State-level inventory of invasive alien plants, their source regions and use potential

Abstract

A comprehensive inventory of the invasive alien flora of India's fifth largest and most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, revealed 152 species from 109 genera and 44 families. Dicots represented 137 species and monocots 15 species. About 73% of these alien species were introduced from tropical America including South America, followed by tropical Africa (10.5%). Maximum number of species (30) were from the family Asteraceae, followed by Fabaceae (12 species), and then Amaranthaceae, Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae with eight species each. Herbs accounted for 128 species, shrubs 12 species, climbers 8 species, whereas trees and lianas 3 and 1 species respectively. People have found a large number of these alien species useful.