floristic diversity of ambaji forest in banaskantha

The Wo r ld Jo urna l o f Eng ineer ing & A pp l ied Sc ience I SSN 2349 -4514 I CV I mpact Fact o r 2 . 05

www.twjeas.org | Online International Research Journal Vol: 03 Issue: 05 (Sept.) 2017 of 19

1Patel R.S. and 2Reddy A.S.

1Biology department, KKSJ Maninagar Science College,

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

2Department of Bioscience, Sardar Patel University,

Vallabh vidhyanagar, Gujarat, India

Gujarat is situated in the Central Western part of India, with an area of 1, 96,020 Sq. km. The

Eastern hilly region is formed by Southern, Western and Northern extension of Aravalli,

Satpura and Sahyadri (Western Ghat) Mountain ranges respectively. Ambaji range forest

belonging to Banaskantha District. It is a part of Ambaji-Balaram wildlife sanctuary. Ambaji

is a town within taluka Danta of District Banaskantha, North Gujarat.India. The Pin code of

Ambaji town is 385110 It is known for its historical and mythological connections. Ambaji

town is known for possessing mines which produce fine quality marble and granite. Ambaji

town is located at 24.33°N 72.85°E. It is at altitude of 480 metres (1,570 ft) surrounded by

Aravalli hills. Ambaji range forest is a part of Danta taluka of 300 sq. km. geographical area

of the range. North Gujarat is following under Boswellia forest type (Champion & Seth 1968),

the following are the three main forests upon which the local people depending for various

purposes. Present paper deals with total 9 Sacred groves and 51 sacred plants are enumerated

from the different sacred groves of forest patches protected by the local people through

religious belief and cultural practices evolved to minimize destruction. These sacred groves

are being protected for generations together to maintain the unique diversity, endemic,

FLORISTIC DIVERSITY OF AMBAJI FOREST IN

BANASKANTHA DISTRICT, GUJARAT, INDIA

ABSTRACT

Article

Received on

11 July 2017

Accepted on:

19 Aug 2017



medicinal and useful valued species. Extensive field trips were carried out in the sacred grove

at monthly intervals. Specimens of flowering plants were collected and identified with the aid

of different regional floras.

KEY WORDS : Sacred grove, Traditional, Tribals, Ambaji forest areas

Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana and Patan are the four districts of North Gujarat, among

them in Banaskantha district the Danta and Ambaji range forests are the part of Danta taluka

having the part of Aravalli hills. Ambaji range forest is a part of Danta taluka situated on

eastern part of the Banaskantha district in North Gujarat. The forest type is dry deciduous and

scrub (Champion and Seth, 1968) harbors about 400 tracheophyte plant species, including

pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. These forest areas are inhabited by around 20

tribes. These forests are inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups including the tribes like

Bubadiya, Parghi, Taral, Bhemiyat, Dhrangi, Khair, Laur, Makwana, Dabhi, Solanki,

Chauhan, Gamar, Parmar, Rohisa, Rathod, Mansi, Damor, Khermal, Kodarvi etc. These tribes

cover 48 per cent of the total population. The adivasi (local people) dwelling in the forest have

good knowledge of herbal medicine. The herbal practice is a part and parcel of their life and

is developed into an efficient method of healthcare system, though it is diffused outside their

societies. The present investigation was carried out in Ambaji range forest of Banaskantha

district of North Gujarat.

Fig:1 Map of Study area

INTRODUCTION



Tribal people of Ambaji forest range directly depend upon forest resources for

their daily needs. Ambaji is within the Aravali Range literally meaning 'line of peaks', is a

range of mountains in western India running approximately 800 km in a northeastern direction

across Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. It is also called Mewat hills

locally. Ambaji town also in between the borders of North Gujarat and Abu Road of Rajasthan.

As of 2001 India census, Ambaji had a population of 13,702. Males constitute 53% of the

population and females 47%. Ambaji has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the

national average of 59.5%, with 60% of the males and 40% of female’s literate. 14% of the

population is under 6 years of age.

Ambaji enjoys all types of weather. In Summer, it's hot and humid and temperature

remains between 26-46°C Degrees with hot winds. In Winter, the temperature ranges between

10 and 36 degrees Celsius during this period, which is quite cold and best time and in Monsoon

Season, the average rainfall is about 15 to 30 inches per season, sometimes even heavy

rainfall. Ambaji is at Altitude: 480 m. Therefore, weather remains relatively pleasant

throughout the year.

Synoptic View

Saxton & Sedgwick (1918) and Yogi (1969) have listed most abundant families available in

the area. I have prepared similar list of ten dominent families for comparative study for the

present area.

Table.1. The ten dominated families of Ambaji Range Forest.

Sr.No. Name of the family Present study Yogi

(1970)

Saxton &

Sedgwick

(1918)

Shah

(1978)

1. Papilionaceae 43 77 55 194

2. Poaceae 34 132 257 241

3. Asteraceae 25 42 197 89

4. Acanthaceae 20 27 108 69

5. Euphorbiaceae 20 35 91 63

6. Cyperaceae 17 50 86 108

7. Cucurbitaceae 15 23 27 33

8. Convolvulaceae 14 31 24 52

9. Rubiaceae 11 13 84 30

10. Amaranthaceae 10 17 23 26



Analysis of floral hierachis

The following table shows the total number of families, genera and species of the area.

Table 2. Synoptic view of no. of families, genus and species.

Class/group Families Genus Species

Dic

otyl

edon

s

Polypetalae 42 113 180

Gamopetalae 24 111 142

Monochlamydae 08 25 44

Monocotyledons 11 47 68

Total 85 296 434

Papilionaceae Poaceae Asteraceae Acanthaceae Euphorbiaceae Cyperaceae

4334 25 20 20 17

194

241

8969

63

108

Fig. 1. Comperative account of dominated families of Ambaji Forest



General Aspects of Vegetation

The vegetation of the area is of semi arid, open, scrub type. The trees and shrubs are widely

spaced. Deciduous trees are situated in dense forest in both hilly region and slopes also. The

annuals grow during short season from September to March, mostly herbs and shrubs were

noted in flowering stage but trees were found in vegetative stage. During this investigation

time, it was observed that the members of

Asteraceae, Tiliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mimosaceae, Poaceae, Sapindaceae, Solanaceae,

Rubiaceae, Rhamnaceae, Amaranthaceae and Acanthaceae were dominantly found in

different forests pockets.

During March, April and May the herbaceous plants and lower cryptogams like Bryophytes

and Pteridophytes were not seen but they started appearing as forest undergrowth on the onset

of monsoon in late June or early July and continue to remain present till January and February.

Due to extreme climatic condition there is a great variation in the herbaceous flora. Most of

the herbs starts their life cycle by the beginning of the monsoon and complete it by the end of

December-January. Some of them however, can with stand cold weather and may continue to

grow upto April while still others may be seen only upto the end of September. In general the

number of species is the largest during October and the smallest during April-May. When the

area receives first showers of monsoon, naturally there is a change from dry soil to the wet

and a large number of perennials and seed-propagating annuals appear above ground. From

June onwards the number of species increases gradually and attains the highest peak in

41%

33%

10%

16%

Polypetalae Gamopetalae

Monochlamydae Monocotyledons

Fig. 2. Synoptic view of floral components



October when the monsoon ends. During winter, low temperature has got an adverse effect

on the vegetation. From March onwards, upto the middle of May, the humidity in the

atmosphere is very poor and due to gusty winds and hot sun, the evaporation is rapid killing a

large number of tender herbs.

Most of the monocotyledons are short lived and they disappear by the middle of the rainy

season. Patches of grasses are often spotable either by their height, they are Apluda mutica L.,

Heteropogon contortus (L.) Sorghum halepense (L.) Stapf., Aristida adscensionis L.,

Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P. Beauv., Digitaria

adscendens (H.B. & K.) Henr., Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link., Paspalidium flavidum

(Retz.) etc.

