Assessment of Floristic Diversity in Khajjiar beat of Kalatop Khajjiar wild life sanctuary of district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Author(s): R. K. Verma

A study was carried out to know the floristic diversity along an altitudinal gradient varying from 2000-2400m above msl in Khajjair beat of Kalatop Khajjair wild life sanctuary of district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh during 2011. Total number of plant species was 101 belonging to 54 families and 95 genera. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Polygonaceae and Lamiaceae. The number of trees species was 6 and 11 with the dominance of Persea duthiei and Picea smithiana at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The number of shrub species was 9 and 22 with the dominance of Sarcococca saligna and Vibernum erubescens at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevations respectively. The number of herb species was 60 and 54 with the dominance of Polygonum capitata and Bergenia ciliata at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The distribution pattern of most of the plant species was contiguous in all altitudes. Index of diversity for herb species in these elevations ranges was 3.498 and 3.457. Out of 48 medicinal plant species recorded from the area, 2 species viz; Dioscorea deltoidea and Podophyllum hexandrum fall in the threatened category. The better conservation of natural resources can be done through promotion of community based conservation, ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting of regular training on the procedure of medicinal plants collection and processing among the end users.

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