Natural Vegetation of India: Types, Key Features & PDF Map

India, with its diverse geography and climatic conditions, boasts a wide variety of natural vegetation ranging from tropical evergreen forests to desert vegetation. This diversity is a result of the country’s unique combination of varying altitudes, temperatures, and rainfall patterns, which create distinct ecosystems across its length and breadth.

Natural vegetation refers to the plant life that grows naturally in an area without human interference, adapting to the region’s climate, soil, and topography.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the natural vegetation of India, covering its types and key features, and offering a free downloadable PDF map.

Natural Vegetation of India Map

Classification of Natural Vegetation in India

Based on certain common features such as predominant vegetation type and climatic regions, Indian forests can be classified into the following groups:

  1. Tropical Evergreen and Semi Evergreen Forest
  2. Tropical Deciduous Forests
  3. Tropical Thorn Forests
  4. Montane Forests
  5. Littoral and Swamp Forests

1. Tropical Evergreen and Semi Evergreen Forests

  • Found in warm and humid areas.
  • Annual rainfall requirement: Above 200 cm.
  • Mean annual temperature: Above 22°C.
  • Occurrence: Western slope of the Western Ghats, hills of Northeastern region, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, etc.
  • Main Species: Rosewood, Mahogany, Ebony, etc.
  • Key Features:
    • The trees here can grow up to 60 meters or above.
    • Since these forests remain warm and wet (humid) throughout the year, they have all kinds of natural vegetation, such as shrubs, bushes, small trees, tall trees, etc., giving them a well-stratified (multilayered) structure.
    • These forests have a very dense forest cover (canopy), and thus, the sunlight hardly reaches the ground here.
  • Semi-evergreen forests are found in the less rainy parts of these regions. The main species are white cedar, hollock, and kail.

2. Tropical Deciduous Forests

  • They are also called the monsoon forests and are the most widespread forests in India.
  • These forests shed their leaves during the dry season to conserve water.
  • Found in regions receiving rainfall between 70-200 cm.
  • Based on rainfall, they are further divided into: Moist and Dry Deciduous.
  • Moist Deciduous:
    • More pronounced in the regions that receive rainfall between 100-200 cm.
    • Found mostly in the northeastern states along the foothills of Himalayas, eastern slopes of the Western Ghats and Odisha.
    • Main Species: Teak, Sal, Shisham, Amla, Sandalwood, Mahua, Bamboo
  • Dry Deciduous:
    • Covers vast areas of the country where rainfall ranges between 70-100 cm.
    • On wetter margins, it has a transition to the moist deciduous, while on the drier margins to thorn forests.
    • In the higher rainfall regions of the Peninsular plateau and the northern Indian plain, these forests have a Parkland Landscape with open stretches in which trees interspersed with patches of grass are common.
    • Main Species: Bel, Tendu, Palas, Amaltas, Axlewood

3. Tropical Thorn Forests

  • Occur in areas receiving rainfall less than 50 cm.
  • Consists of a variety of grasses and shrubs.
  • Found in semi-arid areas of south-west Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Plants remain leafless for most part of the year and give an expression of scrub vegetation.
  • Composed of thorny trees, shrubs, and bushes with small, wax-coated, or needle-like leaves to reduce water loss.
  • Plants have long taproots to access underground water and spiny structures to minimize transpiration and protect against herbivores.
  • Main Species: neem, babool, ber, wild date palm, khair
  • Tussocky grass grows up to a height of 2 m as the tree undergrowth.
  • Desert and semi-desert vegetation:
    • Considered part of thorn forests.
    • Found mostly in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh and parts of southern Haryana.
    • These forests are characterized by thorny shrubs, bushes, and drought-resistant plants adapted to arid and semi-arid climates.
    • Plants (e.g. Cactus) store water in fleshy stems and leaves.

4. Montane Forests

  • Montane forests exhibit distinct vegetation zones based on altitude, ranging from tropical forests at lower altitudes to alpine meadows at higher elevations.
  • Found in mountainous regions such as the Himalayan ranges, Nilgiris, and Western Ghats.
  • These forests experience significant temperature variations, with colder climates at higher altitudes.
  • Vegetation Types:
    • Tropical Montane: Includes dense, wet forests in lower altitudes.
    • Temperate Montane: Features broad-leaved trees like oaks and chestnuts.
    • Alpine Montane (Tundra): Sparse vegetation such as shrubs and grasses at higher elevations.
  • The temperate forests are called Sholas in the Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Palani hills.
  • Main Species:
    • Oaks, chestnuts, rhododendrons, fir, pine, birch, deodar, and spruce.
    • In the Alpine Zone: junipers, dwarf rhododendrons, mosses, and lichens.
  • In the higher altitudes, grasslands and pastures are found at many places. These pastures are used extensively for transhumance by tribes like the Gujjars, the Bakarwals, the Bhotiyas and the Gaddis.
  • Deodar, a highly valued endemic species grows mainly in the western part of the Himalayas. It is a durable wood mainly used in construction activity.
  • Rich in medicinal plants, aromatic herbs, and endemic species adapted to the climatic conditions.
  • Home to unique species such as snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan tahr, and musk deer.
  • Trees at higher altitudes often have needle-shaped leaves and thick bark to conserve water and withstand cold.
  • Sacred groves and forests in the Himalayan region are culturally significant to local communities and often considered sacred.

5. Littoral and Swamp Forests

  • Also known as wetland forests, these forests grow in areas where land meets water.
  • These forests include mangroves, which are salt-tolerant vegetation found in coastal regions.
  • Thrive in tropical and subtropical climates with high humidity and regular tidal activity.
  • Found in coastal regions, river deltas, and areas with brackish or stagnant water.
  • Prominent locations include the Sunderbans (West Bengal), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mahanadi Delta (Odisha), Godavari-Krishna Delta (Andhra Pradesh), and Pichavaram Mangroves (Tamil Nadu).
  • Mangroves grow in saline or brackish water with silty, clayey, or muddy soils, whereas swamp forests grow in waterlogged freshwater soils.
  • Trees have specialized roots like stilt roots, pneumatophores (breathing roots), and buttress roots for stability and oxygen absorption in waterlogged conditions.
  • Key species: Sundari (Heritiera fomes), Rhizophora, Nypa Palm, Mangrove ferns, water-loving grasses, and shrubs.
  • Mangroves are among the most efficient ecosystems for carbon storage, playing a key role in mitigating climate change.

Picture of Subodh Sharma

Subodh Sharma

I am Subodh Sharma, an IIT Roorkee graduate, committed to assisting UPSC aspirants in their map-based preparation journey. Having dedicated over four years to preparing for the UPSC examinations myself, I deeply understand the challenges and frustrations aspirants face in finding quality maps-based content. The years of preparation have given me...

>>Click Here to Read More

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *