Floristic diversity and taxonomic profile of the vegetation of Achanakmar-Amarkantak biosphere reserve, Central India

Abstract

Vegetation of the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (AABR) represents tropical mixed deciduous, tropical moist deciduous, and dry scrub and thorn forest, ravines, grasslands and aquatic types. The collections from the area and their subsequent critical study have resulted in the documentation of 1,011 species, distributed under 571 genera and 134 families of flowering plants. Out of these, 755 species under 432 genera and 104 families belong to dicots and the remaining 256 species under 139 genera and 30 families to monocots. Further analysis of data indicated that Family Poaceae is the most diverse and is represented by 112 species, followed by Fabaceae with 76 spp., Asteraceae with 72 spp., Cyperaceae with 40 spp., Acanthaceae with 36 spp. etc. At generic level, the genus Cyperus comprised maximum number of 15 species, followed by Ficus with 12 spp., Crotalaria with 12 spp., Ipomoea with 11 spp., Cassia with 11 spp., etc. A large number of species growing in this area are of medicinal and economic value and used by local inhabitants. The floristic diversity of the AABR has been analysed for the first time. A brief account of area, climatic conditions, vegetation types, medicinal and economic plants, analysis of flora and causes of threat to the flora are discussed.