Hill Forests

These occur in patches in the hilly parts of the range. These hills such as Menagar hill, Gabbar

hill, Surilo bhankhro, Raheniyo bhankhro, Rinchhado bhankhro, Matasur bhankhro, Dharaho

bhankhro, Rabaranvalo bhankhro, Pareva nu pani hill, Godi ni bhes area etc.

Thorny scrub jungle mixed with dry deciduous forest type is seen on slopes of hills.

The following are rare tree species found with restricted distribution.

Acacia farnesiana L.; Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Bth. & Hk. & ex Brand.; Albizia procera

(Roxb.) Bth.; Anogeissus sericea Brandis.; Bridelia retusa (L.) Spr.; Crateva nurvala Buch.

Ham. var. nurvala; Dalbergia lanceolaria L.; Dalbergia paniculata Roxb.; Ficus arnottiana

Miq.; Gmelina arborea Roxb.; Morinda tomentosa Heyne ex Roth.; Moringa concanensis

Nimmo in Grah.; Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.; Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochreut.;

Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.; Schrebera swietenioides Roxb. Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.)

A.Juss.; Tecomella undulata (Sw.) Seem.; Tectona grandis L. f.

Following are the rare shrubs found in Ambaji range forest::

Acacia pennata (L.) Willd.; Adhatoda vasica (L.) Nees; Agave americana L.; Carissa

congesta Wt.; Clerodendrum multiflorum (Burm. f.) O. Ktze. Crotalaria retusa L.;

Dendrophthoe falcata (L. f.) Etting.; Dyerophytum indicum (Gibs ex Wt.) O. Ktze.; Helicteres

isora L.; Indigofera oblongifolia Forsk.; Indigofera tinctoria L.; Jatropha curcas L.;

Lawsonia inermis L.; Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne.; Melhania futteyporensis

Munro.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Opuntia elatior Mill.; Plumbago zeylanica L.; Securinega

virosa (Roxb. ex Willd) Pax & Hoffm.; Typha angustata Bory &Chaub.; Withania somnifera

(L.) Dunal; Xeromphis spinosa (Thunb.) Keay.

Herbs



Acalypha ciliata Forsk.; Aerva lanata (L.) Juss.; Aloe barbadensis Mill.; Alysicarpus

vaginalis (L.) DC.; Ammania multiflora Roxb.; Barleria prattensis Santapau; Cassia italica

(Mill.) Lam. ex F.W. Andrews subsp. micrantha; Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. et

Fernand.; Cleome monophylla L.; Clitoria biflora Dalz.; Corchorus tridens L.; Croton

bonplandianum Baill.; Cucurbita maxima Duch.; Cyathocline purpurea (D.Don.) O. Ktze.;

Dentella repens (L.) Forst.; Dipteracanthus patulus (Jacq.) Nees; Eranthemum roseum (Vahl.)

R. Br. Euphorbia prostrata Ait.; Flaveria australasica Hk. f.; Goniogyna hirta (Willd.) Ali;

Haplanthus verticillatus (Roxb.) Nees; Hewittia sublobata (L.f.) O. Ktze.; Hygrophilla

serphyllum (Nees.) T. Anders.; Indigofera tenuifolia Rottl.; Iphigenia indica (L.) A. Gray;

Justicia simplex D.Don.; Lepidagathis cristata Willd.; Leucas biflora R.Br.; Leucas

lavandulaefolia Rees.; Limnophila indica (L.) Druce; Merremia gangetica (L.) Cufod.;

Mollugo cerviana (L.) Ser. in DC.; Pedalium murex L.; Phyllanthus debilis Klein.; Pimpinella

heyneana Wall.; Polycarpaea corymbosa (L.) Lam.; Polygonum plebeium R.Br.; Rhyncosia

aurea DC.; Rungia pectinata (L.) Nees; Spergula arvensis L.; Teramnus labialis (L.f.) Spr.;

Tricholepis radicans (Roxb.) DC.; Urena lobata L.; Verbascum chinense (L.) Sant.; Vigna

umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi & Ohashi.

