FLORA OF LAL SUHANRA NATIONAL PARK, BAHAWALPUR, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Lal Suhanra National Park is located in the southeastern Punjab of Pakistan with altitudes ranging from 125 to 140 meters. The flora of Park consists of 212 species belonging to 162 genera and 50 families. The Dicots having 41 families, 118 genera and 158 species, were the most diverse and dominating group of plants in this area followed by Monocots with 5 families, 40 genera and 50 species, Pteridophytes with 3 families, 3 genera and 3 species and Bryophytes represented by monotypic species. Poaceae was the leading family that contributed 43 grasses, followed by Fabaceae (16 spp.), Asteraceae (15 spp.), Chenopodiaceae (10 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (9 spp.), Boraginaceae (8 spp.), Amaranthaceae (7 spp.), Aizoaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Mimosaceae and Solanaceae (6 spp. each), Capparaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Scrophulariaceae (5 spp. each), whereas, the largest genera were Chenopodium (5 spp.), Cenchrus (4 spp.) and Amaranthus (3 spp.).