Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 December 2025 | 17(12): 28048–28065

 

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9914.17.12.28048-28065

#9914 | Received 11 May 2025 | Final received 29 November 2025 | Finally accepted 06 December 2025

 

 

Floristic composition and plant functional types on the lateritic plateau of Panchgani Tableland, Maharashtra, India

 

Sarita Gosavi 1 , Pratiksha Mestry 2 , Swapnil Vyas 3  & Ankur Patwardhan 4 

    

1 Department of Environmental Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India.

1,2,4 Research and Action in Natural Wealth Administration (RANWA), Plot no. 16, Swastishri Society, Near Alankar Police Station, Pune, Maharashtra 411052, India.

3 Department of Geography (Geoinformatics), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India.

1 saritagosavi78@gmail.com (corresponding author), 2 pratiksha.mestry46@gmail.com, 3 swapneil.vyas@gmail.com, 4 ankurpatwardhan@gmail.com

 

 

Editor: Aparna Watve, Biome Conservation Foundation, Pune, India.      Date of publication: 26 December 2025 (online & print)

 

Citation: Gosavi. S., P. Mestry, S. Vyas & A. Patwardhan (2025). Floristic composition and plant functional types on the lateritic plateau of Panchgani Tableland, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 17(12): 28048–28065. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9914.17.12.28048-28065

  

Copyright: © Gosavi et al. 2025. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

 

Funding: Zooreach Conservation Seed Grant (24ZCSG09P).

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Author details: Sarita Gosavi is a Ph.D. research scholar at Department of Environmental Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, India. She has been associated with RANWA, Pune. Pratiksha Mestry holds a Master’s degree in Biodiversity from the Annasaheb Kulkarni Department of Biodiversity, M.E.S. Abasaheb Garware College, Pune. As a Project Coordinator at RANWA, she has explored plant–insect interactions, woody species diversity, and reproductive phenology cycles in tree species in evergreen forests of northern Western Ghats. Currently, she works on the conservation of threatened plant species.  She is a recipient of Prakriti Research Fellowship for Conservation two endangered plant species. Swapnil Vyas holds a Masters in Geoinformatics and Doctorate in Remote Sensing. Currently, he is serving as an Assistant Professor at Department of Geography (Geoinformatics), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, India. His research areas are focused on drought monitoring, agriculture and sustainable development, climate change and resilience, glacier recession trend analysis, mangrove ecosystems, and biodiversity. Ankur Patwardhan is an associate professor and entrepreneur. He holds a doctorate in Environmental Sciences. His main interests include Assessment of ecosystem services, understanding impact of climate change on phenology in plants, plant-insect interaction, seed biology and urban ecology. He undertakes ‘Ecological Surveys’ and drafts ‘Biodiversity Management Plans’ (essential for Environmental Sustainability Disclosures) for industrial establishments and developmental projects.

 

Author contributions: Sarita Gosavi—data collection (equal), data curation (equal), funding acquisition (lead), investigation (equal), methodology (equal), resources(equal), visualization (equal), writing- original draft (lead), writing- review and editing (equal). Pratiksha Mestry—data collection (equal), data curation (equal), investigation (equal), methodology (equal), resources(equal), writing- review and editing (equal). Swapnil Vyas—resources(equal), visualization (equal), writing- review and editing (equal). Ankur Patwardhan—data curation (equal), investigation (equal), methodology (equal), resources(equal), writing- review and editing (equal).

 

Acknowledgements: We are thankful to Zoo Outreach Organization for supporting the study. We sincerely thank Shri. Pandit Patil, CO, Panchgani Hill Station Municipal Council for his encouragement and support. Thanks are also due to Dr. Aparna Watve for guiding us through the entire period. We are also thankful to Bhushan Shigwan for helping with identification, Aboli Kulkarni gave her inputs regarding the sampling and we thank her for her insights. The field work was supported by Satish Bhondave, Yuvradni Patil, Chaitrali Khod, Dheeraj Magar, Ved Kinjavadekar and Radhika Kanade.

 

Abstract: The conservation zone of Panchgani Tableland lies within the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Eco-sensitive Zone, Satara District, Maharashtra, India, in northern Western Ghats. The present paper reports 189 species across 54 families recorded throughout the year on this lateritic plateau. The most represented family is Poaceae, and it also shows the highest endemism (nine taxa). During the study, 78 endemic taxa were recorded, which makes up to 48% endemism. A total of 12 threatened taxa have been recorded during the study, of which four are ‘Endangered’ (Dipcadi ursulae var. ursulae Blatt., Curcuma caulina (J.Graham) Baker, Iphigenia stellata Blatt., and Isachne swaminathanii V.Prakash & S.K.Jain), two are ‘Vulnerable’ (Eriocaulon tuberiferum A.R.Kulkarni & Desai, Utricularia albocaerulea Dalzell) and six are ‘Near Threatened’ (Arisaema murrayi (J.Graham) Hook., Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb., Habenaria grandifloriformis Blatt. & McC., Pinda concanensis (Dalzell) P.K.Mukh. & Constance, Utricularia praeterita P. Taylor, and Vigna khandalensis (Santapau) Sundararagh. & Wadhwa). Though a large number of species are therophytes (73.4%), 12.5% of the taxa are geophytes, and 4.7% are carnivorous. Remaining taxa belong to other plant functional types viz. helophytes, hydrophytes, succulents, hemiparasites, and epiphytes. The study also explored the impact of anthropogenic pressures such as tourism, grazing, and soil alteration that threaten the diversity on the plateau. A comparison with floristic data by Blatter (1909) revealed the absence of 12 taxa in the existing vegetation, including the two rare species Adelocaryum malabaricum (C.B.Clarke) Brand., and Smithia purpurea Hook., and recorded another 129 species that were not recorded earlier.

