Alien plants revealed from Stewart’s handbook for officers and residents in Punjab: nativity, economy and bio-culture

Abstract

Convention for Biological Diversity (IUCN, 1992) visualize ‘biological invasion of alien species as the second worst threat after habitat destruction’. The present author studied Stewart’s Handbook (1869) on Punjab plants. The study is aimed at evaluating diversity of alien plant species and their implications on human life in different compartments. This attempt divulged 167 total plant species belonging 138 genera and 38 families. Of these, 110 species were exclusively found under cultivation in the erstwhile Punjab Province, whereas 52 species appeared naturalized and established in the region. Few species are both cultivated and wild in the region. They belong to different regions of the Old and New Worlds. Maximum number of aliens hail from various parts of Europe (45), America (41), Asia (Excl. India) (34) and Africa (33). The Mediterranean region (17) also contributed well. The figures in parenthesis denote number of alien species. Many others countries and geographical regions are represented by few species only. The results obtained are interpreted for their role in economy and bio-culture of the erstwhile Punjab Province which continue in the present Indian landmass.