Flora of Uttarakhand

- Ojasvi Gupta

University Mountaineering Centre

BHU
 Introduction

Uttarakhand comprises of 13 districts spreading over an area of 51,082 sq

km, floristically, it falls under the west Himalayan Biogeography zone and it
is well-known for floral diversity with an estimated 4,000 species of
flowering plants having great economic medicinal, aromatic and artistic
value. Uttarakhand Himalayas have about 116 species of flora as indigenous
group. Mountain dominated terrain, and enormous diversity in microclimatic
conditions have resulted in a high diversity of flora which accounts for nearly
25% of total Indian flora in only 1.69% geographical area of the country.

Besides, many plant species new to science have been added from different parts
of Uttarakhand. Some such species are Anemone raui, Arenaria curvifolia, Carex
nandadviensis, List era nandadeviensis, Saussurea sudhanshui, Euphorbia
sharmae, Androsace garhwalicum, etc. More interesting to note is the presence of
one of the smallest flowering plants Arceuthobium minutissimum, parasitising
over Pinus gerardiana (Chilgoza) and the tallest plant of Asia, the Pinus
roxburghii, in Uttarkashi district. The sacred Mulberry, Morus serrata, said to
have been planted by the Adi Shankaracharya at Joshimath, the tree fern
Cyathea spinulosa, the gigantic Aesculus indica on way to Panwali, the tall Shore
a Robusta (Raja Sal) near Byasi are some other curiosities of the area. The
narrative of the plant wealth of Uttaranchal will not be complete unless a
mentioned about the sacred plants commonly used in worship in “The Abode of
Gods”. Besides, the earlier mentioned “Brahmakamal”, Zanthoxylum armatum
(Timur), Prunus puddum (Panya), Skimmia laureola, Primula denticulata, and
Artemisia nilagirica, Eagle marvelous etc. are offered to deities. Some other
representative and interesting plants of Uttaranchal are enumerated below with
a brief description:
The vegetation of Uttarakhand can be divided in the following zones:
● Sub-Tropical Zone of Uttarakhand
● Temperate Zone of Uttarakhand
● Sub-Alpine and Alpine Zones of Uttarakhand

A. Sub tropical zone flora

1. Sal - Sakhua - Shorea Robusta

Shorea robusta can grow up to 40 metres (130 feet) tall with a trunk diameter of
2 metres (6.6 feet). The leaves are 10–25 cm long and 5–15 cm broad. The sal
trees can take 150years to fully grow and can live more than 200 years. Sal is
one of the most important sources of hardwood timber in India, with hard,
coarse-grained wood that is light in colour when freshly cut, but becomes dark
brown with exposure. The dry leaves of sal are a major source for the production
of leaf plates and bowls called patravali in India and Nepal. It is used as an
astringent in Ayurvedic medicine, burned as incense in Hindu ceremonies, and
used to caulk boats and ships.
2. Shisham:
Dalbergia sissoo, known commonly as North Indian rosewood or shisham, is a
fast-growing, hardy, deciduous rosewood tree native to the Indian subcontinent
and southern Iran. D. sissoo is a large, crooked tree with long, leathery leaves
and whitish or pink flowers.
It is the best known economic timber species of the rosewood genus sold
internationally, but it is also used as fuel wood and for shade and shelter. After
teak, it is the most important cultivated timber tree of Bihar, which is the largest
producer of shisham timber in India. The tree's seed oil and powdered wood are
used in the treatment of skin ailments. Dalbergia sissoo may also have efficacy in
the treatment of stomach and blood conditions.
3. Kachnar: Bauhinia variegata
This is a very popular ornamental tree in subtropical and tropical climates, grown
for its scented flowers and also used as a food item in Indian cuisine.
Kachnar buds are also eaten as a stir-fried vegetable and used to make achaar, a
pickle in many parts of the Indian sub-continent. It shows a good antioxidant
and anticancer activity. In Nepal, the plant is known as koiralo and the flower is
known as koiralo ko phool in Nepali language. The roots are used as antidote to
snake poison.
4. Parijat:
The tree is called the "tree of sorrow" because the foliage becomes droopy as
blooming flowers fall off during early morning. The leaves have been used in
Ayurvedic medicine and Homoeopathy for sciatica, arthritis, and fevers, and as a
laxative. An orange dye from the corolla, nyctanthin, is used to dye silk. In India,
flowers are used to make garlands and used for worship. The Puranas describe
the parijata tree, as one of five trees, to have emerged during the legend of the
Samudra Manthana. Krishna is described to have battled with Indra to uproot the
parijata from his capital of Amaravati and plant it in his own city of Dvaraka.
B. Flora in the temperate Zone
1. Rhododendron arboretum : Burans
an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is
found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Thailand.
It is the national flower of Nepal. In India it is the state tree of Uttarakhand and
state flower of Nagaland. The plant is known as Maha ratmal, Maha Rath
Mal, Asela mal in Sinhala. Flowers and leaves of this tree have been long for
medicinal purposes. Commonly known as Burans, juice made from its flowers is
very popular beverage in the region. Burans leaves and flowers have been put to
various medicinal purposes traditionally. Latest research has evaluated
anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, heart and liver
protective property of burans flower.
2. Pinus roxburghii (Chir Pine):
Chir pine is widely planted for timber in its native area. For local building
purposes, the wood of this tree is the least preferred, as it is the weakest and
most prone to decay when compared with other conifers. Every autumn, the
dried needles of this tree form a dense carpet on the forest floor, which the locals
gather in large bundles to serve as bedding for their cattle, for the year round.
The green needles are also used to make tiny hand brooms. The locals of the
Jaunsar-Bawar region of Uttarakhand have several uses for this tree, which is
known in the local dialect as salli. It is also occasionally used as an ornamental
tree, planted in parks and gardens in hot dry areas.

