NATURAL RESOURCES

Survey and Exploration
Flora
Exploration of plant resources of the country and identification of plant species with economic virtues
is carried out by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), established on 13th February, 1890 and its various
circles. During the successive plant periods, the functional base of Botanical Survey of India was expanded
to include various new areas such as inventorising of endemic, rare and threatened plant species; evolving
conservation strategies; studies on fragile ecosystems and protected areas like Sanctuaries, National Park and
Biosphere Reserve; monitoring of changes in floristic components; conservation; multiplication and
maintenance of germplasm of plant genetic resources, endemic and threatened species, wild ornamentals
etc., in Botanic Gardens and Orchidaria; ethnobotanical and geobotanical studies and development of
National Database on Herbarium (including type specimens) and live collections, plant genetic resources,
plant distribution and nomenclature.
Exploration, inventorisation and documentation of phytodiversity in general and protected areas,
hotspots, fragile ecosystems and sacred groves in particular; publication of National, State and District
Floras, monitoring Phytodiversity to evaluate the qualitative changes in species rich and sensitive areas; ex
situ conservation of critically threatened taxa in botanical gardens, and identification of species with
traditional economic uses and preparation of protocols for their conservation and sustainable utilization etc.
are the primary objectives of BSI.
Botanical Exploration and Inventorisation of Phytodiversity
Seventy field/exploration/collection tours were undertaken by different circle offices and units of BSI covering:
q National Capital Territory (Delhi and its environ); Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh; Twang and
Upper Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh; Mehasana, Jamnagar, Kutch and Palanpur (Banaskantha)
districts of Gujarat; Raigarh district of Maharashtra; Ganjam district of Orissa; Jalpaiguri, Bankura,
Howrah & North 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal and districts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal
(North West Himalayas).
q Barren, Interview Snake, Rutland and Sound Islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
q Mount Saramati Wildlife Sanctuary of
Nagaland, Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary of
Meghalaya, Maeinum Wildlife Sanctuary of South
Sikkim, Fumbonglho Wildlife Sanctuary of East
Sikkim, Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary of Maharashtra,
Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary of Jharkhand and
Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary of West Bengal.
q Malavan Marine Sanctuary of Goa.
q Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
of South Andamans.
q Wetlands of Himachal Pradesh (Renuka,
Pong, Chandratal) and South India.
q Tendong Reserve Forest of South Sikkim
and Panchmarhi Biosphere Reserve of Madhya
Fig 1. Gloriosa superba Linn. - a medicinal and ornamental species
2
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Pradesh.
During the field/exploration/collection tours, more
than 9,500 specimens have been collected including
lower groups of plants viz. algae, fungi, lichens,
bryophytes and pteridophytes. About 3,500 specimens
belonging to 720 species were identified by different
circles/units of BSI.
The following revisionary and floristic studies were
undertaken under National Flora and State/Region/
District flora:
q Flora of India: Orchidaceae (Genera – Oberonia,
Microstylis, Liparis, Orcorchis & Corallorrhiza)
q Flora of India: Lauraceae (pro parte)
q Flora of India: Polygonaceae
q Flora of India: Genus-Strobilanthes
q Flora of India: Lamiaceae (Plectranthus group incl. Coleus)
q Flora of India: Leguminosae: tribe Galegae (excl. Astragalus)
q Flora of India: Lauraceae (excl. Litsea, Neolitsea & Lindera)
q Aphyllophorales of North West Himalayas
q Pteridophytic flora of Western Himalayas
q Monocot Flora of Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
q Flora of Uttar Pradesh, Vol. I
q Flora of Mizoram, Vol. II
q Flora of Gujarat State
q Flora of Karnataka State
q Flora of Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh
q Moss Flora of Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh
q Flora of Ganjam District, Orissa
q Flora of Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary,
Meghalaya
q Botany of Tendong Reserve Forest, South Sikkim
Documentation of Phytodiversity
National Flora (Flora of India)
q Orchidaceae (Genera – Oberonia, Microstylis,
Liparis, Orcorchis & Corallorrhiza) : Manuscript
of 30 species completed.
q Lauraceae (pro parte): Completed five species.
Description made for nine spp. of Actinodaphne
based on herbarium specimens at Central
National Herbarium, Howrah, West Bengal.