Distribution of vegetation types in North-West Himalaya with brief remarks on Phytogeography and Floral resource conservation

Abstract

The vegetational wealth of northwest Himalaya is discussed in this paper. Unlike the vegetation of eastern Himalaya, the forests are not diverse and rich. The forests here are mainly classified under (i) tropical forests, (ii) subtropical forests, (iii) temperate forests, (iv) subalpine forests and (v) alpine vegetation, primarily based on the altitude. The plant resources of the region are briefly outlined with reference to (i) wild edible plants, (ii) medicinal and aromatic plants, (iii) ornamental plants, (iv) orchids, (v) fodder resources, (vi) bamboos and (vii) other biologically interesting species. The brief phytogeographical affinities of the northwest Himalayan flora, the major threats to the flora and some conservation programmes are also discussed.