FLORA OF NORTH EAST

North East states of India are one of the richest repositories of medicinal and aromatic plants in the World. This region is also well-known for diverse culture of human races and home of large number of ethnic people of India. The age long intrinsic relationship between this ethnic people with the environmental resources mainly plants endued the modern civilization with many herbal medicines, though a large number of medicinal plants and their folk uses have remained endemic to certain tribes of the region. Scientific approach for their exploration, utilization, conservation and value addition may be the key points for entrepreneurship development by exploiting the indigenous technology knowledge. The therapeutic activity of such plants has made an outstanding contribution in the origin and evolution of many traditional herbal therapies, but such folk traditional knowledge have started to disappear with the passage of time due to scarcity of written documents and relatively low income in these traditions. Though the ethanobotanical survey is a very intricate or convoluted process, but a more number of ethanobatanical surveys, and assembly of such information in systemic way can make difference in research and development work on such medicinal plants. This type of approach also helpful for conservation programme of rare plant species.
Some Important Flora-

Abrus precatorius L. (Papilionaceae), Adhatoda vasica L. (Acanthaceae), Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa(Rutaceae), Albizia lebbeck Benth. (Mimosaceae), Andrographis paniculata Burm. f. Wall.(Acanthaceae), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Averrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae),Cajanus cajan L. (Fabaceae), plants under Cassia sppecies (Caesalpiniaceae), Centella asiatica(L.) Urban (Apiaceae), Clerodendrum viscosum L. (Verbenaceae), Cratoxylum neriifolium Kurz. (Hypericaceae), Coccinia grandis L. (Cucurbitaceae), Curcuma aromatica L. (Zingiberaceae), Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Cuscutaceae), Dillenia indica L. (Dilleniaceae), Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (Pontederiaceae), Galinsoga parviflora Cav. (Asteraceae), Gynocardia odorata R. Br. (Flacourtiaceae), Hedyotis auricularia L. (Rubiaceae), Hippeastrum puniceum (Lam.) Urb.(Amaryllidaceae), Ichnocarpus frutescens R.Br. (Apocynaceae), Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. (Crassulaceae), Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae), Leea asiatica L. (Liliaceae), Leea indica (Burm. F.) Merr. (Liliaceae), Litsea glutinosa Lour. (Lauraceae), Marsilea minuta L.

(Marsileaceae), Meyna spinosa Roxb. (Rubiaceae), Murraya paniculata L. (Rutaceae), Oxalis
corniculata L. (Oxalidaceae), Phyllanthus acidus L. (Euphorbiaceae), Phyllanthus emblica L.
(Euphorbiaceae), Santalum album L. (Santalaceae), Strobilanthes cussia Nees. (Acanthaceae),Smilax zeylanica L. (Smilacaceae), Spilanthes paniculata (Asteraceae), Stephania japonica (Thunb.) Miers (Menispermaceae), plants under Terminalia species (Combretaceae), Urena lobata L. (malvaceae), Vernonia cinerea Less.(Asteraceae), Vitex peduncularis Walls(Verbenaceae), Withania somnifera L. (Solanaceae), Zanthoxylum armatum DC. (Rutaceae) etc.

INTRODUCTION

The north eastern India has been in focus for its rich biodiversity. The affluence of the region’s

avifauna largely reflects the diversity of habitats associated with a wide altitudinal range.

Northeast India symbolizes transition zone between the Indian, Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese biogeographic provinces and a meeting place of the Himalayan Mountains and Peninsular India. It was the part of the northward migrating ‘Deccan Peninsula’ and consider as the geographical ‘gateway’ for much of India’s flora and fauna, and as a consequence, the region is one of the richest in biological values. It is in this lowland-highland evolution zone that the highest diversity of biomes or ecological communities can be found, and species varieties within these communities are also tremendously high. Northeast India is blessed with a large range of physiography and ecoclimatic situation. Northeast India forms a variety of tropical forests, especially the species-rich tropical rain forests, after the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Western Ghats in India. This part also consider as an important part of the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot, one of the 25 global biodiversity hotspots acknowledged currently.

6 important vegetation types out of the 9 of India found in the North Eastern region.

More than 8,000 out of 15,000 species (in India) of flowering plants found in the North Eastern
region, which includes 40 species of gymnosperms, 500 species of pteridophytes, 825 species of

orchids, 80 species of rhododendrons, 60 species of bamboo, and 25 species of canes.

A total of 3,624 species of insects, 50 molluscs, 236 fishes, 64 amphibians, 137 reptiles, 850

birds and 160 mammalian species have been so far reported, but still a lot of species yet to

describe.

 

Three families of primates’ occur in India with 15 known species, 9 of these species found in

North east India. Out of the 6 largest cats of the world recorded from India, northeaster region sustain four of them, and the Indian population of the Clouded Leopard is mainly restricted to the Northeaster region. 51 different types of forest are found in the region, which includes tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical semi evergreen forests, tropical wet evergreen forests, subtropical forests, temperate forests and alpine forests.

