FLORISTIC DIVERSITY OF WOODY PERENNIALS IN THE HAKGALA STRICT NATURE RESERVE

Abstract

Sampling by the "gradsect " method found that there were 88 Woody plant species belonging to 65 genera and 36families. The trees were of six fantilics:Lauraceae, Theaceae. Symplocaceae, Myrtaceae, Elaeocarpaceae andRubiaceae. There was no evidence (!l single species dominance in trees. No major tree communities were observed at the lower elevations. but near the peak there is a community at canopy level ol Syzygium umbrosum. Eugeniamabaeoides, and Callophyllum walkeri. There are four dominant species (?lsaplings: Psychotria zevlanica, P. nigra. Maesa perrottetiana, and Lasianthcsoliganthes. of which P. zeylanica appears sometimes to be a dominant singlespecies. The dominant [antilles among the saplings are the Rubiaceae andMyrsinaccae, while the seedlings are dominated by Rubiaceae. Biologicaldiversify is high. and endemism was put at -1-/% ol the total species enumerated.It is an ecologically critical area, which includes 2 endangered species, 2vulnerable, 7 rare, and'; intermediate. This nature reserve, therefore, has ahigh conservation value. Its small size and isolation may jeopardize its longtermviability ifmeasures are not takenfor its complete protection.