Flowering Plants of Kerala: status and statistics

Abstract

This paper provides a preliminary analysis of the flowering plants of Kerala based on 1303 publications appeared until 2008 The state harbours 4694 species under 1 41 8 genera and 1 88 families (s./.). Of these, 4078 are indigenous, 199 are exotic naturalised and 417 are cultivated/planted. Of the 4078 indigenous species, 1568 are endemic to India and of these, 865 are endemic to the Western Ghats. of the 865 Western Ghats endemics, 237 species are endemic to Kerala. This includes two monotypic genera, Silentvalleya and Haplothismia. About 5% of the flora come under one or other IUCN red list category. 0f all the life forms, herbs constitute more than 50% of the flora and shrubs and trees 15% each. Continent wise analysis shows that 389 species found in Kerala share their distribution with Australia, 442 species with Africa, 31 species with Europe, 190 species with America and 2194 species with different countries in Asia. There are 115 species common to Kerala and South East Asia. Sri Lanka and Malaysia together share 26 species with Kerala and 1866 species share their distribution with Sri Lanka, out of which 538 are exclusively common to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Kerala constitutes only 1 .1 8% of the geographical area of India but it accommodates 27 .57o/o of the flowering plants occurring in the country. It has been found that 1 1 70 species possess established medicinal properties. Absence of a comprehensive Flora dealing with all the flowering plants of the state is the major gap; nearly 8% of the flora are not represented in any of the Indian herbaria and illustrations of 35% of the species are not available. The analysis is supported with 12 figures and two appendices.