Endemic species of Astraceae in the flora of Kashmir Himalayas

Jammu and Kashmir State, India

Keywords:
Floristics, endemic species, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
ABSTRACT:

The present paper put on record 90 taxa of family Asteraceae endemic to the
state of Jammu and Kashmir. These species were present in different climatic
conditions, some special habitats and varied altitudinal zones in this region. The
phytogeographical and variation in the climate of the state has a tremendous impact
on the flora of State. The number of endemic species is high on account of its
topographic and mostly mountainous region.
067-070 | JRPS | 2012 | Vol 1 | No 1
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Authors:
Bhellum BL.


Institution:
Department of Botany,
Govt. Degree College,
Kathua- 184 101, J and K
State, India.


Corresponding author:
Bhellum BL.



















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Dates:
Received: 21 Jan 2012 /Accepted: 28 Jan 2012 /Published: 25 Feb 2012
Article Citation:
Bhellum BL.
Endemic species of Astraceae in the flora of Kashmir Himalayas Jammu and Kashmir
State, India.
Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 2: 067-070.
Original Research
Journal of Research in Plant Sciences
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An International Scientific Research Journal


INTRODUCTION
Located on North-West of Indian republic the
State of Jammu and Kashmir lies between 32 17 N to 36
26 N latitude and 73 26 to 80 30 E longitude. The state is
divided in to three geographical regions namely Jammu,
Kashmir and Ladakh. The climate varies with regard to
change in elevation in different regions which reflects a
lot of diversity in vegetation. The precipitation is in the
form of snow particularly in higher reaches of
mountains. Valley of Kashmir experiences irregular
climate with large variation in the amount of
precipitation. Notwithstanding minor climatic changes
the winters are extremely cold. Ladakh is a cold desert
and two distinct bio-climates are recognized as cold
temperate. The average rainfall is quite low in this part of
the state. In Jammu the winters are cold and summers are
extremely hot.
Asteraceae is one of the largest families of the
flowering plants in India comprising of 1052 taxa
representing 161 genera (Hajra et al. 1995). The family
is represented by 109 genera and 481 species (Singh et
al., 1999; Singh & Mathur, 2001). According to Nayar
(1980) there are 141 genera of angiosperms endemic to
India of these 67 genera are confined to the Himalayas.
The members of this family are dominant in Jammu and
Kashmir. Many of them are endemic this region. The
family shows high state of endemism to the extent of
39% according to Singh et al., 2002. The dominance of
these elements is because of unique topography,
ecosystems and geographic position of the state.
Recently, Bhellum (2012) reported a new record for the
flora of North-West India which indicates that report of
some more species is possible. In the present study a list
of 90 taxa belonging to Asteraceae are listed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
This species listed were studied from the present
limits of Jammu and Kashmir State. The plant specimens
were collected between 2003- 2007. These specimens
were carried in the polythene bags. The Plant specimens
were collected and studied in the Laboratory and
identified both with the help of dissection microscope
and stereoscope. The relevant literature has been
consulted to know their endemic status.
Enumeration
In the present paper as many as 90 taxa
representing 24 genera of family Asteraceae are recorded
as endemic to the state of Jammu and Kashmir State.
These species occupies different habitats and elevations
in this region. The variation in the climate of the state
has a tremendous impact on the flora of State. The
number of endemic species is high on account of its
topographic and mostly mountainous region. Endemic
species belonging to family Asteraceae are enumerated
below in alphabetica order.
1.Artemisia amygdalina Decne.
2.A. salsoloides Willd.var. vellayi Hemsl.
3.A stronglycephalum Pamp. Var. typica f. gemunia
Pamp.
4.A. stronglycephalum Pamp.
5.Bidens minima Huds.
6.Bidens tetraspinosa Kak and Javeid
7.Chondrilla graminea M. Bieb. Var. kashmiriana Hk.f.
8.C. pauciflora Ledeb.
9.C. maniforma
10.C. setulosa clarek
11.Chrysanthemum tibeticum Hk.f. & Thoms.
12.Circium wallichii (DC). Var. pletlepis Hook.f.
13.Cousenia falconeri Hk.f.
14.Cremanthodium ellisii Kitam.
15.Crepis dachhigamensis Gurcharan Singh
16.C. kashmirica Babc.
17.C. pulchra L.
18.Erigeron Jaeschkei. Vierh
19.E. pseudohyrcanicus Grierson ex. Stewart
20.Erigeron semibarbata (DC.) Hk.f.
21.Gerbera lacei Watt.
22.Heteropappus holohermaphroditus Grierson
Bhellum, 2012
068 Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1: 067-070
23.Hieracium umbellatum L.var. lanceolatum Hook.f.
24.Inula clarkei (H.k.f.) R. R. Stewart.
25.Inula.royleana DC.
26.Jurinella macrocephala var. tibetica (Stewart)
Karthik. & Moorthy
27.J. macrocephala Aswal & Goel
28.J. rosulata Klatt.
29.Lactuca. kashmiriana Mamgain & R. R. Rao
30.L. lessertiana Clarke var. lyrata Stebbins
31.L. tatarica (L.) Mey.
32.L. benthamii Clarke
33.Leontopodium conocephalum Edgew.
34.Ligularia jacquemontiana (Decne.) Rau
35.L. sibirica (L.) Cass. var. racemosa (DC.) Kitam.
36.Olgaea thomsoii (Hk.f.) Iljin.
37.Picris hieracioides L.
38.Saussurea bracteata Decne.
39.S. candolleana (Wall.ex DC.) Clarke
40.S. clarkei Hook.f.
41.S. costus (Falc.) Lipschitz.
42.S. glanduligera Sch.-Bip.
43.S. graminifolia wall.ex.DC.
44.S. obvallata (DC.) Beh.-Bip.
45.S. stoliczkai Clarke.
46.S. subulata Clarke.
47.S. uniflora (DC.) Sch.-Bip.
48.Scorzonera alba stewart.
49.Senecio laetus var. analogus (DC.) R. Mathur ex
Karthik & Moorthy
50.S. laetus var. specatabilis (DC.) R. Mathur ex
Karthik. & Moorthy
51.S. laetus var. cymbiformis (DC.) Aswal
52.Tragopogon kashmirianus Singh
53.Taraxacum amblylepidocarpum V. Soest
54.T. apargiaeforme Dahlst.
55.T. coronatum Hand. Mazz.
56.T. elegans V. Soest
57.T. eriocarpum H. Hartm.
58.T. flavum V. Soest
59.T. fulvescens V. Soest
60.T. fulvo brunneum V. Soest
61.T. gulmargense V. Soest
62. T. harbhajan-singhii V. Soest
63.T. harbhajan-singhii ssp. pahalgamense V. Soest
64.T. helianthemum V. Soest
65.T. heteroloma Hand. Mazz.
66.T. hooftii V. Soest
67.T. karakoricum V. Soest
68.T. kashmirense V. Soest
69.T. kjellmaniiforme V. Soest
70.T. ladakense V. Soest
71.T. laevigatum (Willd.) DC.
72.T. latibasis V. Soest
73.T. lobbichleri. V. Soest
74.T. longicarpum V. Soest
75.T. luridum G. Hagl.
76.T. nagaricum V. Soest
77.T. nasiri V. Soest
78.T. nigrum V. Soest
79.T. nivale J. Lange
80.T. parvuliforme V. Soest
81.T. phoenicolepis V. Soest
82.T. pseudobicorne V. Soest
83.T. pseudoeriopodum V. Soest
84.T. pseudostaticifolium Hand-Mazz.
85.T. pseudosteven V. Soest
86.T. stereodiforme V. Soest
87.T. stewartii (Spreng.) DC.
88.T. violaceo-maculatum V. Soest
89.T. vulpinum f. pallidocarpum V. Soest
90.T. xanthophyllum Haglund