 

Keywords: Carnivorous plants, disturbance, endemism, geophytes, Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Eco-sensitive Zone, natural heritage site, plant diversity, therophytes, threatened species.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The famous hill station of Panchgani in Satara District, Maharashtra, is in the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Eco-sensitive zone declared in 2001 (ESZ notification 2001). This region includes five different plateaus and Tableland, the largest of the five, spanning over 100 acres, is a major tourist attraction and the most visited location. All these plateaus are declared conservation zones as per the development plan of the region (Pandit 2014; Urban Development Department 2013).

The Tableland witnesses the challenges due to anthropogenic pressures like exploitative tourism, trampling, grazing, fires, littering, and the introduction of alien species. The High Court has ordered the preparation of a conservation plan for the plateau in 2006, but there are data gaps. Therefore, as a step towards minimizing the data gaps, this study aims to document the herbaceous angiosperm diversity of the Tableland with a specific focus on threatened and endemic taxa.

The Panchgani Tableland has a history of botanical study dating back to the British era. This historical context provides a valuable opportunity to assess changes in floristic composition over time. This paper presents data from the plateau for a complete monsoon season and compares it with previous work by Blatter (1909).

Rock outcrops are landscapes having large proportions of exposed bedrock and are of common occurrence in the Western Ghats (Watve 2006). The environment on rock outcrops ranges from very hot & arid most of the year to waterlogged in the wet season. Along with seasonal water availability, shallow soil cover, low nutrient availability, high light, and wind intensities are also key environmental features associated with rock outcrops (Deil 2005; Porembski 2007). Organisms inhabiting such environments have developed adaptive strategies to resist, avoid, and tolerate drought through morphological and physiological traits (Bell 2012; Bechtold 2018). The habitats on the plateau include exposed rock surfaces, ephemeral pools, soil-covered areas, and disturbed soil layers.

The present study identifies angiosperm diversity on the plateau along with their habit, habitats, plant      functional types, endemicity, and conservation status.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 

Study area

Tableland is the largest among the five plateaus around Panchgani (Satara District, Maharashtra, India), and is a natural heritage site lying within the Mahabaleshwar–Panchgani Eco-sensitive Zone. It is located between      17.903o N, 73.845o E and 17.924o N, 73.803o E at an elevation of 1,330 m (Image 1).

 

Geology

High-level Ferricretes (HLF) occur between 15–18.333o N, extend inland to 74o E, and are located between 800–1,400 m (Widdowson & Cox 1996). The soil formation on the outcrops is extremely slow, and the soil depth varies from a few centimeters on flat areas to about a meter in deep cracks and depressions. The soil is sandy to sandy loam in texture, highly acidic, and poor in phosphates (Jalal & Jayanthi 2018). The Tableland is covered by ferricrete patches all over and is underlined with brown saprolite (chemically weathered rock). There are a few caves, towards the western edge of the Tableland, where the duricrust has a maximum thickness of 25 m, and where the saprolite has been eroded out (Deshpande 1998).

 

Climatic conditions

The climate is characterized by three distinct seasons: heavy rains during monsoon (June–September) along with strong winds, drier winters (October–January) and scorching hot summers (February–May). Panchgani Tableland receives an average annual rainfall of approx. 1,700 mm (Kale 2014), resulting in relative humidity often reaching up to 90% during monsoons. Nevertheless, humidity is only 14% during the dry period, when the temperature of the exposed rock surface is very high (58 oC) in summer (Watve 2009) (Image 2).

 

Methods

Scientific literature related to floristic diversity of lateritic plateaus in Satara District was consulted (Blatter 1909; Watve 2013) as a reference material. Monthly visits were conducted from early monsoon to early winter (June–November) from 2022–2024. The plants observed while exploring the plateau were recorded and identified using local and regional flora (Deshpande et al. 1995). Endemicity was verified using Singh et al. (2015). The plant functional types (PFT) classification for vascular plants on rocky plateaus was adopted and modified from Kulkarni et al. (2021). The status of the species was listed as per the IUCN Red List (https://www.iucnredlist.org).

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

 

Types of microhabitats and vegetation

Plants on the plateaus are adapted to various microhabitats, and each microhabitat is unique in its edaphic properties, water availability, and species composition. The most common habitat types observed on plateaus are described below by following an established categorization for rock outcrops by Porembski & Barthlott (2000), and Jacobi et al. (2007) with some modifications (Image 3). Table 1 describes each of the habitats present along with the typical species found in that habitat. The habitats observed on the Tableland are: crust edges and cliffs, ephemeral flush vegetation, exposed rock surfaces, rock crevices & fissures, seasonal ponds, small ephemeral pools, soil-covered areas, soil-filled depressions, tree cover & tree associates, introduced compacted soil, disturbed soil layer, and soil introduced for plantation. Boulders were absent.

 

Floristic composition

A total of 189 species were observed on Panchgani Tableland, with  94% of them being herbs. The recorded species span 54 families. The most represented families are Poaceae (38 species), Fabaceae (16 species), Asteraceae (13 species), Acanthaceae (10 species), Commelinaceae (8 species), Orchidaceae (8      species), Lamiaceae (7 species), Lentibulariaceae (7 species), and Rubiaceae (7 species) (Figure 1).

The largest genus is Utricularia (7 species), followed by Eriocaulon (5 species). Most gregarious flowering is shown by Utricularia arcuata Wight, Eriocaulon eurypeplon Körn., Smithia hirsuta Dalzell, Exacum lawi C.B.Clarke, Linum mysorense B.Heyne ex Benth., and Parasopubia delphinifolia (L.) H.-P.Hofm. & Eb.Fisch.    

Carnivorous plants observed are seven species of Utricularia and two species of Drosera. Striga densiflora (Benth.) Benth., Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke, Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (Hochst.) Benth., and Parasopubia delphinifolia (L.) H.-P.Hofm. & Eb.Fisch. are hemiparasitic plants observed on the plateau.

