Floristic Structure of Snowline Vegetation in Central Himalaya, India

Abstract

An extensive floristic survey was made during the years 1981-1983 near the snowline areas of Central Himalaya. In this sector of Himalaya, the snowline generally varies between 5400 and 5600 m asl. The area has been broadly divided into three geobotanical subunits: (1) chocolate-colored limestone ridges, (2) old sandur, and (3) pioneer environments. Christolea himalayensis (Camb.) Tafri (Brassicaceae) was recorded at the highest elevation, i.e., 5600 m. In all, 60 angiosperm taxa belonging to 18 families were found. Six dominant families of this zone are Brassicaceae (10 spp.), Asteraceae (8 spp.), Ranunculaceae (7 spp.), Poaceae (4 spp.), Fumariaceae (3 spp.), and Caryophyllaceae (3 spp.). The life form spectrum of the flora reveals that 46.66% species are chamaephytes, 30% hemicryptophytes, 18.33% geophytes, and only 5%o therophytes; pteridophytes and gymnosperms were not recorded from the snowline areas. Lichens, algae, and mosses are frequent. The seasonality, habitats, and altitudinal distribution of each species were studied. The vegetation seems to be ecologically similar to that of arctic and tundra regions.