Abstract
An inventory to prepare the checklist of angiosperm species in the lateritic hillocks of northern Kerala was conducted in five sampling sites during April 2013–March 2015. In total, we recorded 364 genera with 535 species, of which 334 are native and 201 are non-native. Native species were represented in 102 families, namely, Poaceae (28), Fabaceae (25), Acanthaceae (22), Rubiaceae (17) Euphorbiaceae (14), Commelinaceae (11), Phyllanthaceae (7), etc., whereas, non-native species were represented in 99 families. Among the native species herbs are the predominant habit with 147 species (44%). Out of the 72 endemic species, three taxa namely, Syzygium travancoricum, Santalum album and Hopea ponga are red listed species documented from the study area. Twenty-seven invasive species were also recorded and major threats to the laterite ecosystems are by Lantana camara, Mikania micrantha, Pennisetum polystachyon, Ipomoea spp., and Senna spp. Most part of the laterite has been converted to plantations, building sites and mining sites. The indiscriminate mining for laterite, soil and demolishing the hillocks have severely threatened the very existence of the flora.
Highlights
Francis Hamilton-Buchanan from Angadipuram in Kerala, India in the 1800s, while on a journey through the regions of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar (Buchanan 1807; Narayanaswamy 1992) came across a type of weathered substance
Recent reports of new angiosperm species like Lindernia madayiparense Ratheesh, Sunil & Nandakumar, Eriocaulon madayiparense Swapna, Rajesh, Manju & Prakashkumar, Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar, and Rotala khaleeliana Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar from the lateritic hills in northern Kerala highlights the importance of these ecosystems in terms of floral diversity and species richness
Native species were represented in 102 families, namely Poaceae (28), Fabaceae (25), Acanthaceae (22), Rubiaceae (17), Euphorbiaceae (14), etc. (Figure 2)
Summary
Francis Hamilton-Buchanan from Angadipuram in Kerala, India in the 1800s, while on a journey through the regions of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar (Buchanan 1807; Narayanaswamy 1992) came across a type of weathered substance This substance used in building material, consisted of indurated clay, full of cavities and pores. Floristic studies in lateritic plateaus have reported occurrence of many endemic species and habitat-specific flora (Bachulkar 1983; Yadav & Sardesai 2002; Watve 2013; Rahangdale & Rahangdale 2014) throughout the Western Ghats, India. Recent reports of new angiosperm species like Lindernia madayiparense Ratheesh, Sunil & Nandakumar, Eriocaulon madayiparense Swapna, Rajesh, Manju & Prakashkumar, Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar, and Rotala khaleeliana Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar from the lateritic hills in northern Kerala highlights the importance of these ecosystems in terms of floral diversity and species richness.
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