ISSN-1994-1978 (Online) & ISSN-2075-1672 (Optical)
J. Soil Nature 4(1):25-33 (August 2010)
FLORISTIC COMPOSITION OF MADHUPUR SAL FOREST IN BANGLADESH
J.C. MALAKER1, M.M. RAHMAN2, A.K.M. AZAD-UD-DOULA PRODHAN3, S.K. MALAKER4 AND M.A.H. KHAN5
1-5
Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Corresponding author & address: J.C. Malaker, Email: [email protected]
Accepted for publication 15 July 2010
ABSTRACT
Malaker JC, Rahman MM, Azad-Ud-Doula Prodhan AKM, Malaker SK, Khan MAH (2010) Floristic composition of Madhupur sal forest in
Bangladesh. J. Soil Nature 4(1), 25-33.
An annotated checklist of the angiosperm genetic resources of Madhupur sal forest in Bangladesh was prepared to provide
information on the plant diversity it contained. A total of 174 plant species was recorded under 131 genera and 54 families
in Madhupur sal forest of which about 102, 17, 34 and 21 species were classified as under tree, shrub, herb and climber,
respectively according to their growth habits. A total of 131 genera were inventoried, and as regards to diversity of species
by genera, Ficus was the largest genus having 10 species followed by Dioscorea and Syzygium with 4 species each.
Terminalia, Acacia, Albizia, Bauhinia, Artocarpus and Calamus contained 3 species each. Some 106 genera were found
with only one species each. As regards to family composition, a total of 54 families were recorded in the list. Of these,
Leguminosae was the largest family having 15 genera with 24 species. Euphorbiaceae was the second largest family
containing 8 genera with 9 species followed by Apocynaceae with 6 genera and 6 species. Combretaceae, Cyperaceae,
Ebnaceae, Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Palmae and Rhamnaceae were represented by single genus with multiple species each
and 14 families had single species only.
Key words: floristic composition, Madhupur sal forest and uses
INTRODUCTION
The Sal forests of Bangladesh is a part of the tropical moist deciduous forest, locally known as the inland Sal forest
(Rashid et al. 1995). Available information suggests that currently only 10% of the 1,20,000 hectares of Sal forest in
Dhaka, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts are covered with Sal trees (Gain 1998). In
the Sal forest 70 to 75% of the trees are Sal. But today the forest degraded to such an extent that it has lost the main
feature of the original Sal forest. Madhupur harbours the best remaining patch of Sal forest in Bangladesh. This is
under process of destruction due to biotic pressure e.g. population settlement, fire wood collection, forest floor
firing, picnic gatherings and several cultivation program (bamboo, cassava) within the forest.
Shorea robusta Gaertin.f. is locally known as Sal in Bangladesh. It is distributed in India, Nepal and Bangladesh
(FAO 1985). Among the dipterocarus it has the widest distribution. In India it occupies two main regions separated
by the Gangetic plain, mainly the sub-Himalayan region (north of the Gangetic plain) and south of the Ganga.
The plainland forests (‘Sal’ forests) are located in the greater districts of Dhaka, Tangail, Mymensingh and
Netrokona. In addition to ‘Sal’ (Shorea robusta) stands of timber value, these forests are composed of many
medicinal palnts like Hartaki (Terminalia chebula), Bohera (Terminalia belerica), Arjune (Terminalia arjuna) and
Kurchi (Holarrhena antidysentrica). Besides many more undergrowth herbs of medicinal importance, like Shothi
(Curcuma zedoaria), Bon-ada (Curcuma amada) etc. grow luxuriantly in these forests (Khan 1990).
Plant genetic resources (PGR) are one of the most important elements of biodiversity which support life systems on
the earth. They are the global assets of incalculable value to present and future generations; and are the sources of
improved yield and quality factors; and in all aspects, they represent the very foundation of human existence (FAO,
1984). As a part of Indian-Subcontinent centre of plant diversity, Bangladesh is very rich in its plant genetic
resources (Valilov 1926). But, numerous plant species are at risk of being lost in all or part of their distribution
ranges because of reduction in their population number due to over exploitation (Das 1987).
