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Man has surveyed
remote galaxies and has stood on the surface of moon but has not so far come
anywhere near to completing a taxonomic catalogue of the fewer than half a
million species of higher plants growing on our planet (Burmmit et al., 2001).
Botanists were exploring the floristic regions of the world for several
centuries and their efforts have succeeded only in preparing a more realistic
taxonomic account of the plants of Europe. The gravity of the situation is so
severe in the tropics due to variety of reasons, the foremost being habitat
destruction leading to loss of biodiversity, essential for the sustenance of
life on earth. Thus, conservation of biodiversity gained prime consideration all
over the world since the earth summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The first and
foremost process in ascertaining the biodiversity is the taxonomic treatment of
living organisms. This can be achieved only through the process involving
extensive exploration, identification and documentation. Earlier works in this
branch of science in the Indian subcontinent resulted in the preparation of
national and provincial floras. Further studies concentrated mainly on local and
regional floras. These studies resulted in the finding of several species new to
science as well as species with new distribution status. This enrichment is
largely due to the higher attention paid to smaller biogeographic zones. As
evolution and speciation are characteristics of all living organisms and are
subjected to continued variation, frequent review of the natural wealth is
inevitable to update their taxonomy. It is more important for the State of
Kerala because of the characteristic flora and its unique features among other
biogeographic regions of the country. With the goal of preparing a comprehensive
flora of India, floras of many States were completed during the last two
decades. Though, the flora of most of the districts and protected areas has been
studied recently, a comprehensive flora of the State has not yet been prepared.
The Institute has taken up a study entitled Biodiversity Documentation for
Kerala which has 12 parts and flowering plants (Spermatophyta) is one among
them.
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