Vegetation along the roadsides and hedges

A number of plants grow as weeds. Acanthospermum hispidum DC.; Cassia auriculata Linn.;

Echinops echinatus Roxb.; Xanthium strumarium Linn. etc. are common. Other scattered

plants are Amaranthus spinosus Linn.; Digera muricata Mart.; Sida cordifolia; Sida ovata;

Waltheria indica L.; Corchorus aestuans L.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Tribulus terrestris

L.; Zizyphus mauritiana Lam.; Alysicarpus procumbens (Roxb.) Schindl.; Tephrosia

purpurea (L.) Pers.; Cassia occidentalis L.; Blumea mollis (D.Don.) Merrill; Eclipta prostrata

(L.) L.; Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ram. & Raj.

On the hedges a number of twiners belonging to various families such as Capparaceae,

Convolvulaceae, Menispermaceae, Papilionaceae, Vitaceae, Asclepiadaceae etc. are found.

The general pattern of vegetation is of a scrub forest type the dominant species are: Abutilon

indicum (L.) Sw.; Hibiscus ovalifolius (Forsk.) Vahl.; Melochia corchorifolia L.; Triumfetta

rhomboidea Jacq.; Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del.; Boswellia serrata Roxb.; Maytenus

emarginata (Willd.) D. Hou; Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merrill.; Butea monosperma

(Lam.) Taub.; Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet; Caesalpinia crista L.;

Cassia auriculata L.; Delonix elata (L.) Gamble; Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd.;

Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.; Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Bth.; Prosopis juliflora



(Sw.) DC.; Ageratum conyzoides L.; Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Xanthium strumarium L.;

Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Holarrhena antidysenterica

(Heyne ex Roth) Wall.; Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.; Hemigraphis latebrosa (Heyne ex Roth.)

Ness. var. heyneana; Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus (Nees) Dalz.; Lantana camara L. var.

aculeata; Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze; Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit;, Amaranthus spinosus

L.; Ficus carica L.; Ficus hispida L.f.; Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb.

Fig:3 Menagahar Forest near Koteshwar

Common trees

Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd.; Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wang.; Boswellia serrata

Roxb.; Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.; Cordia dichotoma Forsk.; Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.;

Delonix elata (L.) Gamble; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennett.; Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.;

Ficus benghalensis L.; Ficus hispida L.f.; Ficus racemosa L.; Holarrhena antidysenterica

(Heyne ex Roth.) Wall.; Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch.; Lannea coromandelica

(Houtt.) Merrill.; Limonia acidissima L.; Madhuca indica J.f. Gmel; Miliusa tomentosa

(Roxb.) Sinclair; Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb.; Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.; Sterculia urens

Roxb.; Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.; Wrightia dolichocarpa Bahadur & Bennett ;

Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.; Zizyphus mauritiana Lam.

Trees found occasional

Acacia chundra (Roxb. ex Rottl.) Willd.; Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. subsp. indica (Bth.);

Acacia radiana Savi.; Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr.; Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.; Albizia lebbeck

(L.) Bth.; Albizia odoratissima (L. f.) Bth.; Annona squamosa L.; Anogeissus latifolia

(Roxb.) Wall. ex Bedd.; Azadirachta indica A. Juss.; Balanites aegyptiaca (L) Del.; Bauhinia

racemosa Lam.; Bombax ceiba L.; Cassia fistula L.; Cordia gharaf (Forsk.) Ehrenb.;

Dendrocalamus strictus Nees in Linnaea.; Emblica officinalis Gaertn.; Erythrina suberosa



Roxb.; Ficus religiosa L.; Ficus carica L.; Ficus virens Rees.; Grewia tiliaefolia Vahl. var

tiliaefolia.; Mangifera indica L.; Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth.l Pithecellobium dulce

(Roxb) Bth.; Prosopis cineraria (L.) Drace; Salvadora oleoides Decne.; Salvadora persica

L.; Sapindus laurifolius Vahl.; Spermadictyon suaveolens Roxb.; Tamarindus indica L.;

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) W. & A.; Terminalia crenulata Roth.; Vitex negundo L.; Wrightia

tomentosa R. & S.; Zizyphus xylopyra (Retz.) Willd.

Rare

Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.; Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Bth. & Hk. f. ex Brandis; Albizia

procera (Roxb.) Bth.; Anogeissus pendula Edgew.; Anogeissus sericea Brandis.; Bridelia

retusa (L.) Spr.; Dalbergia paniculata Roxb.; Dalbergia lanceolaria L.; Ehretia laevis

Roxb.; Erythrina suberosa Roxb.; Ficus arnottiana Miq.; Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr.;

Gmelina arborea Roxb.; Hymenodictyon excelsum (Roxb.) Wall.; Manilkara hexandra

(Roxb.) Dub.; Melia azedarach L.; Morinda tomentosa Heyne. ex Roth.; Moringa

concanensis Nimmo. in Grah; Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.; Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.)

Hochreut.; Pandanus odoratissimus L.f.; Parkinsonia aculeata L.; Samanea saman (Jacq.)

Merrill.; Schrebera swietenioides Roxb.; Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.) A. Juss.; Syzygium

heyneanum Wall.; Tecomella undulata (Sw.) Seem.; Tectona grandis L. f.

Common Shrubs

Abutilon indicum (L.) Sw.; Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze.; Asparagus gonoclados Baker;

Caesalpinia crista L.; Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br.; Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew.;

Capparis sepiaria L.; Cassia auriculata L.; Cassia occidentalis L.; Desmodium gangeticum

(L.) DC. var. gangeticum; Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.; Euphorbia nerifolia L.;

Grewia flavescens Juss.; Lantana camara L. var. aculeata.; Maytenus emarginata (Willd.)

D. Hou; Ocimum gratissimum L.; Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Pupalia lappacea (L.) Just.;

Sida acuta Burm.f.; Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Vicoa

indica (L.) DC.; Waltheria indica L.

Occasional:

Adhatoda vasica (L.) Nees; Agave americana L.; Baliospermum montanum (Willd.) Muell.-

Arg.; Barleria prionitis L.; Cadaba fruticosa (L.) Druce; Carissa congesta Wt.; Corchorus

olitorius L.; Crotalaria linifolia L.; Datura innoxia Mill.; Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Etting;

Dyerophytum indicum ( Gibs. ex Wt.) O. Ktze.; Eranthemum roseum (Vahl.) R. Br.;

Euphorbia nivulia Buch.Ham.; Grewia hirsuta Vahl.; Indigofera astragallina DC.;

Indigofera tinctoria L.; Jatropha curcas L.; Kirganelia reticulata (Poir.) Baill.; Opuntia



elatior Mill.; Sida ovata Forsk.; Sida cordifolia L.; Solanum indicum L.; Tephrosia villosa

(L.) Pers.; Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.; Zizyphus nummularia (Burm. f.) W. & A.;

Zizyphus oenoplia (L.) Mill.

Rare

Acacia pennata (L.) Willd.; Aloe barbadensis Mill. ; Barleria prattensis Santapau;

Crotalaria retusa L.; Indigofera oblongifolia Forsk.; Lawsonia inermis L.; Leptadenia

pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne.; Melhania futteyporensis Munro.; Plumbago zeylanica L.;

Securinega virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Pax & Hoffm.; Xeromphis spinosa (Thunb.) Kaey;

Common herbs and undershrubs

Acalypha indica L.; Acanthospermum hispidum DC.; Achyranthes aspera L var. aspera.;

Ageratum conyzoides L.; Alloteropsis cimicina (L.) Stapf.; Alysicarpus procumbens (Roxb.)

