OBSERVATIONS ON THE ENDEMIC TAXA OF VELLIANGIRI HILLS, A PART OF SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS, INDIA

Abstract

The present exploration based on the floristic studies carried out shows that there are about 121 endemic taxa of flowering plants in Velliangiri hills belonging to 34 families have been recorded and are listed. Out of the plants listed, the dominant families are Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Orchidaceae.From the list of the endemic plants in the study, it is indicated that the phylo-genetically advanced families such as Orchidaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae are the most diversified families on the basis of their number of genera and species. The herbs and shrubs are better represented than the trees in the list. A large number of endemic taxa (about 20 species) are known only by their type collection, which could not be recollected or relocated even after repeated field explorations. It seems that either these taxa are vanished from their localities or alternatively, that species misidentification has occurred.