STATUS OF PLANT DIVERSITY IN ALPINE PASTURE OF CHANSEL OF DISTRICT SHIMLA, HIMACHAL PRADESHR.K. Verma, R. Kumar and H. ChauhanAbstract A study to evaluate the floristic diversity and growth forms in alpine pasture of Chansel of district Shimla, Himachal Pradesh was conducted during August, 2019. Phyto- sociological studies was carried out by laying out quadrates randomly in the selected alpine pasture. The data collected were analyzed for density, frequency, abundance, importantance value index, dominance index, diversity index, distribution pattern, life forms etc., for drawing the logical conclusion. Total numbers of plant species were 100 belonging to 80 genera and 36 families. The plant species comprised of 5 grasses, 1 sedge, 2 leguminous forbs and 74 non leguminous forbs. On the basis of IVI, Anaphalis contorta recorded the highest value (10.14) followed by Trifolium repens (9.55) and Taraxacum officinale (8.44). The distribution pattern of most of the species was contiguous. The value of dominance index, diversity index, richness index and evenness index was 0.021, 4.17, 10.203 and 0.946, respectively. The contribution of tall forbs, short forbs and cushioned and spreading forbs in the alpine pasture was 41.46%, 52.44% and 6.10%, respectively. Out of 53 medicinal plants species recorded from the studied site, 6 species viz., Aconitum heterophyllum, Bergenia stracheyi, Jurinea dolomiaea, Meconopsis aculeata, Roscoea alpina and Selinum tenuifolium fall in the category of threatened plant species. |