Contents: Preface. I. Introduction: 1. The district: Geographical position. Topography. Geology. Climatic conditions. 2. Review of literature. II. The Flora: 1. General part. 2. Present studies: Methodology. Laboratory work. Herbarium study. 3. Plan of presentation of the flora. 4. Forests and planted trees. 5. Phenological behaviour of the trees. 6. Seasonal vegetation. 7. Analysis of flowering and fruiting. 8. Vegetation on special habitats: Aquatic, marshland and wetland habitats. Vegetation on walls, stone crevices and old monuments. Vegetation of ravines. Vegetation along road-sides and railway tracks. 9. Weeds of agricultural fields and gardens. 10. Factors affecting the vegetation. 11. Cultivated plants: Crop plants. Food crops. Other crops. Small scale and kitchen garden crops. Ornamentals. Escapes. Plants of medico-ethnological and pharmaceutical importance. Allergenic plants. 12. Statistical analysis of the flora. III. Key to the families. IV. Systematic description: 1. Dicotyledons. 2. Monocotyledons. Bibliography. Index to vernacular and English names. Index to botanical names.

From the preface: "The flora of British India and the different regional floras are today old by a century and half century respectively. Since then the list of additional and extinct species has swollen so enormously that these floras no more represent the real picture of the vegetation of the concerned areas. Furthermore the territories of the country, as well as, the various regions of it have also changed considerably. In the same context Santapau (1956, 1958) has rightly suggested that the universities should take up extensive exploration of their respective towns and neighbouring areas. He strongly pleaded for creation and development of local herbaria; and recommended critical study of plants in field by taking small areas under study.

"During the last three decades a keen interest has been shown in this direction. With the result a number of floras, covering an area of a district or a part of province, have been published. If the things go on right way at the micro level, the writing of the national and regional floras de novo would be easier and accurate.

"Allahabad forms the representative part of Upper Gangetic plain (Dudgeon, 1920) and yet it does not have a comprehensive and modern flora of its own. Thus far remote and rural localities of the district were, by and large, not or under explored. The aim of present work is to provide a complete, comprehensive and up to date account of the flora of Allahabad district, for the benefit of students, teachers, research workers and the persons interested in the plants of this area."

[Bal Krishna Misra is on the faculty of the Department of Botany, Janata Mahavidyalaya, Etawah.

Birendra Kumar Verma is a Reader in Botany, University of Allahabad.]No. 7110

Return to Floras of India Catalogue