ANALYSIS /FOREST

MIKANIA MICRANTHA (bitterwine) 13 %

One of the most invaded plant in the
Pacific and Asian countries, it was
introduced in India around World War-II
Manas and Kaziranga (Assam)
national parks, Valmiki Tiger Reserve
(Bihar) and Kerala. Early-stage invasion
Central India and Himalayan foothills

MIMOSA DIPLOTRICHA 14 %

SILENT
(giant sensitive plant)
Native to Central and South
America, it can form dense
thickets quickly
Manas and Kaziranga
(Assam) national
INVADERS
The 11 high-concern invasive
parks, Valmiki Tiger Reserve species have already attacked
(Bihar), Karnataka. Early-stage
invasion in Central India
66 per cent of India’s natural
systems. They are most
XANTHIUM STRUMARIUM prolific in fragmented and
(common cocklebur)
20 % deciduous ecosystems and
Native of North America are least prevalent in areas
and Argentina, the plant is with extreme climate and less
drought-resistant anthropic pressure
Mukundara National
Park (Rajasthan),
Nagarjun Sagar Srisailam
(Andhra Pradesh) and Invasion hotspot
Sathya-mangalam % share of natural areas invaded
(Tamil Nadu) tiger reserves
21 %
MESOSPHAERUM SUAVEOLENS NILGIRI
(pignut) BIOSPHERE
A herbaceous plant native to the RESERVE is one of
South America and West Indies, its the largest INVASION
introduction into India is unknown impact HOTSPOTS by
area, predominantly invaded
Pench, Melghat and Tadoba by Lantana camara,
Andhari tiger reserves in Central India. Prosopis juliflora and
Early-stage invasion in Himalayan foothills Chromolaena
odorata
22 %
CHROMOLAENA ODORATA (siam weed)
Belonging to the sunflower family, this
South American shrub was introduced in India
in the 1840s
Bandipur National Park and Nagarhole
Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, Manas National
Park (Assam), Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil
Nadu). Early-stage invasion in Himalayan
foothills, Central Indian highlands

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 50 %
LANTANA CAMARA (lantana)
Native of South America, it was introduced in
India as a decorative shrub in 1809
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala), Central
Indian Highlands, Himalayan foothills

48 %
SENNA TORA (sickle senna)
FRAGMENTED An invasive weed native of South
FORESTS OF America, its introduction into India
CENTRAL INDIAN is unknown
HIGHLANDS are largely
and DENSELY INVADED
Sariska (Rajasthan) and
FOREST SYSTEMS, typically
Amarabad (Telangana) tiger
along the ecocline between
reserves and Bandhavgarh National
dry and moist systems
Park (Madhya Pradesh)

36 %
PROSOPIS JULIFLORA
(mesquite)
Native to Mexico and South
America, it was introduced
in India in 1887
Kutch, Thar, Aravalli,
and Deccan Plateau.
Early-stage invasion in lower
Himalayas, Northeastern hills

SOUTHERN
EASTERN
GHATS among
the MOST DENSELY
INVADED LANDSCAPES
predominately by Prosopis
juliflora and Lantana
camara
Plant invasion impact hotspot
Low
Source:“Distribution, drivers and
restoration priorities of plant invasions
in India”, published in Journal of Applied
Ecology on August 16, 2023
LEAST
SUITABLE
NATIVE SYSTEMS
for invasions were distributed
in extreme climatic condition
like the DESERT SAVANNAS
IN WESTERN INDIA,
EVERGREEN RAINFOREST of the
NORTHEASTERN INDIA and
WESTERN GHATS, along with
LEAST HUMAN-MODIFIED
AREAS in Central India
24 %
PARTHENIUM HYSTEROPHORUS
High
riverbanks, roadsides, animal trails
26 %
AGERATINA
ADENOPHORA
(catweed)
A weed indigenous
to Central America, it
was introduced in the
subcontinent in 1950s
Himalayas, Western
Ghats and Northeast.
Early-stage invasion in dry
25 % forests of Central India
AGERATUM CONYZOIDES
(goat weed)
A flower bearing plant native to
tropical America and known to exist
in India before 1882
Himalayan foothills, Terai and
Northeastern hills
(congress grass)
A poisonous weed introduced in India in
1954 as contaminants in imported wheat
Agro-pastoral regions, along with

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