Population and conservation of Sapria himalayana Griffith. in Namdapha national park, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Sapria himalayana Griffith. (Rafflesiaceae), a root parasitic plant, is one of the lesser known and poorly understood taxons, which is at the brink of extinction due to incessant human interventions in the natural forest environment. This note deals with the population of Sapria in the buffer zone of Namdapha national park in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. The host plant was a woody climber, Tetrastigma sp. Two patches of Sapria were observed at Hornbill (primary and relatively undisturbed forest) and four patches in Zero camp (disturbed secondary forest). Presently the species is prone to extirpation due to habitat loss through encroachments and massive NTFP extraction in the park area. All attempts to reintroduce or translocate the species will be in vain due to its phytogeographical limitations and host-specificity. A viable approach could be in situ conservation by effective protected area management.