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General:: Chapter - I: Introduction

This document introduces the motivation and background for undertaking a study of the flora of the Satpura hills region in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, India. It discusses that comprehensive studies of regional floras are needed given changes over time from new species descriptions, introductions of exotics, and nomenclature updates. The objectives of this study are to inventory the taxa found in the district, provide information on species for various uses, and serve as an identification guide for the plants of Chhindwara district. Intensive botanical exploration of the Satpura hills was conducted to prepare an assessment of the current floristic composition.

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47 views3 pages

General:: Chapter - I: Introduction

This document introduces the motivation and background for undertaking a study of the flora of the Satpura hills region in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, India. It discusses that comprehensive studies of regional floras are needed given changes over time from new species descriptions, introductions of exotics, and nomenclature updates. The objectives of this study are to inventory the taxa found in the district, provide information on species for various uses, and serve as an identification guide for the plants of Chhindwara district. Intensive botanical exploration of the Satpura hills was conducted to prepare an assessment of the current floristic composition.

Uploaded by

asmeraamde21
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter – I: Introduction

GENERAL:
It is often stressed that the local floras should be intensively worked out “Indeed what we
want now from India is not more collections, but critical observation on the spot with illustrative
specimens” (Santapau.1958a). This is possible only when limited areas are explored intensively.
It emphasized that the flora of all big cities and their environment be worked out. It was also
suggested that for the revision of the flora of India, provincial and district place must be taken
first. This has further been emphasized by Headberg (1971) who considers that the greatest
drawback in the study of ecology in tropics is its inadequate taxonomic study. The knowledge of
the floristic composition of any place is essential and pre-requisite for the study of the various
ecosystems. This necessitates a worker in the taxonomic field to assess and evaluate from time to
time the floristic composition of the region.

Comprehensive and up-to-date flora is an essential tool for the study of plants of any area and
to assess their utility. In addition to systematic botanists, floristic study is useful to ecologist,
horticulturists, geneticists, and geologist to those who are concerned in any way with plants. The
publication of “Flora of British India” by J.D.Hooker (1892-1897) was a great inspiration to
taxonomic study. As a result several regional floras pertaining to different parts of the country
came up within a short span of time.

HISTORY:
Plants have been studied in India from times immemorial mainly with regard to their
properties and identities. Scientific and systematic study of the plants of this sub-continent was
first initiated by the Europeans who came to our country. Even before the publication of
Linnaeus “Species Plantarum” in 1753, several important records on Indian plants were
published which attracted the attention of western workers to the richness of the flora of India.
The flora of India is more varied than of any other country of an equal area in the Eastern
Hemisphere (J. D. Hooker; 1904). There is a necessity of studying the flora of various region of
the country in details, in view of the varied rainfall, temperature, topography, geology, altitude
and substratum, which influence the vegetation differently.

“Studies on the Flora of Satpura hills with the special references to District Chhindwara M. P.” Page 1
Chapter – I: Introduction

In 1678 Henry Van Rheeds started publishing from Amsterdam his monumental 12-volume
work “Hortus Indicus Malabaricus”. Latter the interested of Botanical exploration of this parts of
the world was kept up by numerous workers particularly by W. Roxburgh (1814), D. Brandis
(1874), J. D. Hooker (1872-8970), N. Wallich (1829-1832), J. F. Duthie (1903-1922), J. S.
Gamble (1915-1936), Cooke (1901-1908), H. H. Haines (1910,16,21-25), J. E. T. Atkinson and
others.

After the reorganization of Botanical Survey of India in 1954, much emphasis has been laid
on the intensive study of regional and local floras with a view to gather precise information on
identity, distribution, ecology, phenology, economic uses, and local names of plants.

REASONS FOR UNDERTAKING THE PRESENT WORK:


Because of the new policy of Convention on Biological Diversity came in to force and as
per IUCN, the exiting flora is to be studied looking to the threatened status of the exiting taxa
following investigation has taken out number of reason for this, some are mentioned below: -

a] A large number of species have been described from various parts of the country from time to
time since the publication of flora of British India by J.D.Hooker (1872-1897).

b] Several exotics has become naturalized and are spreading successfully in different parts of the
country and effecting the plants diversity of the area.

c] Our flora have all been published either in the last quarter of the 19th century or in the first
quarter of the present century. Even since than due to human migrations, import of food grains,
biotic interferences, there has been great changes in the floristic composition of any natural
vegetation in particular region. Due to this, some species have disappeared or are going to
become extinct.

d] A large number of species have extended their distribution in country it self.

e] Comprehensive or partial list of additional species have been published by Calder,


Narayanswami and Ramasawami (1926), Razi (1959) and Srinivasan and Agrawal (1963).
Further earlier workers have centered their attention only towards the enumeration,
identification, and classification of the taxon.

“Studies on the Flora of Satpura hills with the special references to District Chhindwara M. P.” Page 2
Chapter – I: Introduction

f] The nomenclature of quite a number of species in Hooker’s flora have also changed in
accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature (1956, 1961, 1978, 1983).

g] Raizada (1958) published a list of incorporate name changes and besides, a number of
publication scattered in literature, have appeared dealing with the nomenclature of plants.

h] Several families, genera, and species have been revised in monographic studies by
taxonomists from time to time.

i] To support the taxonomic study in various aspects of Botany various committee like IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) and National Committee
on Man and Biosphere has been established. In the light of above developments. It has become
necessary to know the local flora of the “District flora of Chhindwara district.” is an attempt in
this direction.

In the present investigation an intensive botanical exploration of Satpura region range of


chhindwara district was done main objective of the present work to prepare a inventory of the
taxa of the district where possible information regarding existing species in the area of research
workers, teachers, foresters and person engaged with studies in different disciplines. It would be
a contribution for the district of state. It will also serve as a manual for the identification of plants
of the Chhindwara district in particular and its adjacent area in general.

“Studies on the Flora of Satpura hills with the special references to District Chhindwara M. P.” Page 3

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