Kerala team documents over 3,200 flowering plants in vital Reserve
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Researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) in Keralam, India, identified 3,261 flowering plant species within the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR).
The team compiled a new checklist documenting these plants, along with 26 subspecies and 28 varieties, representing 1,139 genera and 190 families. This work confirms the ABR’s importance as a biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats, a mountain range along India’s western coast.
The research revealed a high number of plants found nowhere else, with over 1,018 taxa endemic to India and 245 restricted to specific habitats. The ABR also shares 347 plant species with Sri Lanka, a neighbouring island nation, possibly due to shared geological history and climate. Additionally, the team found similarities between the ABR’s flora and those of tropical America, suggesting long-distance seed dispersal.
The JNTBGRI team created this checklist to resolve inconsistencies in previous plant records and provide a clear, up-to-date reference for conservation efforts. They noted that the ABR faces threats from human activity, habitat loss, and climate change, and they advocate for focused, local strategies to protect its unique plant life. The researchers suggest combining traditional plant identification with modern genetic analysis for a more complete understanding of the region’s biodiversity.