 

Rare plants on the plateau

Between the year 2022 and 2024, 12 species of threatened plant species have been recorded. Four species are ‘Endangered’, viz., Dipcadi ursulae var. ursulae Blatt., Curcuma caulina (J.Graham) Baker, Iphigenia stellata Blatt., and Isachne swaminathanii V. Prakash & S.K. Jain. Two species are ‘Vulnerable’, viz., Eriocaulon tuberiferum Kulkarni & Desai, Utricularia albocaerulea Dalzell. Six species are ‘Near Threatened’, viz., Arisaema murrayi (J.Graham) Hook., Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb., Habenaria grandifloriformis Blatt. & McC., Pinda concanensis (Dalz.) P.K.Mukh. & Constance, Utricularia praeterita P. Taylor, and Vigna khandalensis (Santapau) Sundararagh. & Wadhwa) as per IUCN Red List (Table 2).

Two threatened species, Adelocaryum malabaricum (C.B.Clarke) Brand. (Endangered, B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) and Smithia purpurea Hook (Near Threatened, B1b(iii)+2b(iii)), observed by Blatter (1909), could not be recorded in the present exploration between 2022–2024.

 

Endemism

Among the species recorded (192) on Panchgani Tableland, 78 species are endemic, which constitute about 40% of the existing vegetation. Families with highest endemism are Poaceae (nine species), Fabaceae (nine species), Orchidaceae (six species), Commelinaceae (five species), Gentianaceae (five species), Apiaceae (four species), and Eriocaulaceae (four species) (Figure 2).

 

Plant Functional Types

The observed plants are classified into plant functional types according to Kulkarni et al. (2021). Cryptophytes have been further divided into geophytes, helophytes, and hydrophytes. Graminoids (Poaceae and Cyperaceae) and leguminous plants have been identified separately, and other seed-bearing plants have been classified under therophytes. Analysis of life form shows that 82 plant species (42.7%) are therophytes (other than graminoids and leguminous), 43 species (22.4%) are graminoids, 24 species (12.5%) are geophytes, 16 species (8.3%) are leguminous, nine species (4.7%) are carnivorous, six species (3.1%) are helophytes, four species (2.1%) are hemiparasites, three species (1.6%) are hydrophytes, three species (1.6%) are succulents, and two species (1%) are epiphytes (Figure 3).

 

Seasonal succession and phenology

A chronological succession is observed among the plant communities observed on the plateau. Most of the plants start their growth with the advent of monsoon. Four major phases that can be identified are pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon, and summer. The early-monsoon phase (June–July) is characterized by the growth of grasses on the plateaus. The common grass genera are Eragrostis, Glyphochloa, Indopoa, Isachne, and Paspalum. Early flowering is seen in Eria reticosa Wight, Habenaria grandifloriformis Blatt. & McC., Iphigenia stellata Blatt., Hypoxis aurea Lour., and Indigofera dalzelli T.Cooke. The monsoon phase (August–September) is characterised by mass blooming of mainly geophytes such as Habenaria suaveolens Dalzell, Habenaria heyneana Lindl., Habenaria rariflora A.Rich. and Eriocaulon tuberiferum Kulkarni & Desai. A few other abundant ephemerals that flower along with geophytes are Smithia hirsuta Dalzell, Smithia bigemina Dalz., Utricularia arcuata Wight, Eriocaulon eurypeplon Körn., Eriocaulon stellulatum Körn., and Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke. In the post-monsoon phase (October–December), grasses like Arundinella spicata Dalzell, Eulalia shrirangii Salunkhe & Potdar, Indopoa paupercula (Stapf) Bor ex Ramamoorthy, and Ischaemum impressum Hack enter flowering. Rotala densiflora (Roth) Koehne and Swertia densifolia (Griseb.) Kashyapa, are among few other taxa. The dry summer marks the fourth phase (January–May) during which only a few herbaceous species such as Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC., Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb., Lepidgathis cuspidata Nees, and Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC. bloom. Few other shrubs that have been introduced to the plateau by anthropogenic activities also survive the dry summer; examples being Lantana camara L., Nerium oleander L., and Ziziphus jujuba Mill. The phenological observations showed that approximately 93% of species complete their reproductive cycle between August and January. These annuals complete their life-cycle during the favourable edapho-climatic conditions before the onset of a long dry spell.

 

Adaptive traits

The plants on the plateau show certain traits that help them overcome the hot and dry summers, the light intensity, and the nutrient deficiency. A detailed account on the adaptation/ecophysiology of vascular plants of rock outcrops is provided by Kluge & Brulfert (2000). Some of the common adaptive traits that are observed on the Panchgani plateau are based on the description by Lekhak & Yadav (2012)

Carnivory: The acidic soil conditions deficient in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur can support carnivorous plants like Drosera spp. and Utricularia spp. These species are abundant in areas with a negligible layer of soil.

Succulence: Succulent plants are known to store water in different organs which allow them to withstand the harsh climate. The typical leaf succulents on the plateau are Cyanotis fasciculata (B.Heyne ex Roth) Schult. & Schult.f., Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb., and Kalanchoe olivacea Dalzell.

Poikilohydry: These plants can withstand dry climates by varying water content following the humidity in the environment. On the plateau, Glyphochloa forficulata (C.E.C.Fisch.) Clayton, Indopoa paupercula (Stapf) Bor ex Ramamoorthy, and Tripogon bromoides Roth are poikilohydrous grasses (Smrithy 2023) that can resurrect when sufficient moisture is available.

Subterranean perennating organs: These plants can survive the dry season by producing underground organs like corms, rhizomes, bulbs, and tubers. Geophytes like Hypoxis aurea Lour., Dipcadi ursulae Blatt., Eriocaulon tuberiferum Kulkarni & Desai, Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb., Flemingia nilgheriensis (Benth. ex Baker f.) Wight ex T. Cooke, Iphigenia spp., Habenaria spp., Peristylus spp., and Zingiber spp. fall in this category.

Vegetative propagation: Some plants produce bulbs or bulbils at the leaf tips that can help them survive the dry season. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. is one such species present on the plateau.

