TITLE:
Floristic Diversity and Important Value Indices of Tree Species in Lower Kanchenjunga Singhalila Ridge Eastern Nepal
AUTHORS:
Nar Bahadur Khatri Chhetri, Krishna Kumar Shrestha
KEYWORDS:
Eastern Himalaya, Inventory, Plant Specimens, Species Richness, Conservation
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.10 No.1,
January
25,
2019
ABSTRACT: The present paper is based on the finding of
floristic diversity inventory research work conducted in Lower Kanchenjungha
Singhalila Ridge, in Nepal side of Eastern Himalaya. Knowledge on floristic
diversity of an area can reflect the total resources, their use patterns and
conservation status which have a key role for making conservation strategies
and policies. Analysis of vegetation helps to develop detailed picture of plant
communities of that region. A total of 299 plant species belonging to 184
genera and 86 families were found in the Lower Kanchenjungha Singhalila Ridge.
Dicotyledonous flora includes 69 families, 150 genera and 229 species whereas
Monocotyledonous flora includes 15 families, 32 genera and 39 species. On the basis of floristic
analysis Rosaceae was found to be the largest family with 23 species followed
by Ericaceae 17, and Lauraceae 9 species. Current study furnishes three new
addition to the flora of Nepal viz. Begonia flaviflora H. Hara (Begoniaceae), Carex cruciate Wahlenberg var. argocarpa C. B. Clarke (Cyperaceae), and Strobilanthes helicta Anderson (Acanthaceae). Of this total, 30 woody
tree species with 551 individuals and 23 genera were recorded from the
altitudinal range of 2100 - 3000 m of study area. The highest relative
frequency was recorded by Lithocarpus pachyphylla (18.48%), Symplocos ramosissima (16.30%), Rhododendron falconeri (13.95%), Symplocos dryophylla (10.20%). Eurya acuminate and Symplocos species were found to
be dominant in lower elevation whereas Lithocarpus pachyphylla and Rhododendron species were found to
be dominant in upper elevation.