 16.07% of the total plant species. Pteridophytes contributed 7.14 % of total species. It is found that the vegetation of Sahastradhara is mixed vegetation by number of families mainly Asteraceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae and Amaranthaceae. The family Asteraceae and Poaceae includes largest number of species. The Asteraceae includes 7 species and 6 genera and Poaceae includes 7 species and 7 genera.

Findings

The study revealed that the area has such luxuriant vascular plant vegetation maintaining several ecological niches within the vicinity. The vegetation is helpful in maintaining ecological services and balance (Pocheville, 2015).

Conclusion

Several anthropogenic activities like unplanned development work, habitat destruction, over exploration grazing etc. are becoming major threats to these important plants. Therefore, it is essential to conserve this irreplaceable biodiversity and to minimize its loss through sustainable management and conservation practices (Groombridge and Jenkins, 1998).

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the Principal S.G.R.R. (P.G.) College Dehradun for the facilities and encouragement to carry out this research work.

References

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