Anthropogenic influence: Panchgani Tableland, like most other plateaus in Maharashtra, is dominated by annual herbaceous vegetation, which is neglected as compared to the surrounding forest area. The plateau is also barren for a major part of the year, i.e., from December to May. This plateau has unique geological features like lateritic caves attracting tourists and the plateau is visited by nearly one lakh tourists every year throughout the year. The plateau features numerous food stalls and paved parking spaces, while continuous trampling has led to barren soil patches. Movement of horses, horse carts, and tourists across vegetated areas further exacerbates trampling and vegetation loss. Major anthropogenic disturbances apart from these are grazing by horses and cattle, fires, uprooting the herbs, garbage littering, and soil deposition by local authorities. The lakes on the plateau are also visited by locals for immersion of idols.

Aliens: Many alien species are observed on the plateau, which are not characteristic of the region. Many of them are found at sites where the soil layer is disturbed. The silt in the permanent ponds has been removed and deposited on the plateau. This has carried seeds of Marigold Tagetes erecta, which is offered to the idols immersed in water after the Ganesh Festival. Ageratum conyzoides L., Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC., Amaranthus spinosus L., Argemone mexicana L., Cardamine trichocarpa Hochst. ex A.Rich., Celosia argentea L., Polygonum plebeium R.Br., Verbascum coromandelianum (Vahl) Hub. Mor., Gynura bicolor (Roxb.ex Willd.) DC., Tagetes erecta L., and Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertn. have been observed on the plateau. The aliens are slowly invading the undisturbed parts of the plateau.

Introduced plants: Some plants like Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Lantana camara L., and Nerium oleander L. have been introduced along the lakes for beautification.

 

Panchgani Tableland over the last century

The plateau was studied for flora by Blatter (1909) and the data was compared with observations in recent years (2022–2024). Blatter had identified four zones based on land use and marked the presence of species. Figure 4 shows an old map published in the paper by Blatter (1909).

Of the 192 species documented in this study, 62 were previously recorded by Blatter either on the plateau or in its vicinity. In 1909, only 31 of these species were reported as occurring directly on the plateau. The remaining species were documented from adjacent zones and were not known to inhabit the plateau at that time. The current occurrence of these species on the plateau suggests that they may have been introduced intentionally or have arrived through natural dispersal processes over the past century (Table 3). The data collection has been more exhaustive recently as is evident from the number of species recorded.

Out of the 62 species reported in 1909, 14 are not observed on the plateau in the recent past. Among these, there are three rare species Adelocaryum malabaricum (C.B.Clarke) Brand. (Endangered), Adelocaryum coelestinum (Lindl.) Brand., and Smithia purpurea Hook. (Near Threatened).

Comparison of plant life forms of species recorded in 1909 and 2022–24 (Table 4) sheds light on the number of species recorded by Blatter in 1909 and by the authors in 2024 along with the numbers and percentages for various life forms. It is further interpreted that the percentage of cryptophytes (geophytes, helophytes, and hydrophytes) among the recorded species has significantly increased in the recent past. Geophytes recorded by Blatter included nine species, the number has risen to 23 in present study; six helophytes are recorded now which were missing earlier; and a species of hydrophytes is missing now as the number reduces from two to one. Cryptophytes have a special advantage of surviving harsh climates with the help of subterranean perennating organs.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

The ever-increasing popularity of Panchgani Tableland as a tourist place makes it susceptible to anthropogenic pressures. It has also been recently notified as a conservation zone within the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Eco-sensitive zone. A comparison of data collected from the plateau nearly a century ago (Blatter 1909) with current data sheds light on some of the significant species that are not reported now. Notable amongst them are species like Adelocaryum malabaricum (Endangered), Adelocaryum coelestinum (Near Threatened), Smithia purpurea (Near Threatened), and Nymphoides sp. Therefore, these species should be given a key priority in restoration.      The increasing percentage of cryptophytes may be correlated with edaphoclimatic data to conclude about the influence of the latter. A significant increase in the number of aliens is alarming. It is evident from observations that anthropogenic factors like the dumping of soil have largely aided the spread of aliens such as Argemone mexicana and Alternanthera sessilis that are not characteristic of lateritic plateau habitat. This study, therefore, provides a strong basis for guiding interventions on the plateau towards conservation and restoration.

 

 

Table 1. Habitats observed on Panchgani Tableland with their description and commonly observed species.

 

Habitat Type

Description

Typical plants associated with the particular habitat

1

Crust Edges or Cliffs (C)

Edges of the plateau

Begonia crenata, Pinda concanensis, Pimpinella adscendens

2

Ephemeral Flush Vegetation (EFV)

Stretches of rock covered with a sheet of water through the rainy season with negligible soil deposition

Utricularia arcuata, Eriocaulon sedgewickii, Rotala densiflora, Pogostemon deccanensis

3

Exposed Rock Surfaces (ERS)

Flat or uneven rock surfaces exposed to direct sunlight with absence of soil. The tiny crevices accumulate soil that can host small plants

Moss, Riccia, Indopoa paupercula, Eriocaulon eurypeplon, Utricularia arcuata

4

Rock Crevices (RC)

Present along the edge of the plateau, provides a unique niche

Hitchenia caulina, Indigifera dalzelli, Nanotis foetida

5

Seasonal Ponds (SP)

Small ponds formed only during the monsoon

Marsilia, Scleria rugosa

6

Small Ephemeral Pools (SEP)

Shallow depression inundated with water, with very little soil deposition

Rotala densiflora, Fimbristylis bispicula

7

Soil Covered Areas (SCA)

Soil thickness less than 20 cm

Habenaria grandifloriformis, Hypoxis aurea, Iphigenia stellata, Peristylis densus, Euphorbia panchganiensis, Smithia hirsuta, Smithia bigemina, Drosera indica

8

Soil Filled Depressions (SFD)

