Floristic Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plants from Various Forest Types in Hosur Forest Division, Tamil Nadu, Southern India

The study deals with the floristic diversity assessment and vegetation composition analysis in various forest types from Hosur Forest division situated in Eastern Ghats of Southern India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. The study recorded 468 species of plants belonging to 283 genera and 91 families, including Angiosperms (464 species), Pteridophytes (3 species) and Bryophytes (1 species). Of the total, 94 species are trees, 12 are lianas, 70 are shrubs, 34 species are climbers, 194 species are herbs, sedges 7, grasses 21, ferns 3 and 1 species of moss. The five most abundant families in Hosur Forest Division were Fabaceae (45 spp.), Poaceae (34 spp.), Acanthaceae (30 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (28 spp.) and Rubiaceae (25 spp.). The quantitative features such as density and important value index (IVI) varied greatly among forest and in different forest types. In the present study, the diversity index of shrubs and herbs were found to be higher than that of trees. The maximum species diversity was recorded in Southern dry mixed deciduous forest (SDMDF) followed by Southern Thorn Forest (STF) and Southern Thorn Scrub (STS). The species diversity (H) was recorded the highest for SDMDF (5.61) followed by STF (5.18) and the lowest for STS (5.12). The presence of large number of higher girth class tree species and low number of sapling and seedling indicates that the present forests investigated are old and exhibiting low regeneration

Floristic Diversity, Vegetation Analysis and Threat Status of Plants in Various Forest Types in Dharmapuri Forest Division, Tamilnadu, Southern India

The present paper deals with the study conducted to know the floristic diversity assessment and vegetation composition analysis in various forest types of Dharmapuri Forest division situated in Eastern Ghats of Southern India in the state of Tamilnadu. A total of 352 species of 233 genera and belonging to 79 families were recorded. The quantitative features such as density and important value index (IVI) varied greatly among forest and different forest types. In the present study the diversity index of shrubs and herbs were found to be higher than the tree species. The presence of high number of higher girth class of tree species and low number of sapling and seedling indicates that the present forest is old and exhibiting the low regeneration

Character-based DNA barcoding for authentication and conservation of IUCN Red listed threatened species of genus Decalepis (Apocynaceae)

open access articleThe steno-endemic species of genus Decalepis are highly threatened by destructive wild harvesting. The medicinally important fleshy tuberous roots of Decalepis hamiltonii are traded as substitute, to meet the international market demand of Hemidesmus indicus. In addition, the tuberous roots of all three species of Decalepis possess similar exudates and texture, which challenges the ability of conventional techniques alone to perform accurate species authentication. This study was undertaken to generate DNA barcodes that could be utilized in monitoring and curtailing the illegal trade of these endangered species. The DNA barcode reference library was developed in BOLD database platform for candidate barcodes rbcL, matK, psbA-trnH, ITS and ITS2. The average intra-specific variations (0–0.27%) were less than the distance to nearest neighbour (0.4–11.67%) with matK and ITS. Anchoring the coding region rbcL in multigene tiered approach, the combination rbcL + matK + ITS yielded 100% species resolution, using the least number of loci combinations either with PAUP or BLOG methods to support a character-based approach. Species-specific SNP position (230 bp) in the matK region that is characteristic of D. hamiltonii could be used to design specific assays, enhancing its applicability for direct use in CITES enforcement for distinguishing it from H. indicus

Neotypification and taxonomic reinstatement of Grewia macrophylla

Grewia macrophylla G. Don has been treated as a synonym of Grewia abutilifolia Vent. ex Juss. in most literature. However, G. macrophylla is a distinct species and differs from G. abutilifolia in the characters of leaf, pedicel and petals. G. macrophylla is known from elevated hilly forests in the northeast region of India and Myanmar, while G. abutilifolia is distributed throughout India and Southeast Asia. Here, we resurrect and distinguish G. macrophylla from G. abutilifolia. A neotype for G. marcophylla and a lectotype for G. abutilifolia are also designated here

Bauhinia bassacensis var. nicobarica Tiwari U. L., K. Ravikumar & N. Balachandran 2013, var. nov.

