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health and psychology. In the present study, ornamental plants recorded the second highest of

the total plant species. Some of them have commercial values and are used for decorative
proposes in temples and religious ceremonies.

Dendrobium spp., Anthurium andraeanum, Rosa spp., Gerbera jamesonii, and
Gladiolus dalenii are the commercially valuable ornamental plants recorded from the study

area. Tagetes erecta, Jasminum sambac, Ixora spp. and Nerium oleander are some of
ornamental plants used for religious ceremonies. Torenia fournieri, Portulaca grandiflora,

Bougainvillea glabra, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Allamanda cathartica, Rosa spp., Euphorbia

milii and Tabernaemontana divaricata, are some of the house plants recorded from the study
area.

Edible Plants

There are about 64 species of edible plants recorded from the study area. It includes
fruits, vegetables, grains etc. where fruits are the dominant category consisting of 33 species

followed by vegetables (20), leafy vegetables (7) and others (4). Mangifera indica, Cocos
nucifera, Musa x paradisiaca, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Artocarpus hirsutus, Ananas

comosus, Passiflora edulis, Syzygium samarangense, Averrhoa bilimbi, Tamarindus indica,
Carica papaya, Psidium guajava, are commonly distributed fruit plants. Manilkara zapota,

Passiflora edulis, Nephelium lappaceum, Annona muricata, Cocos nucifera, Musa x

paradisiaca, Mangifera indica, Artocarpus hetero-phyllus, are cultivated for commercial
purpose and their fruits are sold in markets.

Abelmoschus esculentus, Coccinia grandis, Lycopersicon esculentum, Moringa
oleifera, Solanum melongena, Capsicum annuum, Amaranthus cruentus and Manihot

esculenta, are the locally available Domesticated vegetables cultivated in kitchen garden.

Economically Valuable Plants
Several species of economically valuable plants are recorded from the study area.

Piper nigrum, Piper longum (spices), Helianthus annuus (oil), Coffea Arabica (beverage),
Hevea brasiliensis (latex) are the important cash crops. Tectona grandis, Acacia

auriculiformis, Acacia mangium, Swietenia macrophyll, Thespesia populnea and Artocarpus

hirsutus are common timber yielding plants.
Factor Causing the Loss of Plant Diversity

Recent observation shows that, the plant diversity in the study area is affected by
natural as well as anthropogenic disturbances such as deforestation, global warming,

landslides, flood, urbanization, building construction, road construction, plantation and
pollution (soil, water, air). These activities disturb the ecological balance and result in

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