Depressions that accumulate soil and water

Eriocaulon tuberiferum, Pogostemon deccanensis, Rotala densiflora

9

Soil Rich Areas (SRA)

Stretches with soil thickness more than 20 cm

Smithia hirsuta, Murdannia simplex

10

Tree Cover And Tree Associates (T)

Some trees grow on the slopes of the plateau, the shady areas beneath the trees and the moist branches provide a unique habitat

Mosses, Eria reticosa, Utricularia striatula

11

Introduced Compacted Soil (ICS)

Soil introduced and compacted for making pathways shows a drastically different habitat

Habenaria grandifloriformis, Exacum lawii

12

Disturbed Soil Layer (DSL)

Soil excavated from pools is deposited on some stretches of plateau. It has invited weeds

Argemone Mexicana, Nicandra physallodes, Amaranthus spinosus, Ageratum conyzoides, Alternanthera sessilis

13

Soil Introduced For Plantation

High mounds of soil along the edges of lakes provide deep soil for the bigger introduced plants

Ziziphus jujuba, Nerium oleander, Lantana camara

 

 

Table 2. Threatened plant species observed on the Panchgani Tableland.

 

Species

IUCN status

Criteria

Population trend

1.

Arisaema murrayi (J.Graham) Hook.

NT

B2b(iii)

Unknown

2.

Dipcadi ursulae Blatt.

EN

B2ab(iii,v)

Stable

3.

Eriocaulon tuberiferum Kulkarni & Desai

VU

B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii);D2

Decreasing

4.

Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & McCann

NT

B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)

Unknown

5.

Habenaria grandifloriformis Blatt. & McC.

NT

B2b(ii,iii,iv)

Decreasing

6.

Hitchenia caulina Baker

EN

B1ab(iii)

Unknown

7.

Iphigenia stellata Blatt.

EN

B2ab(i,ii,iii,v)

Decreasing

8.

Isachne swaminathanii V.Prakash & S.K.Jain

EN

B2ab(I,ii,iii)

Unknown

9.

Pinda concanensis (Dalz.) P.K.Mukh. & Constance

NT

B2b(iii)

Decreasing

10.

Utricularia albocaerulea Dalzell

VU

B1ab(i,ii,iii)+2ab(i,ii,iii)

Unknown

11.

Utricularia praeterita P.Taylor

NT

---

Unknown

12.

Vigna khandalensis (Santapau) Raghavan & Wadhava

NT

 ---

Unknown

 

 

Table 3.  Comparison of species composition on Pachgani Tableland in 1909 and 2022–2024.

 

Total no. of species

No. of species reported in 1909

No. of species reported in 2022–24

Total no. of species reported

189

62

177

Endemic

77

29

71

Rare species

15

7

12

Aliens

24

9

24

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4. Comparison of plant functional types recorded from Panchgani Tableland in 1909 and 2022–2024.

 

Total no. of species

No. of species reported in 1909

No. of species reported in 2022–24

Other therophytes

82

37

74

Graminoids

43

4

43

Leguminous

15

3

14

Geophytes

26

9

26

Carnivores

8

2

8

Helophytes

6

0

6

Hemiparasites

4

2

4

Hydrophytes

3

2

1

Succulents

3

2

3

Epiphytes

2

1

2

 

FOR FIGURES & IMAGES - - CLICK HERE FOR FULL PDF

 

 

REFERENCES

 

Bechtold, U. (2018). Plant life in extreme environments: How do you improve drought tolerance? Frontiers in Plant Science 9: 543. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00543

Bell, E. (2012). Life At Extremes: Environments, Organisms, And Strategies for Survival, Vol. 1. Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, 540 pp. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845938147.0000

Blatter, E. (1909). The flora of Panchgani. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 19: 314–332.

Deshpande, S., B. Sharma & M. Nayar (1995). Flora of Mahabaleshwar and adjoinings, Maharashtra. Botanical Survey of India (GoI), Kolkata, India, 352 pp.

Deshpande G.G. (1998). Geology of Maharashtra. Geological Society of India, Bangalore, 223 pp.

Deil, U. (2005). A review on habitats, plant traits and vegetation of ephemeral wetlands-a global perspective. Phytocoenologia 35(2/3): 533 –705. https://doi.org/10.1127/0340-269X/2005/0035-0533

ESZ Notification (2001). Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, Mahabaleshwar Panchgani ESZ      notification S.O. 52(E) dated 17 January 2001. https://beag.in/maha/#esz, accessed on 15.xi.2025.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2024). https://www.iucnredlist.org/en. Downloaded on 19.iii.2025.

Jacobi, C.M., F.F. do Carmo, R.C. Vincent & J.R. Stehmann (2007). Plant communities on iron stone outcrops: A diverse and endangered ecosystem. Biodiversity and Conservation 16: 2185–2200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9156-8

Jalal, J.S. & J. Jayanthi (2018). An updated checklist of orchids of Maharashtra, India. Lankesteriana 18(1): 23–62. https://doi.org/10.15517/lank.v18i1.32699

Kale, V.S. (2014). The Laterite-Capped Panchgani Tableland, Deccan Traps. In: Kale, V. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of India. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8029-2_23

Kluge, M. & J. Brulfert (2000). Ecophysiology of vascular plants on inselbergs, pp. 143–174. In: Porembski, S. & W. Barthlott (eds.). Inselbergs. Biotic Diversity of Isolated Rock Outcrops in Tropical and Temperate Regions. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, xxxi + 407 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59773-2_9

Kulkarni, A., R. Shetti, B.K. Shigwan, S. Vijayan & M.N. Datar (2021). What determines vegetation on rock outcrops of the Western Ghats: The macro- environment or lithotype? Folia Geobotanica 56: 149–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-021-09399-3

Lekhak, M.M. & S.R. Yadav (2012). Herbaceous vegetation of threatened high altitude lateritic plateau ecosystems of Western Ghats, southwestern Maharashtra, India. Rheedea 22(1): 39–61. https://doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2012.22.01.12

Pandit, G.S. (2014). Lichens of the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Ecosensitive Zone (MPESZ), Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 6(5): 5784–5791. https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3784.5784-91

Porembski, S. & W. Barthlott (2000). Granitic and gneissic outcrop (inselbergs) as centres of diversity for dessication-tolerant vascular plants. Plant Ecology 151: 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1026565817218

Porembski, S. (2007). Tropical inselbergs: habitat types, adaptive strategies and diversity patterns. Brazilian Journal of Botany 30: 579–586. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-84042007000400004

Singh, P., K. Kaliyamurthy, P. Lakshminarasimhan & S.S. Dash (2015). Endemic Vascular Plants of India. Botanical Survey of India (GoI), Kolkata, India, 339 pp.

