Assessment of Floristic Diversity of different Coniferous Forests in Himalayan Temperate Climate of Western Himalayas

Floristic studies have acquired increasing importance in recent years in response to the need of developing countries to assess their plant wealth. The present study was carried out in different coniferous forests of Western Himalayas in the mountainous and diversity rich state of Himachal Pradesh. The forest type that represents the major coniferous forest species in the present study are FT1-Chir (Pinus roxburghii), FT2-Deodar (Cedrus deodara), FT3-Kail (Pinus wallichiana), FT4-Fir/Spruce (Abies pindrow/Picea smithiana) and FT5-Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana). The study revealed 21 tree species, 40 shrub species and 93 herb species contributing to a total of 154 species in all the forest types. FT2 (Deodar) and FT4 (Fir/Spruce) showed maximum (60) of total plant species where a least (32) number of plant species found in FT5 (Chilgoza). FT2-FT3-FT4 found to be more similar to each other for shrub and herb species presence than FT1 (Chil) and least of similarity to FT5 (Chilgoza). Plant family representation showed dominance of Pinaceae + Fagaceae for trees; shrubs and herbs from Rosaceae and Poaceae + Asteraceae family.