Introduction

Maharashtra is rich in arboreal flora. Maharashtra has got various types of forests including evergreen forest to moist deciduous forests and dry deciduous forests to thorny scrubs. Trees in Maharashtra are distributed in various rainfall regions like Konkan, Western Ghats, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Khandesh and Marathwada. Critical survey of literature (Sharma et a.l, 1996; Singh et al., 2001- 2003; Almeida, 1996-2003) with reference to tree flora revealed occurrence of as many as total 463 species, 5 subspecies and 11 varieties of wild trees and in addition to these around 262 commonly cultivated species of trees can be found in Maharashtra. Out of the total wild trees about 54 endemic species are reported to occur in Maharashtra. Mishra & Singh (2001) mentioned 3 tree species in their work on Endemic and Threatened Flowering Plants of Maharashtra.

Taxonomic studies

Compiled checklist of trees of Maharashtra

State list

District wise list

Region wise (as par rainfall pattern e. g. Konkan, Ghats, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbh, Marathwada, Khandesh)

Compiled checklist of Nonnative or Exotic Trees of Maharashtra.

Commonly used exotic tree for plantation are -

1.Eucalyptus 2.Gliricidia 3.Subabhul 4.Rain tree 5.Pink Cassia 6.Kaju 7.Badam 8.Australian Acacia 9.Casuarina 10.Kanchan 11.Silver Oak 12.Spathodia 13.Cassia spp 14.Mohogani

Identification key based on leaves

Landscape Ecology of Trees

Geography of Maharashtra, geology and soils, topography, rainfall pattern, broad land use pattern and other climatic features

Various habitats and forest types

Distribution of trees in various forest types

Distribution of trees in various habitats (eg. Riparian, Mangroves, etc.)

Evergreen and deciduous trees

Tree communities in various habitats of Maharashtra

Species Ecology

Phenology

Pollination Biology

Seed dispersal Mechanisms

Seed germination and factors related to germination

Associations with epiphytes, parasites, etc.

Use pattern for trees

Plantations and Horticultural use

Timber

Medicinal

Other Uses

Other Aspects

Image gallery on trees of Maharashtra

Rare, Endemic and threatened trees

There are about 54 endemic trees which grow in Maharashtra

Threatened Trees of Mahrashtra as per Mishra & Singh(2001)

1. Family- Tiliaceae Name: Erinocarpus nimmonii Grah. ex Dalz. Category: Low Risk (LR)

2. Family- Lauraceae Name: Litsea wightiana (Nees) Benth. & Hook. f. Category: Critically Endangered (CR)

3. Family- Euphorbiaceae Name: Epiprinus mallotiformis (Muell.-Arg) Crozatiin Category: Critically Endangered (CR)

Traditional conservation practices

Diseases of trees

Sacred Trees

Trees in folk songs, literature, poems and art

Ethnobotany of trees

Etymology of scientific names

Key Stone and Flag ship species

Tress for wastelands and alternative to exotics for plantations

External Links

Timber Trees of India

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_timber_trees