Diversity of angiospermic plants in Dhanaulti Region, Uttarakhand: an emerging tourist destination in Western Himalaya

Situated adjacent to Mussoorie, the popular hill station in Uttarakhand state of India, Dhanaulti region is known for its scenic environs amidst the temperate forests. The floristic survey revealed a total of 112 species belonging to 96 genera and 47 families. Poaceae was the largest family with 16 genera and 17 species followed by Rosaceae represented by nine genera and 13 species and Asteraceae with eight genera and eight species. Lamiaceae and Caprifoliaceae had four species each while Brassicaceae, Celastraceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, Plantaginaceae and Smilacaceae had three species each. Most dominant genus was Rubus with four species followed by Euonymus and Smilax with three species each. Two vulnerable species, Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. and Valeriana jatamansi Jones, were also recorded. This study in addition gives an account on ethnobotanical uses of 51 species. Since Dhanaulti is an emerging tourist destination in Western Himalaya, the study will generate baseline information for management authorities to give due importance to its ecological wealth while planning any development in future.