Plant composition and species diversity in Delhi NCR of India

The present study provides a first major step in documenting and conserving the local plant diversity in Delhi NCR, which witnessed high species richness within a relatively small, localized area and harbors many high-value medicinal plants used in Ayurveda and other Indian traditional systems of medicine. The local hotspot areas that serve as a unique ecosystem for flora are being depleted day by day as a result of anthropogenic pressure. Hence, there is a need to conserve the species hotspots involving local communities who always interact with these ecosystems. The present study documents 272 plant species belonging to 204 genera and 69 families from the Delhi NCR of India. The aquatic and terrestrial vegetation in the study area was surveyed frequently throughout the year in different seasons, and plant collections were made. The majority of species documented were flowering plants, which comprised 216 dicots, 53 monocots, and three species belonged to lycophytes and fern groups. Fabaceae was the most dominant family with 39 plant species, followed by Poaceae (31 species), Asteraceae (25 species), Convolvulaceae (14 species), and Amaranthaceae and Malvaceae (12 species each). Genus Ipomoea is recorded to have the highest number of species (7), followed by Euphorbia and Cyperus, having five species each. Overall, the herbaceous community of species was greater in numbers than other life forms.