The wild plant species have always been the important sources of fruits, food, fodder, fuel, bamboo, canes,
medicines etc. Moreover, the wild species are potentials for having desired genes and characters that are being
utilized in the breeding programmed for improved yield and quality factors and to respond for changing
environment. Unfortunately, many of the wild and semi-wild plant genetic resources are now in greatest threat to
extinction than ever before due to overexploitation and loss of natural habitats. The over-exploitation and destructive
harvesting of plant resources, especially medicinal plants in the wild by the escalating human populations have lead
many plant species to become rare and some are on the point of extinction.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The phytosociological was carried out in the selected forests in the Madhupur sal forest of Madhupur Upazila of
Tangail district from February 2006 to March 2007. Circular sampling method used for data collection. For present
phytosociological analysis of the vegetation study, we have selected 100 circular plots of 300 m² each area in the
Madhupur sal forests. Plots were established randomly from different sites continuously at 100 m interval in any
Copyright© 2010 Green Global Foundation
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Malaker et al.
direction. The size of 300 m2 and number of circular sampling were determined by the species area curve (Misra
1968). To exploratory and to ascertain the plant holdings of Madhupur sal forest, a detailed survey has been
conducted. This work consisted of basic methodological approaches and survey. The plant resources of the study
area were listed and recorded with their uses, and every species was identified separately. The total number of
species in all the circular sampling was recorded and then the basal area of all the species was measured. The basal
area i.e., the cross section area of a tree measured at 4.5 feet above the ground (cross section area of a tree at breast
height). The trees more than 31.5 cm cbh (circumference at breast height i.e., 1.37 m above the ground) were
individually measured for cbh. Individuals between 10.5 to 31.5 cm cbh were recorded either as saplings or shrubs
and the individuals less than 10.5 cm cbh were considered as seedlings. The existing plant species were identified on
the site by the help of local people and my supervisor. The species were also identified with the help of different
Journals and reference books. The families, genera and species are arranged alphabetically. The species were also
identified with the help of different journals and reference books. Some species could not be identified.
RESULTS
The study on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Madhupur sal forest revealed a total of 174 plant species
was recorded under 131 genera and 54 families (Table 1a) of which about 102, 17, 34 and 21 species were classified
as under tree, shrub, herb and climber, respectively according to their growth habits (Table 4a). A total of 131
genera were inventoried, and as regards to diversity of species by genera, Ficus was the largest genus having 10
species followed by Dioscorea and Syzygium with 4 species each. Terminalia, Acacia, Albizia, Bauhinia, Artocarpus
and Calamus contained 3 species each. Some 106 genera were found with only one species each (Table 2a). As
regards to family composition, a total of 54 families were recorded in the list. Of these, Leguminosae was the largest
family having 15 genera with 24 species. Euphorbiaceae was the second largest family containing 8 genera with 9
species followed by Apocynaceae with 6 genera and 6 species (Table 5a). Combretaceae, Cyperaceae, Ebnaceae,
Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Palmae and Rhamnaceae were represented by single genus with multiple species each and
14 families had single species only (Table 2a). Some 237 species and 159 genera under 53 families were recorded
by Rashid and Mia (2001) in the Madhupur sal forest.
From the above result, it revealed that Madhupur sal forest contained the highest number of plant species with
highest number of plant genera with 54 families. More importantly from the result it was evident that almost all the
families at the forests were represented by single genera and the maximum number of genera by single species each
indicating the poor diversity at family and genus levels. This situation demands urgent attention to enrich the plant
diversity at genera and species levels to avoid the risk of extinction of single species or genera with single species.
Malaker et al. (2008) identified some threatened species of Bridelia retusa, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, Alstonia scholaris,
Phyllanthus emblica, Cassia fistula, Orexylum indicum Semocarpus anacardium, Garuga pinnata etc. in Jaus bits
and Beribaid bits of Madhupur sal forest.
DISCUSSION
Bangladesh is rich in field crops, fruits, nuts and forest plants covering a wide array of species, genera and families
(Valilov 1926). Some of these species, especially fruit and timber yielding plants, are very common and distributed
all over the country. The present investigation indicating that some of the common plant species are also present in
the Madhupur sal forest which are similar to those of others (Chowdhury 1991, 1996; Talukder 1999). Along with
the common fruit and timber yielding plants, many minor edible fruits, medicinal plants, rare and endangered plant
species have also observed in this forest (Table 1a).
Medicinal plant species
Under medicinal plant species, a total of 113 plant species had been recorded in the Madhupur sal forest (Table 3a).
Among the medicinal plant species, 50 tree, 14 shrub, 32 herb and 17 climber species were found to be used as
medicine (Table 4a).
Ornamental plant species
Under ornamental plant species, a total of 4 plant species had been recorded in the Madhupur sal forest (Table 3a).
Among the ornamental plant species, 2 tree, 1 shrub and 1 herb species were used as ornamental (Table 4a).
Fruit plant species
Under fruit plant species, a total of 24 plant species had been recorded in the Madhupur sal forest (Table 3a). Among
the fruit plant species, 23 tree and 1 shrub species were used as fruit (Table 4a).
26
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Floristic composition of Madhupur sal forest in Bangladesh
Timber plant species
Under timber plant species, a total of 25 plant species had been recorded in the Madhupur sal forest (Table 3a). Among
the timber plant species, 25 tree species were used as timber (Table 4a).
