Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary possesses quite rich and varied vegetation. The flora in Periyar National Park primarily consists of Tropical Evergreen forests (30,500ha) and Semi-evergreen forests (27,500ha) around the tank. In the central part of the park, Moist-deciduous forests and Woody grasslands abound. The main flora of this National Park mainly comprises of thick evergreen forest, moist deciduous forests and savannah grasslands. In addition, the swampy areas along the periphery of the famous Periyar Lake (a result of the Periyar dam) are full of tall weeds, making the area one of the richest dwelling places of large mammals. The wide vegetation of the Periyar National Park offers both excellent cover and nourishment in the form of juicy shoots and grasses.
At about 1,963 species of blossoming plants belonging to 823 genera and 159 families have been pointed and recognized by the experts of the Kerala Forest Research Institute and Kerala Forest Department for Periyar National Park. The major trees in the park include—
| Teak |
Rosewood |
| Terminalia |
Eucalyptus |
| Sandalwood |
Mango |
| Jamun |
Tamarind |
| Gulmohar |
Plumeria |
| Banyan |
Pipal |
| Jacaranda(hardwood timber tree with purple flowers) |
| Bamboo among many others |
The open grasslands harbor many species of tall and nourishing grasses such as elephant grass, which seconds all kinds of herbivores, from the elephants and gaurs to the small wild boar and barking deer.
One of the major uniqueness of the flora in this wildlife sanctuary is the—
Climax forest
The sholas or tropical evergreen forests
These are available the damp valleys of the majestic Western Ghats. The sholas are dense patches of forest, typified by tropical trees that go up to 130 feet high. Their thick grassy covers offer shelter and food to a considerable number of wild animals of Periyar.
Therefore, you must visit this thrilling forest. Indian Holiday.com offers detailed information on the flora of Periyar National Park as well as other Indian Wildlife Sanctuaries. For more information please fill up the form below.
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