Schindl.; Amaranthus spinosus L.; Ammania baccifera L.; Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees;

Argemone mexicana L.; Bergia suffruticosa (Del.) Fenzl; Bidens biternata (Lour.) Merr. &

Sherff; Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) Roth.; Blumea mollis (D. Don.) Merr.; Boerhavia

diffusa L.; Borreria articularis ( L. f.) F.N. Will.; Borreria stricta (L.f.) K. Schum.;

Bulbostylis barbata (Rottb.) Cl.; Cassia pumila Lam.; Cassia tora L.; Celosia argentea L.;

Cenchrus ciliaris L.; Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad; Cleome viscosa L.; Commelina

benghalensis L.; Commelina diffusa Burm. f.; Convolvulus microphyllus (Roth.) Sieb. ex

Spr.; Conyza stricta Willd.; Corchorus aestuans L.; Crotalaria medicaginea Lam.; Cucumis

sativus L.; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; Cyperus alulatus Kern.; Cyperus exaltatus Retz. var.

dives; Cyperus iria L. var. iria.; Cyperus rotundus L. subsp. rotundus.; Desmodium triflorum

(L.) DC.; Digera muricata (L.) Mart.; Digitaria adscendens ( H. B. & K.) Sub sp. Adscendens;

Elytraria acaulis (L.F.) Lindau; Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.; Enicostema hyssopifolium

(Willd.) Verdoon; Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R. Br. var. brachystachya.; Euphorbia hirta L.;

Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl. var. pluristriata.; Glinus lotoides L.; Hemigraphis

latebrosa (Heyne ex Roth.) Nees var. heyneana.l Hibiscus ovalifolius (Forsk.) Vahl.; Hyptis

suaveolens (L.) Poit.; Indigofera cordifolia Heyne.; Indigofera linnaei Ali in Bot.; Ipomoea

coptica (L.) Roth.; Justicia diffusa Willd.; Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya &

Rajgopal; Leucas urticaefolia R.Br.; Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb var. amara Lam.; Luffa

cylindrica (L.) M.J. Roem.; Martynia annua L.; Melilotus indica Ali.; Merremia gangetica

(L.) Cufod.; Momordica charantia L.; Momordica dioica Roxb.; Neuracanthus

sphaerostachyus (Nees) Dalz.; Ocimum canum Sims.; Oplismenus burmanii (Retz.) P.

Beauv.; Panicum psilopodium Trin var. psilopodium.; Paspalidium flavidum (Retz.) A.



Comus; Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz.) Nees; Phyllanthus fraternus Webster; Physalis

minima L.; Polygala chinensis L.; Polygonum barbatum L. var. gracile Steward; Portulaca

oleracea L.; Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. var. laxiflora.; Sesamum indicum L.; Setaria glauca

(L.) P. Beauv.; Solanum nigrum L.; Solanum surattense Burm. f.; Sporolobus diander (Retz.)

P. Beauv.; Trianthema portulacastrum L.; Tribulus terrestris L.; Tridax procumbens L.;

Triumfetta rotundifolia Lam.; Urginea indica (Roxb.) Kunth; Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.;

Xanthium strumarium L.; Zornia gibbosa Span.

Occasional

Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medic.; Acalypha ciliata Forsk.; Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.;

Alysicarpus monilifer (L.) DC.; Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC.; Amaranthus viridis L.;

Amorphophallus commutatus (Schott.) Engler; Anagallis arvensis var. coerulea (Schreb.)

Gren. & Godr.; Anaphalis cutchica L.; Arthraxon meeboldii Stapf.; Bacopa monnieri (L.)