Smrithy, V., A. Kulkarni, B.K. Shigwan, S. Porembski & M.N. Datar (2023). Desiccation-tolerant vascular plants from Western Ghats, India: review, updated checklist, future prospects and new insights. Nordic Journal of Botany 2023: e03939. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.03939

Urban Development Department (2013). Regulation for Conservation of Heritage Building/ Precincts and Natural Features. Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra, India. https://beag.in/heritage-introduction-heritage-lists-and-regulations/. Accessed on 15.xi.2025.    

Watve, A. & S. Thakur (2006). Ecological studies on lateritic plateau habitats in northern Western Ghats, pp. 22–28. In: Pandey, H.N. & S.K. Barik (eds.). Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Plants and Ecosystems in India. Regency Publications, Delhi.

Watve, A. (2009). Rocky Outcrops as Special Habitats in North Western Ghats, Maharashtra, pp. 147–153. In: Rawat, G.S. (ed.). Special Habitats and Threatened Plants of India. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas. Vol. 11. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun.

Watve, A. (2013). Status review of Rocky plateaus in the northern Western Ghats and Konkan region of Maharashtra, India with recommendations for conservation and management. Journal of Threatened Taxa 5(5): 3935–3962. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.o3372.3935-62

Widdowson, M. & K.G. Cox (1996). Uplift and erosional history of the deccan traps India:      evidence from laterites and drainage patterns of the Western Ghats and Konkan coast. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 137: 57–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821x(95)00211-t

 

 

Appendix 1. Panchgani Tableland checklist of angiosperms.

 

Species name (Accepted as per POWO)

Synonyms

Family

Life form

Ende-micity

IUCN Red List

Recorded by Blatter (1909)

Recorded by authors in 2024

Asystasia dalzelliana Santapau

 

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson var. gangetica

Asystasia violacea Dalzell

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Dicliptera sp.

 

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Nicoteba betonica (L.) Lindau

Justicia betonica L.

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Rostellularia procumbens (L.) Nees

Justicia procumbens L.

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Nicoteba trinervia (Vahl) Lindau

Justicia trinervia Vahl

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Lepidagathis cuspidata Nees

 

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Rungia elegans Dalzell & A.Gibson

 

Acanthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Achyranthes aspera L.

 

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Alternanthera sp. (Pink)

 

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.

Alternanthera triandra Lam.

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Amaranthus spinosus L.

 

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Celosia argentea L.

 

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

LC

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Gomphrena serrata L.

 

Amaranthaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Pinda concanensis (Dalz.) P.K.Mukh. & Constance

Heracleum concanense Dalzell

Apiaceae

Geophyte

E

NT

On Tableland cliff

On Tableland cliff

Pimpinella adscendens Dalz.

 

Apiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Tableland cliff

Pimpinella candolleana Wight & Arn.

 

Apiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Tableland cliff

Absent

Pimpinella wallichiana (Miq.) Gandhi

Pimpinella monoica Dalzell

Apiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Tableland cliff

Absent

Pimpinella tomentosa Dalzell ex C.B.Clarke

 

Apiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Tableland cliff

Absent

Nerium oleander L.

 

Apocynaceae

Therophyte

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arisaema leschenalutii Blume

 

Araceae

Geophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arisaema murrayi (J.Graham) Hook.

 

Araceae

Geophyte

E

NT

On Tableland cliff

On Tableland cliff

Dipcadi montanum (Dalzell) Baker

 

Asparagaceae

Geophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Dipcadi ursulae var. ursulae Blatt.

Dipcadi ursulae Blatt.

Asparagaceae

Geophyte

E

EN

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Adenoon indicum Dalzell

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

E

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Ageratum conyzoides L.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

LC

On Tableland cliff,3

On Panchgani Tableland

Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

DD

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M.King & H.Rob.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eschenbachia stricta (Willd.) Raizadae

Conyza stricta Willd.

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Galinsoga parviflora Cav.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Gynura bicolor (Roxb.ex Willd.) DC.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Gynura nitida DC.

 

Asteraceae

Geophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Senecio bombayensis Balakr.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Tagetes erecta L.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Tridax procumbens L.

 

Asteraceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Impatiens balsamina L.

 

Balsaminaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Impatiens dalzellii Hook.f. & Thomson

 

Balsaminaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Begonia crenata Dryand.

 

Begoniaceae

Geophyte

E

 

On Tableland cliff

On Tableland cliff

Cynoglossum zeylanicum (Sw. ex Lehm.) Thunb. ex Brand

Cynoglossum denticulatum var. zeylanicum (Sw. ex Lehm) C.B.Clarke

Boraginaceaae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Adelocaryum coelestinum (Lindl.) Brand.

Paracaryum coelestinum (Lindl.) Benth. ex C.B.Clarke/ Paracaryopsis coelestina (Lindl.) R.R.Mill

Boraginaceaae

Therophyte

E

NT

On Tableland cliff

Absent

Adelocaryum malabaricum (C.B.Clarke) Brand.

Paracaryum malabaricum C.B.Clarke / Paracaryopsis malabarica (C.B.Clarke) R.R.MIll

Boraginaceaae

Therophyte

E

EN

On Tableland cliff

Absent

Brassica sp.

