Online ISSN: 2515-8260

PLANT DIVERSITY AND UTILIZATION PATTERNS OF SELECTED HOME GARDENS IN KOLLAM DISTRICT, KERALA -A CASE STUDY

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S.Sekaran and Nisha Raj.S

Abstract

The present study revealed that home gardens of Kollam district of Kerala are having diverse plant resources of both ecological and economic significance. A preliminary vegetation survey was conducted in 10 different home gardens in Kollam district of Kerala. A total of 255 plant species belonging to 202 genera and representing 83 families was encountered from 10 home gardens consisting of 57 trees 52 shrubs and 146 herbs excluding cultivars of Musa and Heveaspp, of these The different use category plants are studied, including 156 ornamental plants , 27fruits yielding plants, 30 species of vegetables, 150 species of medicinal plants, 24 species of timbers, 16 species of fuel woods, 18 species of spices and10 species of miscellaneous plants are presented of these plants IUCN, RET category and endemic plants like Baccoureacourtalensis, Vateriaindica, Woodfordiafruticosa, Saracaasoka were encountered.. Hence It is necessary to study in detail whether home gardening in Kerala can be a viable mechanism for biodiversity/ex-situ conservation of Biodiversity.Thus Home gardening can play an important role in advancing food and nutritional security and also strengthening the provisioning of numerous ecosystem services in conserving the Biodiversity.

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