Woody plant wealth of Therikadu Reserve Forest, Tuticorin, India: a checklist

Main Article Content

V. Muneeswaran
M. Udayakumar
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2756-0342

Abstract

A qualitative survey was conducted to record the woody plant wealth of Carnatic Umbrella Thorn Forest (CUTF) existing within the Therikadu Reserve Forest (TRF), Tuticorin district, southeastern Coast, Peninsular India. A sum of 35 man-days was spent on the field to prepare a woody plant checklist. All collected specimens were identified up to the species level with the help of floras. A sum of 105 species belonging to 83 genera in 37 families were recorded from the study area. The family Fabaceae represented by a large number of species (36 species) followed by Bignoniaceae (5) and Rubiaceae (4). Eight families represented by three species each, while 16 families represented by a single species each. CUTF acts as a home for one of the IUCN’s endangered species, Pterocarpus santalinus. The reserve forest and sacred grove status are keeping TRF as an intact and relatively undisturbed ecosystem.

Article Details

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Communications

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