 

Brassicaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Cardamine trichocarpa Hochst. ex A.Rich.

Cardamine subumbellata Hook. ex Hook.f.

Brassicaceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Wahlenbergia erecta (Roth ex Schult.) Tuyn.

Cephalostigma schimperi Hochst. ex A.Rich.

Campanulaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Iphigenia pallida Baker

 

Colchicaceae

Geophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Iphigenia stellata Blatt.

 

Colchicaceae

Geophyte

E

EN

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Murdannia simplex (Vahl) Brenan

Aneilema sinicum Ker Gawl.

Commelinaceae

Geophyte

E

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Commelina forskaolii Vahl

 

Commelinaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Commelina sp.

 

Commelinaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Cyanotis fasciculata (B.Heyne ex Roth) Schult. & Schult.f.

 

Commelinaceae

Succulent

E

LC

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Cyanotis tuberosa (Roxb.) Schult. & Schult.f.

 

Commelinaceae

Geophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Murdannia crocea (Griff.) Faden

 

Commelinaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Murdannia lanuginosa (Wall. ex C.B.Clarke) G.Brückn.

 

Commelinaceae

Geophyte

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Murdannia semiteres (Dalz) Sant.

 

Commelinaceae

Therophyte

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Kalanchoe olivacea Dalzell

 

Crassulaceae

Succulent

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Tableland cliff

Crotalaria sp.

 

Crotalariaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Cucumis sp.

 

Cucurbitaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Cyperus flavidus Retz.

 

Cyperaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Fimbristylis tenera Schult

 

Cyperaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Bulbostylis densa (Wall.) Hand.-Mazz.

 

Cyperaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Fimbristylis bispicula Govind

 

Cyperaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Scleria rugosa R.Br.

 

Cyperaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Drosera burmanni (Vahl)

 

Droseraceae

Carnivores

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Drosera indica L.

 

Droseraceae

Carnivores

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eriocaulon odoratum Dalzell

 

Eriocaulaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eriocaulon eurypeplon Körn.

 

Eriocaulaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eriocaulon sedgwickii Fyson

 

Eriocaulaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eriocaulon stellulatum Körn.

 

Eriocaulaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eriocaulon tuberiferum Kulkarni & Desai

 

Eriocaulaceae

Helophyte

E

VU

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Euphorbia khandallensis Blatt. & Hallb.

Euphorbia panchganiensis Blatt. & McCann

Euphorbiaceae

Succulent/ Geophyte

E

NT

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Desmodiastrum belgaumens (Wight) A. Pramanik &Thoth.

Alysicarpus belgaumensis Wight

Fabaceae

Legume

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland,3

On Panchgani Tableland

Alysicarpus monilifer (L.) DC.

Alysicarpus vaginalis Hochst. ex Baker

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Alysicarpus tetragonolobus Edgew.

 

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Desmodium rotundifolium DC.

 

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Grona triflora (L.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC.

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Flemingia nilgheriensis (Benth. Ex Baker f.) Wight ex T.Cooke

Flemingia nilgheriensis (Baker) T.Cooke

Fabaceae

Legume/ Geophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Geissaspis cristata var. tenella (Benth.) M.R.Almeida

Geissaspis tenella Benth.

Fabaceae

Legume

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Indigofera dalzellii T.Cooke

 

Fabaceae

Legume

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Smithia bigemina Dalz.

Smithia agharkarii Hem.

Fabaceae

Legume

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Smithia hirsuta Dalzell

 

Fabaceae

Legume

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Smithia purpurea Hook.

 

Fabaceae

Legume

E

NT

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Smithia setulosa Dalzell

 

Fabaceae

Legume

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Tadehagi triquetrum (L.) H.Ohashi

 

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Vigna khandalensis (Santapau) Sundararagh. & Wadhwa

 

Fabaceae

Legume / Geophyte

E

NT

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Zornia gibbosa Span.

 

Fabaceae

Legume

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Canscora diffusa (Vahl) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult.

 

Gentianaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Exacum lawii C.B.Clarke

 

Gentianaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Exacum pumilum Griseb.

 

Gentianaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Swertia densifolia (Griseb.) Kashyapa

Swertia decussata Nimmo ex C.B.Clarke / Ophelia densifolia Griseb.

Gentianaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Lomatogonium minus (Griseb.) Fernald

Swertia minor (Griseb.) Knobl. / Ophelia minor Griseb.

Gentianaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Hydrocharita sp.

 

Hydrocharitaceae

Hydrophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.

 

Hypoxidaceae

Geophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Hypoxis aurea Lour.

 

Hypoxidaceae

Geophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Coleus strobilifer (Roxb.) A.J.Paton

Anisochilus carnosus (L.f.) Wall. ex Benth var. glabrior

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Pogostemon stellatus (Lour.) Kuntze

Dysophylla stellata (Lour.) Benth. ex Wall.

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

E

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Isodon lophanthoides (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Hara

 

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Leucas montana (Roth) Spreng.

 

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Leucas stelligera Wall. ex Benth.

 

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Pogostemon deccanensis (Panigr.) Press

 

Lamiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Utricularia albocaerulea Dalzell

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

E

VU

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Utricularia arcuata Wight

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Utricularia caerulea L.

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Utricularia praeterita P.Taylor

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

E

NT

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Utricularia striatula Sm.

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Utricularia uliginosa Vahl

 

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivores

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Linum mysorense B.Heyne ex Benth.

 

Linaceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Rotala belgaumensis S.R. Yadav, Malpure & Chandore

 

Lythraceae

Helophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Rotala biglandulosa Arun Pr. & Sardesai

 

Lythraceae

Helophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Rotala densiflora (Roth) Koehne

 

Lythraceae

Helophyte

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Sida acuta Burm.f.

 

Malvaceae

Therophyte

E

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Nymphoides hydrophyllum (Lour.) Kuntze

Limnanthemum cristatum (Roxb.) Griseb.