Pennell; Blainvillea acumella (L.) Philip.; Blepharis repens (Vahl.) Roth; Boerhavia chinensis

(L.) Druce; Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A. Campus; Cardiospermum halicacabum L.; Cassia

absus L.; Cassia obtusifolia L.; Catharanthus pusillus (Murr.) G. Don.; Chenopodium album

L.; Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mats & Nak.; Cleome gynandra L. ; Clitoria biflora Dalz.;

Coldenia procumbens L.; Commelina erecta L.; Crotalaria hirsuta Willd.; Cucumis setosus

Cogn.; Cucurbita maxima Duch.; Curcuma inodora Blatt.; Cyperus squarrosus L.; Cyperus

bulbosus Vahl.; Cyperus compressus L.; Cyperus difformis L.; Cyperus nutans Vahl var.

eleusinoides (Kunth) Haines; Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P. Beauv.; Desmodium

neomexicanum A. Gray; Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.; Eragrostis cilliaris (L.) R.Br. var. cilliaris.;

Euphorbia geniculata Ort.; Euphorbia orbiculata H. B. & K.; Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L.;

Fimbristylis aestivalis (Retz.) Vahl.; Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl. var. pluristriata.;

Gloriosa superba L.; Glossocardia bosvallea (L. f.) DC.; Gnaphalium indicum L.;

Gomphrena celosioides Mart.; Grangea maderaspatana (L.) Poir.; Heliotropium marifolium

Koen.; Heliotropium supinum L.; Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. Beauv.; Hybanthus

enneaspermus (L.) F. Muell; Impatiens balsamina L. var. coccinea; Indigofera tenuifolia

Rottl.; Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.; Ipomoea sinensis (Desr.) Choisy; Justicia simplex D. Don.;

Kickxia ramossisima (Wall.) Janch.; Lepidagathis trinervis Wall.; Leucas aspera (Willd.)

Spr.; Leucas biflora R.Br.; Leucas cephalotes (Roxb ex. Roth.) Spr.; Lindenbergia muraria

(Roxb ex. D.Don.) P. Bruehl.; Lindernia crustacea (L.) F. Muell.; Ludwigia octovalvis subsp.

sessiliflora.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsp.; Merremia tridentata (L.) Hall. f. subsp.

tridentata.; Mollugo pentaphylla L.; Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan; Nothosaerva



brachiata (L.) Wt.; Oldenlandia corymbosa L.; Oxalis corniculata L.; Pedalium murex L.;

Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.; Phyla nodiflora (L.) Grecne; Phyllanthus virgatus Forst.;

Polygala erioptera DC.; Polygonum plebeium R.Br.; Rhynchosia aurea DC.; Sclerocarpus

africanus Jacq.; Setaria tomentosa (Roxb.) Kunth; Sida cordata (Burm. f.) Borss.; Sonchus

asper L.; Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.; Spergula arvensis L.; Sphaeranthus indicus L.; Striga

angustifolia (D.Don.) Saldhana; Tephrosia strigosa (Dalz.) Sant. & Mahesh; Trichodesma

amplexicaule Roth.; Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Ohashi; Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

var. sublobata (Roxb.) Verdc.; Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt.; Vigna umbellata (Thunb.)

Ohwi & Ohashi.

Rare

Aerva lanata (L.) Juss.; Ammania multiflora Roxb.; Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant.;

Cleome monophylla L.; Corchorus tridens L.; Croton bonplandianum Baill.; Cuscuta

chinensis Lam.; Cyathocline purpurea ( D. Don.) O. Ktze; Dentella repens (L.) Forst.;

Dipteracanthus patulus (Jacq.) Nees; Flaveria australasica Hk. f.; Goniogyna hirta (Willd.)

Ali; Haplanthus verticillatus (Roxb.) Nees; Hewittia sublobata (L. f.) O. Ktze.; Hygrophila

serphyllum (Nees.) T. Andres.; Iphigenia indica (L.) A. Gray; Lepidagathis cristata Willd.;

Leucas lavandulaefolia J.E.; Limnophila indica (L.) Druce.; Lindernia ciliata (Colsm.)

Pennell; Mollugo cerviana Ser.; Phyllanthus debilis Klein.; Pimpinella heyneana Wall.;

Polycarpaea corymbosa (L.) Lam.; Rungia pectinata (L.) Nees; Teramnus labialis (L. f)

Spreng.; Tricholepis radicans DC.; Typha angustata Bory & Chaub.; Urena lobata L.;

Verbascum chinense (L.) Santapau

When the soil is completely dry during summer, such plants survive and disappear only after

the first few showers of the next monsoon.