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the present study the endemic species of the
Kashmir Himalayas have been studied. Of the 90 taxa
representing 24 genera of family Asteraceae, it
represents Artemisia 4.44%; Chondrilla 4.44%; Crepis
3.33%; Erigeron 33.3%; Jurinella 3.33%; Lactuca
Bhellum, 2012
Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1: 067-070 069


4.44%; Saussurea 11.11%; Senecio 3%; Taraxacum
44.4%. The highest %age of the taxa is found in the
genus Taraxacum followed by Saussurea 11.11%. The
lowest number of taxa is found in the genera such as
Bidens, Chrysanthemum, Circium, Cousenia,
Cremanthodium, Gerbera, Heteropappus, Hieracium,
Inula, Leontopodium, Ligularia, Olgea, Picris,
Scarzonera and Tragopogon. Singh et al. (2012) reported
11 species from Asteraceae which constitutes 12.22% of
the repoted species from Jammu and Kashmir State.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author is grateful to Prof. A. K. Koul, BGSB.
Rajouri and Prof. Rani Magotra, Department of Botany,
University of Jammu for encouragement.

REFERENCES
Bhellum BL. 2012. Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E.
Walker (Asteraceae) A new record for the flora of
North-West India. Journal of Research in Plant Sciences
1:045-047.

Hajra PK, Rao RR, Singh DK and Uniyal BP. 1995.
Flora of India. 12 & 13. Asteraceae . BSI., New Delhi.

Nayar MP. 1980. Endemic Flora of Paninsular India and
its significance. Bull. Bot. Surv., India. 22:12-13.


Singh NP and Sing DK. 2002. Protected area Network.
In: N. P. Singh & K. P. Singh(eds.) Floristic Diversity
and Conservation Strategies in India. 2341-2412. BSI.
Dehra Dun.

Singh P and Chauhan AS. 1999. Sikkam. In:V. Mudgal
and P.K. Hajra (eds.) Floristic Diversity and Coservation
Strategies in Inda. III. 1419-1450. BSI. Dehra Dun.

Singh DK and Mathur R. 2001. Asteraceae. In: N.P.
Singh & D.K. Singh (eds.) Floristic Diversity and
Conservation Strategies in India. IV.1903-1960.

Singh NP and Singh DK and Uniyal BP. 2002. Flora of
Jammu and Kashmir.BSI. Kolkata. Vol. I.
Bhellum, 2012
070 Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1: 067-070
Fig. 1. Pie diagram showing Endemic species
with more than two taxa
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