Situated along the southwest corner of India, the state of Kerala is in the tropical belt. The varied topographical features coupled with high rainfall favoured the formation of different habitats such as the montane temperate forests (Shola) and grassland to the lowland mangroves along the estuaries and sea coasts. Each vegetation type has its own species composition. A remarkable feature of the state is the formation of tropical rain forests along the windward side of the Western Ghats, known for the rich biodiversity. Though the area forms only 1.18 percent of the country, nearly one fourth of the flowering plants recorded are reported to occur in Kerala.
Recent studies on the flora of Districts, Protected areas, Taxonomic revision of Families as well as Genera described many new taxa. Every year new species as well as new record of occurrences are recorded from Kerala. Though APG system is adopted in modern plant systematic studies, the Bentham and Hooker’s system is still followed in general floristic studies as well as for the arrangements of specimens in Indian Herbaria. The E-flora of Kerala is an attempt to provide updated account of the flowering plants of Kerala.
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