Parthenium hystrophorus is a dangerous and nuisance weed botanically belonging to the Asteraceae (the sunflower) family. In India, it is locally known as carrot grass, congress grass or Gajar Ghas.
Parthenium hystrophorus is a dangerous and nuisance weed botanically belonging to the Asteraceae (the sunflower) family. In India, it is locally known as carrot grass, congress grass or Gajar Ghas.
Parthenium hystrophorus: A dangerous weed
Parthenium hystrophorus is a dangerous weed that causes allergy and has the allelopathic effect to prevent growth of other plants. Parthenium seeds were accidentally introduced to India through contaminated wheat grains sent from the USA in the 1970s. They are very commonly seen along railway tracks, unused agronomic or non-agronomic lands, dry areas with little water source or even in nutritionally limited soil areas.
It is quite challenging to eradicate this plant from any habitat, as they are an extremely hardy and resilient species and can quickly adapt to their environment. It reduces soil fertility, is avoided by foraging animals and covers a significant land area within a very short time. Some research indicates that this weed can be biologically controlled by spreading seeds of a legume (Cassia tora) where this weed is found.
Spraying common salt at the flowering stage has also been reported to restrict weed growth. Furthermore, uprooting and burning the plant or spraying toxic weedicides has been found to eradicate the weed, too. We need to develop comprehensive agronomic plants and successfully excite them at the ground level to eradicate this weed from our natural environment.
The majestic fig tree
The fruits of Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis, Moraceae) not only attracts the birds; but also it is beneficial for its nutritional contents and make rich balanced food source for small animals like different species of monkeys, langurs, small rodents like squirrels and nocturnal aerial mammals like bats. Inside the forests, monkeys eat and drop these fruits on the ground.
Different antelope and deer species (axis deer being the most common) herding below take advantage of these nutritious food source and enjoy them as their dietary supplements. Fig trees themselves represent an intricate ecosystem of their own. They provide food and shelter to numerous species of insects, birds, small reptiles and mammals; who in turn have complex relationships among one another.
The bright red fruits attract a wide diversity of species to visit the trees when they mature. Thus, a dynamic natural ecosystem operating just in front of our eyes teaches us to appreciate the dynamic ecosystem process operating in front of us.
This one single tree species is not merely a botanical species; but a thriving example of biodiversity in front of our ignorant eyes. Although the species is not a threatened if endangered one, it is also deeply associated with our socio-religious cultural traditions across eastern India and North East.
This tree is worshiped as a divine blessing in rural areas and often have small temples or stone based worshiping centers under its shade. Cement based foundation around the main trunk is also common to create permanent sitting arrangement for rural communities to together and for socializing.
A simple tree has thus transformed so significantly into a human society, religious traditions, social harmony and cultural consciousness along with its biological importance to the local ecosystem is unique.
The bodhi tree
The sacred Bodhi tree is the Indian pipal (Ficus indica, Moraceae) under which it is believed that Gautama Buddha attained his enlightenment. It is also the National Tree of India. This hardy, resilient species is uniformly distributed across the subcontinent from the foothills into the vast plains and across the peninsular India.
The Bharat Ratna award is also designed like the leaf of a pipal as it is associated with our heritage, culture, tradition and history. The species is revered and worshiped by the Hindus, Jains and the Buddhists for its deep relationship with all these religions as is reflected in different temple architectures and designs representing different phases of Indian history.
This symbolism not only helps in the conservation of this common species. Being a very hard, resilient species, it germinates quite fast from the seed dispersed by birds and mammals. The species has a great ecological significance as it provides food, nesting and foraging space for many species that are interdependent on one another.
Hence, we could see that several plant species are not just a part of the ecosystem in which we live; but they are also a part of our multi dynamic sociocultural life from the dawn of civilization. Religious sentiments associated with various plant species make their conservation efforts much easier and successful. Since these are trees, they can also be used for urban forestry schemes to use non-productive areas into green refuges for both human and local wildlife.