Bio-Diversity and Cultural Aspects of Mahendragiri, in ... - Vasundhara

The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.18, No.1, 2012belle/irica, Terminalia chebula, Anogeissus acuminata,Callicarpa arborea, Hymenodictyon orixense, Brideliaretusa etc. Mixed forests of lower elevation are composedof Gelonium lanceolatum, Gelonium multiflorum,Chloroxylon swietenia, Flacourtia sepiaria, Cleistanthuscollinus, Glycosmis maurtiana etc.Semi-evergreen forests: Very few patches of semievergreenforests were observed in moist valleysaround the perennial stream channels. These arecharacterized by large number of dominant speciesmostly evergreens with some deciduous, heavyclimbers and epiphytes. The important flora areLitsea monopetala, Grewia disperma, Diospyrosperegrina, Garcinia xanthochymus, Prunuspygeoides, Prunus ceylanica, Mangifera indica,Turpinia nepalensis, Neolitsea foliosa, Neolitseacassia, Leea macrophylla, Boehmeria platphyla,Xantolis tomentosa, Beilschmedia roxburghiana,Gnetum ula, Gnetum montanum, Entada scandens,Michelia champaca, Clematis roylei, Reinwardtiatrigyna etc. The epiphytes of this zone includeDendrobium bicameratum, Aerides odorata,Bulbophyllum triste, Bulbophyllum umbellatum,Cymbidium aloifolium, Eria bambusifolia andLuisia trichorhiza etc.Apart from semi-evergreen forests, the hills harborsmall patches of Shoals at grasslands above 1200 mto 1400 m with evergreen trees like Diospyroscandolleana, Drypetes assamica, Linocieraramiflora, Nothopegia heyneana, Neocinamomumcaudatum, Litsea alata, Litsea monopetala,Neolitsea foliosa, Neolitsea cassia, Dryopetesasamica etc.Scrub forests: these forests are the out comes ofbiotic interferences which can also be refffered asinduced scrubs. The important species of this typeare Zigiphus oenoplea, Flacourtia sepiaria,Pavetta indica, Toddalia asiatica, Cappariszeylanica, Gymnosporea emarginata, Carissaspinarum, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Cryptolepisbuchananii, Cassytha filiformis, Meyna spinosa,Glycosmis mauritiana, Cipadessa baccifermis andMimosa rubicaulis.Grasslands: The upper slopes of Mahendragiri andtheir adjacent flat summits are mostly grasslands.These are the biotic sub-climax or plagioclimaxvegitation. These are also considered as climaxzones as it is situated above 1200 m above msl andthere is very less chance of change in vegetationpattern. The important grassses are Themadatriandra, Themada quadrivalvis, Cymbopogonlexiossus, Cappilipedium asimile, Apluda muticaChrysopogon assimilis, Arundinella ssp, Arthoraxonlancifolius, Imperta cylindrica, Iseilema laxum, Bothriochloaglabra, Bothriochloa pertusa, Eragrostis atrovirens,Eragrostis pilosa, Sporobolus fertilis etc. Non-grass speciesincludes Crotolaria spp., Viola betonicifolia, Tephrosiaroxburghiana, Sophora interrupta, Senesio nudicaulis,Sonchus arvensis, Scleria spp. Swertia angustifolia,thungergia fragrans, etc.Floral diversity of Mahendragiri hills:Mahendragiri hill complex is a biodiversity paradiseand harbours species representing the entire EasternGhats. It's flora comes under the Deccan region ofHooker's nine botanical provinces of British India.Gamble & Fisher while recognizing five floristicdivisions of Madras Presidency placed Mahendragiriin their 'Sal Region'.The floral diversity of the hill consists of 679 speciesof plants that includes 3 species of gymnosperms, 676species of angiosperms, under 453 genera and 115families. The plant diversity of the hills is found to be35% of the flora of Odisha. The 10 most dominantfamilies of Mahendragiri (Fig 2) are Fabaceae,Poaceae, Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Rubiaceae, Acanthaceae, Lamiaceae, Cyperaceae andApocynaceae. The characteristic Himalayan speciesoccurring on Mahendragiri are Moutia puya, Violacanescens, Viola betonicifolia, Clematis roylei,Rhamnus nepalensis, Anotos calycina, Ajugamacrosperma, Thalictrum foliolosum, Rubusellipticus, Rubia cordifolia, Sarcococca trinervia,Zanthoxylum armatum, Ophiopogon intermedius etc.The important south Indian species represented in thehills are Taphrosia rosburghiana, Sida rumbifolia ssp.retusa, Todalia asiatica var. obtusifolia, Sophorainterrupta, Wendelandia gamble, Pavetta brevifolia,Anaphalis lawii, Sanecia candicans, Diospyroscandolleuna, Peperomia portulacoides, Neolitseazylenica, Curculigo trichocarpa Clausena heptaphyllaetc. It is interesting to note that some North Easternspecies like Syzygium cuneatum, Linocieramacrophylla, Litsea laeta etc. and some species ofBurma and Java such as Psychoteria fulva, Ophiorhizatrichocarpos etc. were also observed in Mahendragiri.Except Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Orchidaceae othermonocots are poorly represented. Gymnospermrepresented by 3 indigenous species such as Cycassphaerica, Gnetum montanum and Gnetum ula. Variedplant and animal species still survive in the wilds ofthe region. Out of 32 plant species in the countryidentified for conservation, cultivation and sustainablecommercial exploitation by the National MedicinalPlants Board under the Ministry of Health and FamilyWelfare, botanists have identified at least 15 speciesavailable in the Mahendragiri eco-system.6