It is also tapped commercially for resin. On distillation, the resin yields an

essential oil, commonly known as turpentine. The turpentine is chiefly used as a
solvent in pharmaceutical preparations, perfume industry, in manufacture of
synthetic pine oil, disinfectants, insecticides and denaturants. It is one of the
most important basic raw materials for the synthesis of terpene chemicals which
are used in a wide variety of industries such as adhesives, paper and rubber, etc.
 Chir pine rosin is principally used in paper, soap, cosmetics, paint, varnish, rubber
and polish industries. Besides these, other uses include the manufacture of
linoleum, explosives, insecticides and disinfectants.

3. Banda:

Dendrophthoe falcata is one of the hemiparasitic plants that belong to the

mistletoe family Loranthaceae. Dendrophthoe falcata is used as traditional
medicine through South and Central Asia. It possesses remarkable potential as a
medicinal plant, as is evident from the wound healing, anti-microbial,
anti-oxidant and antinociceptive properties of its ethanolic extracts. Medicinal
properties of this hemiparasite may vary in effects respective to different hosts it
establishes a relation with (Mallavadhani et al., 2006).

The whole plant is used in indigenous system of medicine as cooling, bitter,

astringent, aphrodisiac, narcotic and diuretic (Alekutty e al., 1993) and is useful
in treating pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, menstrual disorders, swelling
wounds, ulcers, renal and vesical calculi and vitiated conditions of kapha and
 pitta. A farmer’s perspective entails that they are notorious and devastating
parasitic plants. Being backed by easy seed dispersal mediated by frugivorous
birds, they continue to pose serious losses to economically valuable fruit trees,
flowering plants and those with medicinal properties whether growing in forests,
orchards or gardens.

4. Choru:

Angelica glauca, the smooth angelica, is a species of flowering plant in the

family Apiaceae. It is found from eastern Afghanistan through the western
Himalayas to western Tibet. Collecting in the wild for its essential oil has driven
this species to Endangered status.
 5. Sundew: Drosera peltata, commonly called the shield sundew or pale sundew, is
a climbing or scrambling perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant
genus Drosera. It is a carnivorious plant.

C. Alpine region flora:

1. Jatamansi:
 Nardostachys jatamansi is a flowering plant of the valerian family that grows in
the Himalayas. It is a source of a type of intensely aromatic amber-colored
essential oil, spikenard. The oil has, since ancient times, been used as a
perfume, as a traditional medicine, and in religious ceremonies. It is also called
spikenard, nard, nardin, or muskroot. It is considered endangered due to
overharvesting for folk medicine, overgrazing, loss of habitats, and forest
degradation.

The plant grows 10–50 cm (4–20 in) in height and has pink, bell-shaped flowers.
It is found at an altitude of 3,000–5,000 m (9,800–16,400 ft). Rhizomes
(underground stems) can be crushed and distilled into an intensely aromatic
amber-colored essential oil, which is very thick in consistency. Nard oil is used as
a perfume, an incense, a sedative, and an herbal medicine said to fight insomnia,
birth difficulties, and other minor ailments.

2. Kutaki:

It is found in the Himalayan region from Kashmir to Sikkim at an elevation of

2700–4500 m and in Nepal, found abundantly between 3500 and 4800 m. The
rhizome has a long history of use in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment
of digestive problems. Other uses have been proposed (e.g. for asthma, liver
 damage, wound healing, vitiligo), but the medical evidence is not yet conclusive.
It appears to be relatively safe based on its long history of traditional use.

Known as kutki or कुटकी in Nepali, it is a perennial herb. Kutki has

hepato-protective properties and thus supports the liver and spleen. It is used in
all forms of liver damage, cirrhosis, and inflammation of the liver. It protects the
liver against damage from the hepatitis C virus.

3. Himalayan May-apple or Indian May-apple or Papri:

Its name in Hindi and Ayurveda bantrapushi or Giriparpat and is locally referred
to as 'ban kakdi' in the Valley of Flowers National Park. Over-exploitation of S.
hexandrum and deforestation have resulted in its current IUCN endangered
listing. It is reasonably abundant in the Great Himalayan National Park of
Himachal Pradesh
Valley of Flowers:

The valley is believed to have been discovered in 1931, when three British
mountaineers – led by Frank S Smythe – lost their way and chanced upon this
spectacular valley. Attracted by the beauty of this place they named it the “Valley
of Flowers”.

As the name suggests, Valley of Flowers is a destination where nature blooms in

full glory offering a breathtaking experience. Exotic flowers (over 600 species)
like orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies and anemones are an
eye-catching spectacle. Sub-alpine forests birch and rhododendron cover parts of
the park's area. The trek to the valley offers eye-catching spectacles like
cascading waterfalls and wild streams.
Conclusion

Four major forest types are found in the Uttarakhand, including alpine meadows
in the extreme north, temperate forests in the Great Himalayas, tropical
deciduous forests in the Lesser Himalayas, and thorn forests in the Siwalik Range
and in parts of the Tarai. According to official statistics, more than 60 percent of
Uttarakhand is under forest cover; in actuality, however, the coverage is much
less. The forests provide not only timber and fuel wood but also extensive
grazing land for livestock. Only a small portion of the state’s total land area has
permanent pastures.

Common tree species of the temperate forests include Himalayan cedar (Deodar
cedar), Himalayan (blue) pine, oak, silver fir, spruce, chestnut, elm, poplar, birch,
yew, cypress, and rhododendron. Tropical deciduous forests of sal, teak, and
shisham—all hardwoods—occur in the submontane tract. Thorn forests of dhak
(a type of flowering tree), babul (a type of acacia), and various bushes occur in
the south.