Miscellaneous plant species
Under miscellaneous plant species, a total of 8 plant species had been recorded in the Madhupur sal forest (Table3a).
Among the miscellaneous plant species, 2 tree (1 fodder and 1 rubber), 1 herb (1fencing) and 5 climber species were
used as miscellaneous (3 cane, 1 packing and 1 alcohol) (Table 4a).
Table 1a. Total number of genus and species as in February, 2006 to March, 2007 of Madhupur sal forest by family
Sl. No.
Family
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
Acanthaceae
Amaranthaceae
Anacardiaceae
Annonaceae
Apocynaceae
Araceae
Asclepiadaceae
Bignoniaceae
Bombacaceae
Boraginaceae
Burseraceae
Capparidaceae
Combretaceae
Compositae
Cucurbitaceae
Cuscutaceae
Cyperaceae
Dilleniaceae
Dioscoreaceae
Dipterocarpaceae
Ebenaceae
Elaeocarpaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Gramineae
Labiatae
Lauraceae
Lecythidaceae
Leguminosae
Liliaceae
Lythraceae
Malvaceae
Meliaceae
Moraceae
Myrsinaceae
Myrtaceae
Oxalidaceae
27
No. of Genus
No. of Species
4
3
4
3
6
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
1
5
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
8
4
2
1
2
15
3
1
1
5
3
1
2
1
4
3
4
4
6
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
3
5
2
1
2
1
4
2
2
1
9
4
2
2
2
24
3
2
1
5
14
1
5
1
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Malaker et al.
Table 1a.Contd.
Sl. No.
Family
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
Palmae
Piperaceae
Polygoniaceae
Polypodiaceae
Rhamnaceae
Rubiaceae
Rutaceae
Sapindaceae
Schroplulariacee
Smilacaceae
Solanaceae
Sterculiaceae
Tiliaceae
Ulmaceae
Umbelliferae
Verbenaceae
Vitaceae
Zingiberaceae
Total
No. of Genus
No. of Species
1
2
1
1
1
4
3
2
1
1
2
3
2
1
1
4
3
2
131
3
2
1
1
2
4
3
2
1
1
3
3
3
1
1
7
3
3
174
Number of families with single genus with multiple species = 7
Number of families with single species only = 14
Table 2a. Total number of plant species as in February, 2006 to March, 2007 of Madhupur sal forest by genus and
family
Sl. No.
Family
Genus
Species
1.
2.
3.
4.
Acanthaceae
Adhatoda
Andrographis
Barleria
Thunbergia
1
1
1
1
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Asclepiadaceae
Calotropics
1
Amaranthaceae
Achyranthes
Amaranthus
Gomphrena
1
1
1
10.
11.
12.
13.
Anacardiaceae
Lannea
Mangifera
Semecarpus
Spondias
1
1
1
1
14.
15.
16.
Annonaceae
Annona
Milisua
Polyalthia
1
2
1
28
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Floristic composition of Madhupur sal forest in Bangladesh
Table 2a.Contd.
Sl. No.
Family
Genus
Species
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Apocynaceae
Alstonia
Holarrhena
Ichnocarpus
Rauvolfia
Tabernemontana
Wringhtia
1
1
1
1
1
1
23.
24.
Araceae
Scindapsus
Steudnera
1
1
25.
26.
Bignoniaceae
Oroxylum
Stereospermum
1
1
27.
Bombacaceae
Bombax
1
28.
29.
Boraginaceae
Cordia
Heliotropium
1
1
30.
31.
Burseraceae
Bursera
Garuga
1
1
32.
Capparidaceae
Crataeva
1
33.
Combretaceae
Terminalia
3
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
Compositae
Ageratum
Mikania
Spaeranthus
Tridax
Gnaphalium
1
1
1
1
1
39.
40.
Cucurbitaceae
Coccinea
Trichosanthes
1
1
41.
Cuscutaceae
Cuscuta
1
42.
Cyperaceae
Cyperus
2
43.
Dilleniaceae
Dillenia
1
44.
Dioscoreaceae
Dioscorea
4
45.
46.
Dipterocarpaceae
Hopea
Shorea
1
1
47.
Ebenaceae
Diospyros
2
48.
Elaeocarpaceae
Elaeocarpus
1
29
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Malaker et al.
Table 2a.Contd.
Sl. No.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
Family
Genus
Euphorbiaceae
Antidesma
Baccaurea
Bridelia
Hevea
Mallotus
Phyllanthus
1
1
1
1
1
2
Trewia
Manihot
1
1
55.
56.
Species
57.
58.
59.
60.
Gramineae
Axonopus
Cynodon
Imperata
Oplisma
1
1
1
1
61.
62.
Labiatae
Hyptis
Leucas
1
1
63.