Bauhinia bassacensis var. nicobarica Tiwari U.L., K. Ravikumar & N. Balachandran, var. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2) Differs from the typical variety in having exstipulate leaves, lobes of leaves obtuse at apex, bract rusty tomentose and ovate, bracteoles 2, lanceolate, rusty tomentose; fertile stamens always 2; filaments hairy, anther lobes brown. Type:— INDIA. Great Nicobar Island: Near Army land, Campbell Bay, 20 February 2013, N- 71 o 2’ 2.9’’, E 93 o 55’ 2.9’’, 16 m ASL, K . Ravikumar, N. Balachandran and Umeshkumar Tiwari 115533 (holotype FRLH!; isotypes FRLH!, PBL!). Large, woody, climbers; tendrils coiled stout, glabrous; young branches rusty tomentose, mature grooved and lenticellate. Leaves exstipulate; petioles glabrescent, 2 7 cm long; lamina ovate-cordate, ca. 19 × 13 cm, 9 13-nerved, bifid, down to 3.5 4.8 cm length with narrow sinus, apex of lobes obtuse, base cordate, upper surface glabrous, lower brownish tomentose to glabrescent, base of the lamina with two distinct glands expanding up to pulvinous base. Inflorescences lateral or terminal, many-flowered, racemes or panicles; peduncles rusty tomentose; pedicels ca. 3.5 cm long in flower and ca. 7 cm long in fruit; bracts ovate, rusty tomentose, ca. 0.5 mm long; bracteoles 2, lanceolate, inserted near the middle of the pedicels, rusty tomentose, 1–1.5 mm long. Buds ovoid, rusty tomentose, 4–6 mm long. Hypanthium c. 1 mm long. Calyx during anthesis splitting into 2 segments forming right angles with the pedicels, 5–7 mm long, sometime persistent with fruit. Petals 2 above and three below, pubescent, creamish with purplish-red veins prominent on both sides, blade deltoid, crumpled, subequal, narrowly ovate to suborbicular with undulate margin, ca. 6 × 5 mm; claw 1.5–2 cm long, soft hairy. Stamens 9 (2 + 7); fertile stamens 2, staminodes absent sometime 1; filaments 1.2–1.6cm long, hairy; anthers 1–2 mm long, lobes brown; reduced stamens 7 in number, unequal, 3–9 mm long, filiform, white. Carpels densely brownish pilose, distinctly stalked, styles 6-8 mm, hairy with a small capitate stigma. Pods rusty tomentose, 8–13 × 3–4 cm with persistent style, stalks c. 3 mm long; styles persistent in fruit. Seeds, 2–5, dark brown, flattened, oblong-orbicular, c. 1.5 × 2 cm, smooth, glabrous. Flowering & Fruiting:— From February to March. Distribution:— India: Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Habitat:— Liana in mixed semi-evergreen forests. Ecological status:— About three individuals confined to an area of 1 km 2 were observed during field survey. Though it qualifies to be kept under Critically Endangered (CR) category, further studies and explorations in adjacent areas are required to ascertain its actual status. Etymology:— The varietal epithet refers to the place of its collection. This new variety is allied to typical var. bassacensis and var. backeri, but differs from both markedly in having exstipulate leaves, lobes of leaves obtuse at apex, bract rusty tomentose and ovate, bracteoles 2, lanceolate, rusty tomentose; fertile stamens always 2; filaments hairy, anther lobes brown (see table 1).Published as part of Tiwari, Umeshkumar, Ravikumar, Kaliamoorthy & Balachandran, Natesan, 2013, A new variety of Bauhinia bassacensis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) from Great Nicobar Island, India, pp. 12-18 in Phytotaxa 149 (1) on pages 13-16, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.149.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/510042

Some new records of plants from the state of Rajasthan, India

A brief note on the distribution of vascular plants new to Rajasthan is presented in this paper.  A further distributional expansion and new record of Commicarpus boissieri, Geodorum recurvum, Maytenus senegalensis, Premna resinosa and Solanum elaeagnifolium for the state of Rajasthan is reported. </div

