DIVERSITY OF ANGIOSPERM CLIMBER SPECIES IN POINT CALIMERE WILDLIFE AND BIRD SANCTUARY, TAMIL NADU

Climbers are currently understood to have a range of important ecological functions in forest dynamics. Climbers are already recognized as an important group for tropical biodiversity, playing a key role in ecosystem level processes and providing resources for pollinators and dispersers. The present study is an attempt to document different climber species and their uses in Point Calimere Wildlife and Birds Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India. The present study recorded 53 herbaceous climbers and 21 lianas from all the forests types of Point Calimere Sanctuary, covering 25 families. Considering all climbers and lianas, 40 species are stem twiners, 2 species are branch twiners, 4 are spiny Climbers, 19 species are tendril climbers and 8 species are hook climbers. Most of the lianas are distributed in scrub forests and many climbers are recorded in wet lands. 53 medicinal climbers are recorded in the study area. Roots and leaves are widely used to treat diseases. To obtain a better comprehension of the floristic, ecological and biogeographical patterns of climbing species at a global scale, it is of the utmost importance that future studies include an increased number of subtropical and temperate sites.