Forest Vegetation Characteristics of Indian Hills Palni Hills (South India)

With the ever decreasing vegetation cover in India, the study of

forest elements from evolutionary view point becomes imperative. The

beginning in this direction was made by P.N. Mehra and his students

from Panjab University, Chandigarh when during the sixties, they

investigated the broad leaved tree elements of Kumaon region in

western Himalayas and Assam/Meghalaya region in eastern

Himalayas. The outstanding contributions made by this team prompted

other workers to undertake such studies in the future years. One active

group established itself at Punjabi University, Patiala and woody

elements of Garhwal Himalayan and central Indian forests were

investigated. Such studies were extended to south Indian regions by us

in the year 1980. As a consequence of intensive survey of Palni hills

forests for four years, the present account dealing primarily with

woody taxa has been compiled with a view to making a permanent

record of the fast disappearing forest systems of India All this is

intended to make an imprint on the minds of botanists, foresters,

naturalists and conservationists in respect of the richness of our forests.