Results and Discussion

Species Composition

From the review we have found 1740 number of plant species and out of that Angiosperms represents maximum 90.45% followed by lichen 4.11 %, pteridophyte 1.77%, gymnosperms with 1.2%, bryophyte with 0.4%, mosses 0.51% and algae 0.28%,the results is depicted in Figure 1. The analysis reveals that lichen have 12 families and 49 genera, pteridiophyte represents 12 families and 15 genera, where gymnosperms with 6 families and 10 genera, bryophyte with 7 families and 7 genera, mosses 8 families and 8 genera and algae 3 families and 4 genera. Dominant family of each flowering and non flowering plants are represented in the Figure 2. The review highlight the angiosperm family than lower groups. The floristic study shows a total of 1582 angiosperm species (1373 dicots and monocot 209) belonging to 837 genera and 178 families were recorded from the five zone. Out of 178 families dicots shares 87.64 % of families and monocot 12.35% of families, Figure3. The dominant plant forms are trees (35.33%) followed by herbs (34.88%), shrubs (19.55%),climbers(8.21%), orchids(1.01%) and epiphytes(0.63) including 4 aquatic plants which are herbaceous in character, Figure 4.Highligts Leguminosae is the most dominant families with 293 species then Laminaceae with 226 species and Asteraceae with 197 species in this study region, as shown in Figure 5. Here some plant species are common among all zones are Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica,Neolamarckia cadamba and many more species. Some species found from 4 zones are Albizia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo and Ficus glomerata etc and many more from 2 zones in Figure 6. The total numbers of species represented in each five zone are mentioned in the Table 1 and Figure 6.

Fig 1: Dominant Families of Each Flowering & non Flowering Plant

Fig 2: Angiosperms Represent the Maximum Species

Fig 3 Dicot have Higest Number of Families

Fig 4: Dominant Plant Forms Among 5 zone

Fig 5: Representing the most Dominant Familes

Fig 6 Highest Number of Plant Speacies of Each 5 Zones

Table 1: Zone-wise Plant Species Density (Sacred Groves)

Statistical Analysis

The statistical analysis shows in terms of species diversity in descending order of each five zones, which are Northern >Eastern >North eastern>Central>Western and are represented in Table 2. In respect to the Sorenson’s coefficient, the results give a picture of common similarity in terms of species between two zone,the highest value of 1 represents the similarity of the two communities and 0 as dissimilarity. Under Eastern zone community similarity show more with Western, followed by Central and Northern compare with other zones. Also North-Eastern has similarity with Northern zone, Table 3.

Zones	Species Richness	Shannon Index	Evenness	Simpson Index
North India	0.29	1.591	0.98	4.878
East India	0.34	1.566	0.97	4.629
North East India	0.27	1.554	0.96	4.484
Central India	0.43	1.527	0.95	4.219
West India	0.44	1.470	0.91	3.740

Table 2: Plant Diversity (Sacred Groves) among the Five Broad Geographical Regions.

Zones & (No. Of Species)		East India (256)	North East India (870)	Central India (219)	North India (561)
East India (256)	C.C C.S
North East India (870)	C.C C.S	44 0.08
Central India (219)	C.C C.S	70 0.08	44 0.08
North India (561)	C.C C.S	77 0.18	83 0.11	63 0.15
West India (226)	C.C C.S	62 0.25	34 0.06	57 0.25	60 0.25

C.C.->Two Communities have Common species, C.S.-> Community Similarity.

Table 3: Sorenson’s Coefficient (Community Similarity) among the Five Broad Geographical

Tribes and Taboos

From the review we have come across that the ethno-botanical plants have immense economical value that are used by tribal and local communities such as Kulta, Gonds, Santals, Koramudis, Meiti, Bodo, Kondhas, Bhatudi etc. These tribes follows some taboos such as cutting of trees, entry with shoes and leather accessories (made up of skin of animals) are strictly prohibited. Women are not allowed to enter in particular time, they offers different plant parts to the deities.

Threats

These patches have multiple disturbance factors like anthropogenic pressure, pollution, urbanization, soil erosion, logging, agriculture conversion of forest into land and road construction, fencing, silviculture invasion, over grazing, encroachment, developing industries, shifting social and cultural perspectives which put under threat category. The plant species herbs have 2 spp endangered, 1 spp critically endangered, 1 vulnerable, 33 spp under least concern, 1 data deficient, where tree species, have 4 spp endangered, 3 spp vulnerable, 18 spp least concern, 1 data deficient, shrub have 1spp near threatened, 7 spp least concern, climber have 5 spp least concern and even orchid also 1 spp endangered, 1 spp under least concern.