Assessment of Plant Diversity in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, Northeast India

The quantitative analysis of plant diversity of semi evergreen forest of Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in upper Assam was investigated during 2010-2011 by random plot sampling method. A total of 202 plant species (75 trees, 23 shrubs, 85 herbs including herbaceous climbers, 9 lianas, 3 bamboos, 6 rattans and 1 palm) belonging to 169 genera and 87 families were recorded from the sanctuary. Vatica lanceaefolia Bl., a critically endangered species, emerged as the dominant tree species. The highest plant density and diversity were found in herbaceous species. Shannon-Wiener diversity index (1.93 to 3.81) and Simpson's index (0.05 to 0.17) were within the range reported for different Indian tropical forests which indicated that the sanctuary is a species diverse forest. Plant species diversity and their quantitative features recorded from the present study may provide baseline information for conservation and management strategies of the present forest.