Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A FLORISTIC APPROACH ON THE BIODIVERSITY OF GANGOTRI HILLOCKS OF NEMMARA, KERALA, INDIA

Zereena Viji

Abstract

Floristic inventory and diversity assessments are necessary to understand the present diversity status of an area. The present study was conducted on the hillocks of Gangotri to find out its floristic diversity. The study area is composed of 58 plant species belonging to 20 families, of which 50 plants belongs to dicotyledons and 8 belonging to monocots. The biological spectrum of study area comprises 37% therophytes, 23% phanerophytes, 11% hemicryptophytes, and 27% chamaephytes. The therophytes reflexes a semi arid climate. The phytoclimate in study area is thero-phanerophytic as they form the dominant life forms.