Lauraceae
Litsea
2
64.
65.
Lecythidaceae
Barringtonia
Careya.
1
1
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
Leguminosae
Acacia
Albizia
Bauhinia
Butea
Cassia
Crotalaria
Desmodium
Entada
Erythrina
Leucaena
Mimosa
Saraca
Spatholobus
Tamarindus
Xylia
3
3
3
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
81.
82.
83.
Liliaceae
Asparagus
Elentherine
Urginea
1
1
1
84.
Lythraceae
Lagerstroemia.
2
85.
Malvaceae
Urena
1
86.
87.
88.
89.
Meliaceae
Aphanamixis
Azadirachta
Melia
Swietenia
1
1
1
1
Leguminosae
30
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Floristic composition of Madhupur sal forest in Bangladesh
Table 2a.Contd.
Sl. No.
Family
90.
Genus
Species
Toona
1
91.
92.
93.
Moraceae
Artocarpus
Ficus
Streblus
3
10
1
94.
Myrsinaceae
Ardisia
1
95.
96.
Myrtaceae
Psidium
Syzygium
1
4
97.
Oxalidaceae
Oxalis
1
98.
Palmae
Calamus
3
99.
100.
Piperaceae
Piper
Piperomia
1
1
101.
Polygoniaceae
Polygonum
1
102.
Polypodiaceae
Dryopteris
1
103.
Rhamnaceae
Zizyphus
2
104.
105.
106.
107.
Rubiaceae
Adina
Neolamarckia
Hymenodiclyen
Randia
1
1
1
1
108.
109.
110.
Rutaceae
Aegle
Feronia
Zanthoxylum
1
1
1
111.
112.
Sapindaceae
Madhuca
Schelichera
1
1
113.
Schroplulariacee
Scoparia
1
114.
Smilacaceae
Smilax
1
115.
116.
Solanaceae
Datura
Solanum
1
2
117.
118.
119.
Sterculiaceae
Abroma
Pterospermum
Sterculia
1
1
1
120.
121.
Tiliaceae
Glycosmis
Grewia
1
2
31
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Malaker et al.
Table 2a.Contd.
Sl. No.
Family
Genus
Species
122.
Ulmaceae
Trema
1
123.
Umbelliferae
Hydrocotyle
1
124.
125.
126.
127.
Verbenaceae
Clerodendrum
Gmelina
Tectona
Vitex
3
1
1
2
128.
129.
130.
Vitaceae
Cissus
Leea
Vitis
1
1
1
131.
132.
Zingiberaceae
Alpinia
Curcuma
Total
1
2
=174
Genera with single species = 106
Table 3a. Total number of family, genus and species as in February, 2006 to March, 2007 of Madhupur sal forest by
different categories of plants
Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5
Use
Medicinal plants
Ornamental
Fruit
Timber
Miscellaneous
Total
Family
39
4
13
12
6
Genus
92
4
18
20
6
Species
113
4
24
25
8
174
Table 4a. Total number of tree, shrubs, herbs and climbers as in February, 2006 to March, 2007 of Madhupur sal
forest by use
Sl.No
1
2
3
4
5
Use
Medicinal plants
Ornamental
Fruit
Timber
Miscellaneous
Total
Tree
50
2
23
25
2
102
Shrub
15
1
1
0
0
17
Herb
32
1
0
0
1
34
Climber
16
0
0
0
5
21
Total
113
4
24
25
8
174
Table 5a. Families with the highest number of genera as in February, 2006 to March, 2007 of Madhupur sal forest
Sl.No
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Name of the family
Leguminosae
Euphorbiaceae
Apocynaceae
Compositae
Meliaceae
Acanthaceae
Anacardiaceae
Gramineae
Rubiaceae
Verbenaceae
No of genus
15
8
6
6
5
4
4
4
4
4
32
Rank
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
J. Soil Nature 4(1): August 2010
Floristic composition of Madhupur sal forest in Bangladesh
CONCLUSION
Madhupur sal forest revealed a total of 174 plant species was recorded under 131 genera and 54 families of
which about 102, 17, 34 and 21 species were classified as under tree, shrub, herb and climber, respectively
according to their growth habits. More importantly from the result it was evident that almost all the families at the
forests were represented by single genera and the maximum number of genera by single species each indicating the
poor diversity at family and genus levels. This situation demands urgent attention to enrich the plant diversity at
genera and species levels to avoid the risk of extinction of single species or genera with single species. Malaker et
al. (2008) identified some threatened species of Bridelia retusa, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, Alstonia scholaris, Phyllanthus
emblica, Cassia fistula, Orexylum indicum Semocarpus anacardium, Garuga pinnata etc. in Jaus bits and Beribaid
bits of Madhupur sal forest.
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