Flora of cultivated fields

Following are the main cultivated crops in this area.

Abelmoschus esculentus Moench.; Cajanus cajan Millsp.; Cucumis sativus Linn.; Dolichos

trilobus Linn.; Lagenaria leucantha (Duch.) Rusby.; Luffa acutangula Roxb.; Luffa

cylindrica M. J. Roem.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum A. Shaw.; Phaseolus aconitifolius Jacq.;

Phaseolus angularis Wt.; Vigna unguiculata Walp.; Zea mays Linn.

Common Trees

Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wang.;Boswellia serrata Roxb.;Butea monosperma (Lam.)

Taub.; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet; Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.; Holarrhena

antidysenterica (L.) Wall ex G. Don; Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch.; Lannea



coromandelica (Houtt.) Merrill; Limonia acidissima L.; Nyctanthes arbortristis L.; Sapindus

laurifolius Vahl. ; Sterculia urens Roxb.; Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.

Common shrubs

Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Ktze.; Corchorus olitorius L.; Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) W. & A.;

Grewia flavescens Juss.; Lantana camara L . var. aculeata (L.) Mold.; Ocimum gratissimum

L.; Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.; Vicoa indica (L.) DC.

Herbs

Achyranthes aspera L. var. aspera.; Andrographis echiodes (L.) Nees; Bidens biternata

(Lour.) Merr. & Sherff; Boerhavia diffusa L.; Borreria articularis (L.f.) F.N. Will.; Borreria

stricta (L.f.) K. Schum.; Cassia pumila Lam.; Cassia tora L.; Conyza stricta Willd.;

Corchorus aestuans L.; Cyanotis cristata (L.) Schult. f.; Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC.;

Elytraria acaulis (L.F.) Lindau ; Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.; Hemigraphis latebrosa (Heyne

ex. Roth). Nees. var. heyneana Bremek.; Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F. Muell; Hyptis

suaveolens (L.) Poit.; Justicia diffusa Willd.; Leucas aspera (Willd.) Spr.; Leucas urticaefolia

R.Br.; Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus (Nees.) Dalz.; Ocimum canum Sims.; Polygala

chinensis L.; Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. var. laxiflora (Camb.) Baker; Striga angustifolia

(D.Don.) Saldhana; Trichodesma amplexicaule Roth.; Triumfetta rotundifolia Lam.; Urginea

indica (Roxb.) Kunth.; Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt.

Parasites in the area

During botanical exploration, the following parasites are collected.

Cuscuta chinensis Lamk.; Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.; Dendrophthoe falcata Etting.; Striga

angustifolia (D.Don.) Saldhana.

Fig:4 Dense Forest of Trishuliyaghat



Present study reveals that the ambaji forest represents the unique vegetation of the dry

deciduous forest. The area is blessed with rich vegetation and holds Numbers of botanically

interesting, economically important, endangered, threatened, endemic, and exotic elements. It

also shows that ambaji forest have good potential of medicinal plants. The forest is not only

rich in floristic diversity but also harbours many wildlife species of mammals, birds, reptiles

and amphibians.

Considering its importance there is urgent need to protect this forest. For controlling further

loss and restoration of plant diversity in future, reorientation of the attitudes of local

indigenous community towards, restoration and maintaining biodiversity is of utmost

importance. For immediate conservation of plant resources, effective environmental

awareness programmes from Government and non-Government organizations in

collaboration with local people is desired. To plan or launch any policies and programmes for

conservation purpose it is necessary to estimate occurrence and availability of the species in

the sample locality is the first and correct step.

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How to Cite this Article:

Parthipan B, M Rajeeswari and Solomon Jeeva, 2016. Floristic Diversity of South

Travancore Hindu College (S. T. Hindu College) Campus, Kanyakumari District (Tamilnadu)

India. Bioscience Discovery, 7(1):41-56.

floristic diversity of ambaji forest in banaskantha

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