Fauna of North east

The Fauna

Mammals

Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei),Phayeri’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayeri) ,Semnopethicus schistaceus (Nepal Langur), (Trachypithecus pileatus) ,Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides) , Northern Pigtailed Macaque (M. leonina) ,Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) .

Carnivores
Tiger (Panthera tigris), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) and the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa).
The tiny State of Manipur sustaining three large cats harbours the Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata), Golden Cat (Catopuma temmincki), Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) and the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus). It also has 3 Mustelids and 7 Viverrids: Yellow-throated Marten (Martes flavigula), Ferret Badger (Melogale sp.), Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris), Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra); and among the Viverrids, Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica), Large Indian Civet (Viverra zibetha), Common Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), Himalayan Palm Civet (Paguma larvata), Binturong (Arctictis binturong) and Spotted Linshang (Prionodon pardicolor). Two other species of Otter, namely Smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and Small-clawed Otter (Amblonyx cinereus), known from elsewhere in India, may also occur in Manipur State, while Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, may have even more species of small carnivores than Manipur


Bats and rodents
Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii),The Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamayopterus biswas) is a little known narrow endemic found in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. The Namdapha National Park, one of the largest parks in the country Holds a number of other squirrels - Hairyfooted Flying Squirrel (Belomys pearsoni) and Particoloured Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes Alboniger), Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel (Dremomys lokriah), Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor), Hoary- bellied Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) and Himalayan Striped Squirrel (Callosciurus macclellandi) could all be seen in this park.
The Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus) is yet another habitat Specialist that is facing the threat of elimination from the region.

Ungulates

Great Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is the largest of all the rhinos now inhabiting the world. Two-horned Sumatran Rhinoceros (Didermocerus sumatrensis) were once found in parts of Northeast India. Both the species are now extinct from the region. The Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) found in Northeastern India is faced with a genetic problem. The Banteng (Bos javanicus) occurred in the hills of Manipur as late as 1990s, but is now not reported from the State.The Brow-antlered Deer (Cervus eldi eldi) is endemic to the State of Manipur.

 

Other Mammals

In the State of Sikkim, at the heights above 3600 m. where the tree line ends, the alpine Scrub and grasslands support some of the most unique fauna of the planet, the Yak (Bos grunniens), The Tibetan Wild Ass (Equus hemionus kiang), Markhor (Capra falconeri), Ibex (Capra ibex), Great Tibetan Sheep (Ovis ammon hodgsoni), Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur), are only to name a few. It is recorded that the Chinese

 

Birds

The Brown-capped Laughing Thrush (Garrulax austeni), The Elliot’s Laughing Thrush (Garrulax elliotii), Brown-cheeked Laughing Thrush (G. henrici) ,Blackbreasted Parrotbill (Paradoxornis flavirostris) and the Marsh Babbler (Pellorneum palustre and many more.

 

FLORA AND FAUNA OF NORTHEAST

Hoolock Gibbon



Rhinoceros_unicornis,

 

Nepenthes khasiana

 



 

elephas maximus

 

 

 

Hypericum perforatum

 

 

 

Convolvulus arvensis

 

 

Pterourus glaucus glaucus

 

 

Pipevine Swallowtails

HISTORY

The North East India comprises of the seven sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. They form part of the East Himalayan region which extends from Sikkim eastwards and embraces the Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal. The location of the region is strategically important as it has international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Tibet. It is One of the richest biomes of the world, high in endemism and rare species which is now under constant threat.The Northeast India (22-30 degree N and 89-97 degree E) spread over 2,62,379 sq.km. represents the transitional zone between the Indian, Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese biogeographic regions and is the geographical ‘gateway’ for much of India’s flora and fauna. As a consequence, the area is one of the richest in biological values, high in endemism and holds a large number of rare species that are now under serious threat.  It was the part of the northward moving ‘Deccan Peninsula’ that first touched the Asian landmass after the breakup of Gondwanaland in the early Tertiary Period. Northeast India is thus the geographical ‘gateway’ for much of India’s flora and fauna. It is in this lowland-highland transition zone that the highest diversity of biomes or ecological communities can be found, and species diversities within these communities are also extremely high.

The area is characterised by rich bio-diversity, heavy precipitation and high seismicity. It is endowed with forest wealth and is ideally suited to produce a whole range of plantation crops, spices, fruits and vegetables and flowers and herbs. The rich natural beauty, serenity and exotic flora and fauna of the area are invaluable resources for the development of eco-tourism.

 Hotspots are areas that are extremely rich in species, have high endemism and are under constant threat due to human pressure (having lost 70% of their original habitat). The Northeast is among the 34 Hot Spots of the world, identified in India, the other being the Western Ghats.