Explanation:

Indian Flora

From about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, over 46,000 species of plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata. " The vascular flora, which forms the conspicuous vegetation cover, comprises 15,000 species. India can be divided into eight distinct fl oral regions, namely, the western Himalayas, the eastern Himalayas, Assam, the Indus plain, the Ganga plain, the Deccan, the Malabar and the Andamans.

• The western Himalayan region extends from Kashmir to Kumaon.
• Its temperate zone is rich in forests of chir, pine, other conifers and broad-leaved temperate trees. Higher up, forests of deodar, blue pine, spruce and silver fir occur.
• The alpine zone extends from the upper limit of the temperate zone of about 4,750 metres or even higher. The characteristic trees of this zone are high-level silver fir, silver birch and junipers.
• The temperate zone has forests of oaks, laurels, maples, rhododendrons, alder and birch.
• The Indus plain region comprises the plains of Punjab, western Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. It is dry, hot and supports natural vegetation. " The Ganga plain region covers the area which is alluvial plain and is under cultivation for wheat, sugarcane and rice.
• The Deccan region comprises the entire table land of the Indian Peninsula and supports vegetation of various kinds from shrub jungles to mixed deciduous forests.
• The Andaman region abounds in evergreen, mangrove, beach and diluvial forests. " Owing to destruction of forests for agricultural, industrial and urban development, several Indian plants are facing threat of extinction.