Menyanthaceae

Hydrophyte

 

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Nymphoides indica (L.) Kuntze

Limnanthemum indicum Thw.

Menyanthaceae

Hydrophyte

 

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

Absent

Trigastrotheca pentaphylla (L.)

Mollugo pentaphylla L.

Molluginaceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Oenothera rosea L'Hér. ex Aiton

 

Onagraceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eria reticosa Wight

 

Orchidaceae

Epiphyte

E

 

 

On Tableland cliff

Habenaria grandifloriformis Blatt. & McC.

 

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

E

NT

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Habenaria heyneana Lindl.

 

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Habenaria suaveolens Dalzell

Habenaria panchganiensis Sant & Kap.

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Habenaria rariflora A.Rich.

 

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

E

L C

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Peristylus densus (Lindl.) Santapau & Kapadia

 

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Peristylus stocksii (Hook.f.) Kraenzl.

 

Orchidaceae

Geophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Porpax jerdoniana (Wight) Rolfe

Porpax lichenora (Lindl.) T.Cooke

Orchidaceae

Epiphyte

E

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Tableland cliff

Striga densiflora (Benth.) Benth.

 

Orobanchaceae

Hemiparasite

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke

Striga orobanchoides (R. Br.) Beth.

Orobanchaceae

Hemiparasite

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Biophytum sensitivum DC.

 

Oxalidaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Oxalis corniculata L.

 

Oxalidaceae

Geophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Argemone mexicana L.

 

Papavaeraceae

Therophyte

 

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Glossostigma diandrum (L.) Kuntze

 

Phrymaceae

Helophyte

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Glossostigma elatinoides (Benth.) Hook.f.

 

Phrymaceae

Helophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.)

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arthraxon raizadae S.K.Jain, Hemadri & Deshp.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arthraxon villosus C.E.C.Fisch.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Arundinella spicata Dalzell

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Chloris pycnothrix Trin.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Coelachne minuta Bor.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Dichanthium armatum (Hook.f.) Blatt. & McCann

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Dimeria ornithopoda Trin.

Dimeria ornithopoda var. megalantha Bor

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Dimeria sp.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Echinochloa crus-galis (L.) P.Beauv.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Echinochloa crus-galli subsp. utilis

Echinochloa crus-galli f. aristata (Vasinger) Morariu

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eragrostis nigra Nees ex Steud.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roam. & Schult.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eragrostis unioloides (Retz.) Nees ex Steud.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Eulalia shrirangii Salunkhe & Potdar

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Pseudopogonatherum trispicatum (Schult.) Ohwi

Eulalia trispicata (Schult.) Henrard

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Glyphochloa forficulata (C.E.C.Fisch.) Clayton

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Indopoa paupercula (Stapf) Bor ex Ramamoorthy

Tripogon pauperculus Staph

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Isachne elegans Dalzell

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Isachne globosa (Thunb. ex Murray) Kuntze

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Isachne lisboae Hook.f.

Isachne lisboae Hook.f.

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Isachne swaminathanii V.Prakash & S.K.Jain

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

EN

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Ischaemum impressum Hack

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Jansenella griffithiana (C.Muell.) Bor

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Oryza rufipogon Griff.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Panicum sumatrense Roth

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Paspalidium sp.

Paspalidium sp.

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Paspalum canarae (Steud.) Veldkamp

Paspalum canarae var. fimbriatum (Bor) Veldk

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Paspalum distichum L.

Paspalum paspalodes (Michx.) Scribn.

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Pseudanthistiria heteroclita (Roxb.) Hook.f.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Sporobolus indicus (L.) R.Br.

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Themeda quadrivalvis (L.) Kuntze

 

Poaceae

Graminoid

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Tripogon bromoides Roth.

Tripogon bromoides Roem. & Schult.

Poaceae

Graminoid

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Polygala persicariifolia DC.

 

Polygalaceae

Therophyte

E

 

In the vicinity of Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Persicaria chinensis (L.) H.Gross

Persicaria chinensis (L.) Nakai

Polygonaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross

Polygonum alatum (Meisn.) H.Gross

Polygonaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Polygonum plebeium R.Br.

 

Polygonaceae

Therophyte

 

LC

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Anagallis arvensis L.

 

Primulaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Tableland cliff

On Panchgani Tableland

Thalictrum dalzellii Hook.

 

Ranunculaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Ziziphus jujuba Mill.

 

Rhamnaceae

Therophyte

 

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Oldenlandia stocksii Hook.f.

Hedyotis stocksii (Hook.f.) R.S.Rao & Hemadri

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Neanotis subitilis (Miq.) Govaerts ex Punekar & Lakshmin.

Neanotis foetida (Dalzell) W.H.Lewis

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Neanotis lancifolia (Hook.f.) W.H.Lewis

 

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

E

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertn.

 

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Spermacoce pusilla Wall.

 

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Spermadictyon suaveolens Roxb.

 

Rubiaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (Hochst.) Benth.

Rhamphicarpa longiflora (Arn.) Bth.

Scrophulariaceae

Hemiparasite

E

LC

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Parasopubia delphiniifolia (L.) H.-P.Hofm. & Eb.Fisch.

Sopubia delphinifolia (L.) G.Don

Scrophulariaceae

Hemiparasite

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Sopubia trifida Buch.-Ham, ex D.Don

 

Scrophulariaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Verbascum coromandelianum (Vahl) Hub.-Mor.

Verbascum chinensis

Scrophulariaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Solanum virginianum L.

 

Solanaceae

Therophyte

 

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

Lantana camara L.

 

Verbenaceae

Therophyte

 

 

On Panchgani Tableland

On Panchgani Tableland

Curcuma neilgherrensis Wight

 

Zingiberaceae

Geophyte

 

 

 

On Tableland cliff

Curcuma caulina (J.Graham) Baker

Hitchenia caulina (J.Graham) Baker

Zingiberaceae

Geophyte

E

EN

On Tableland cliff

On Tableland cliff