Floristic Study on Angiosperms Surrounding the Medavakkam Lake, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Biodiversity plays a significant role in maintaining the ecosystem for their sustainable utilization. A preliminary survey was conducted to document the diversity and economic importance of the angiosperms around the Medavakkam Lake, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. The study area act as a seed bank for native species and provide suitable conditions to endemic and certain endangered species. Diversity indices of the study area was found significant, in which the species abundance, richness and evenness were found. A total of 71 species belonging to 36 families of angiosperms were documented. Among which the Dicotyledons plants were 87.32% and monocotyledon plants were 12.67% of total flora reported. The study area was dominated by the family fabaceae (14.1%) with ten species. Habit wise classification of plants reveal that trees are predominant with 32%, followed by hers (25%), Shrubs (21%), Climbers (13%), undershrubs (6%) and grasses (3%). The Simpson Diversity Index, Shannon Wiener Index and evenness index of the study area is 0.777, 1.5634 and 0.8725 respectively. These plants was found with enormous benefits to the mankind such as medicinal, edible, timber, ornamental, oil and other sources. This investigation divulges that the Medavakkam Lake has substantial angiosperm diversity served as major source for native plants having greater economic importance.