Floristic Assessment of Monocotyledonous Plant Diversity in and Around Rourkela-An Urban Area of Sundargarh District, Odisha, India

Abstract

Due to human activities in urban areas, they are in a state of rapid change for ecological alteration, which has resulted in a threat to the local plant diversity. Floristic study of a particular region helps everyone to get knowledge about forest management and the ecosystem associated with the existing plant resources of that particular region. Survey and documentation of the floristic wealth of a region are prerequisites for planning and proper utilization of its potential plant resources on the one hand and the depleting genetic resources on the other. The present paper provides the first and most comprehensive account of the monocotyledon flora of Rourkela Steel City in Sundargarh, Odisha. The floristic study of this region demonstrates a wide range of species diversity and growth. From the present investigation of the study area, the floristic exploration of monocotyledons of the Rourkela Steel City revealed the presence of 146 species in 96 genera under 28 families. Poaceae is the most dominant family with 40 species, followed by Cyperaceae (20 spp.).The dominant genus is Cyperus, with 12 species, followed by Dioscorea and Fimbristylis with four species each. The resulted plants had high utility values for food, fodder, ethnomedicine, fiber, etc. Since Rourkela is one of the units for the development of area and programs, the present inventory work will be helpful for the completion of the Rourkela flora as well as the Flora of Sundargarh district and will provide necessary information for an up-to-date compilation of the "Flora of Odisha". HIGHLIGHTS• The diversity of monocot flora present in Rourkela are studied..• Higher number of monocot plants present in Poaceae family.• The economic importances of moocot plants in Rourkela are studied.