Rare and interesting plant of Mahonia imbricata T.S. Ying & Boufford – an addition to India from the Manipur State

Mahonia imbricata was reported for the first time from Manipur, India. This paper describes taxonomy, morphology, phenology, habitat requirements, ecology and world distribution of the species. On the basis of the examined specimens, notes and photographs for easy identification are presented

Ethnobotany of dioecious species: Traditional knowledge on dioecious plants in India

Ethnopharmacological relevance: More than 15,000 angiosperm species are dioecious, i.e., having distinct male and female individual plants. The allocation of resources between male and female plants is different, and also variation in secondary metabolites and sex-biased herbivory is reported among dioecious plants. However, little is known about the ethnobotany of dioecious species and whether preferences exist for a specific gender, e.g., in food, medicine or timber. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was: 1) to study whether Indian folk healers have preference for plant genders, and to document their knowledge and use of dioecious species; 2) to understand the concept of plant gender in Indian systems of medicine and folk medicine, and whether Ayurvedic literature includes any references to gender preference. Materials and methods: Lists of dioecious plants used in Indian systems of medicine and folk medicine were compiled. Ethnobotanical data was collected on perceptions and awareness of dioecious plants, and preferences of use for specific genders of dioecious species using semi-structured interviews with folk healers in Tamil Nadu, India. In addition, twenty Ayurvedic doctors were interviewed to gain insight into the concept of plant gender in Ayurveda. Results: Indian systems of medicine contain 5–7% dioecious species, and this estimate is congruent with the number of dioecious species in flowering plants in general. Informants recognized the phenomenon of dioecy in 31 out of 40 species, and reported gender preferences for 13 species with respect to uses as timber, food and medicine. Among informants different plant traits such as plant size, fruit size, and visibility of fruits determines the perception of a plant being a male or female. Ayurvedic classical literature provides no straightforward evidence on gender preferences in preparation of medicines or treatment of illness, however it contains details about reproductive morphology and sexual differentiation of plants. Conclusions: A knowledge gap exists in ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological literature on traditional knowledge of dioecious plants. From this explorative study it is evident that people have traditional knowledge on plant gender and preferential usages towards one gender. Based on this, we propose that researchers conducting ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies should consider documenting traditional knowledge on sexual systems of plants, and test the existence of gender specific usages in their conceptual framework and hypothesis testing. Incorporating such concepts could provide new dimensions of scientific knowledge with potential implications to conservation biology, chemical ecology, ethnoecology and drug discovery

Ethnopharmacology, biological activities and chemical compounds of Canarium strictum: An important resin-yielding medicinal tree in India

The resin of Canarium strictum Roxb. is used for rheumatism and asthma; the bark is used as a mosquito repellent. The major compounds in the resin are triterpenoids, but as no studies have been performed on the bark, this study investigated this economically important resource. Ten folk healers were interviewed about their medicinal uses of C. strictum. Resin and bark were extracted with dichloromethane followed by methanol using accelerated solvent extraction. The extracts were fractionated using different chromatographic methods, and isolated compounds were identified by NMR spectroscopy and GC–MS. Resin and bark extracts were investigated for DPPH radical scavenging, 15-lipoxygenase inhibition, effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated dendritic D2SC/I cells and toxicity against Artemia salina nauplii. Traditional healers used resin to treat colds, airway afflictions and rheumatoid arthritis. α-Amyrin and β-amyrin were identified as the major constituents in the dichloromethane resin extract. From the stem bark, procyanidins, gallic acid, methyl gallate, scopoletin, 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid 4-O-α-arabinofuranoside and elephantorrhizol (3,3′,4′,5,6,7,8-heptahydroxyflavan) were isolated and identified. By GC–MS, α-amyrin and β-amyrin and their acetates, lupeol, and taraxasterol were identified. Radical scavenging, 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity and inhibition of NO production was observed from resin and bark extracts, and no toxicity towards Artemia salina nauplii was found. Triterpenoids and procyanidins are the major compounds in C. strictum resin and stem bark, respectively. The high content of triterpenoids might contribute to anti-inflammatory effects and give a rationale for the widespread usage of the resin in India