3,261 Flowering Plant Species in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve:
The Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram, has compiled a new checklist of flowering plants in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR), highlighting the global biodiversity significance of the Western Ghats.The study documented 3,261 species, 26 subspecies and 28 varieties belonging to 1,139 genera and 190 families, highlighting the rich floral diversity of ABR.A high level of endemism was recorded, with 1,018 taxa (31.2%) endemic to India, including 245 steno-endemic taxa restricted to specialised habitats.Fabaceae was the most species-rich family, followed by Rubiaceae, Poaceae and Orchidaceae.ABR shows strong floral affinity with Sri Lanka, sharing 347 taxa, due to historical geological and climatic connections.Some species also show affinity with tropical American flora, possibly due to long-distance dispersal or pan-tropical distribution patterns.
