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An assessment of the invasive flora of Amchang Wildlife
Sanctuary in the Kamrup District of Assam, India
Nandita Sarma1 ,2, Uma Shankar1 ,4 and Ashiho Asosii Mao3
1Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, Meghalaya, India
2Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong 793 003, Meghalaya, India
3Botanical Survey of India, C.G.O. Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700 064, West Bengal, India
4Corresponding author: E-mail: arshuma@yahoo.com
[Received 01.12.2019; Revised & Accepted 25.12.2019; Published 3.12.2019]
Abstract
Invasive alien species are not only harmful both ecologically and economically. but also pose a
serious threat to the native flora risking species extinction. However, some invasive species are
being used by the people for a variety of purposes like medicine, vegetables, furniture and for
meeting their daily livelihood requirements. In this paper, we document a total of 57 invasive
species belonging to 49 genera of 22 families with their local names in Assamese, frequency of
occurrence, and flowering and fruiting periods from Amchang wildlife sanctuary in Assam. Of
these, 24 species are medicinally used and seven species are cooked as vegetables. This information
generated from the field work is a manifestation of the contemporary traditional knowledge of
people about the plant resources growing around them in the sanctuary.
Key words: Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, Invasive plants, medicinal use of plants.
INTRODUCTION
Invasion of natural ecosystems and replacement of native flora by the invasive alien plants is
one among the top three threats identified globally by the scientists. India has also highlighted
the adverse effects of invasion of flora in a number of studies and has set targets to reduce
this menace in future decades (Bhatt et al. 2011). The northeastern region of India encom-
passing eight States, viz., (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) and northern districts of West Bengal (Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri
and Coochbehar) is bestowed with a rich diversity of fauna, flora and microbes. This region
constitutes the landscapes of two global hotspots of biodiversity, The Himalaya and Indo-
Burma (Myers 2003) and boasts a variety of ecosystems such as tropical lowland forests
(Shankar & Tripathi 2017; Shankar 2017, 2019), gregarious sal forests (Shankar 2001;
Majumdar et al. 2014; Tripathi & Shankar 2014), subtropical pine and oak forests (Upadhaya
2015), temperate conifer forests and savanna grasslands (Shankar 1991; Shankar et al.
1991). Orchidaceae is the largest family of flowering plants in this region and other dominant
families are Poaceae, Compositae, Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, and Lamiaceae. The invasion of
alien species in the northeastern region of India has emerged as a challenge for the 21st
century, despite the fact that its extent has not been quantified and it has not been subjected
to scientific study (Shankar et al. 2011). Of late, a few studies on invasive plants were
undertaken by some workers (Das 2002; Boro & Sarma 2013; Buragohai 2007; Das &
Duarah 2013). Recently, a project has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, For-
ests, and Climate Change, Government of India under the aegis of National Mission on
Pleione 13(2): 326 - 335. 2019. ISSN: 0973-9467
© East Himalayan Society for Sperm atoph yte Ta xon omy
doi:10 .2 667 9/Plei on e. 13. 2. 201 9.326 -3 35
Himalayan Studies (NMHS) to study and document invasion of habitats in the Himalayan
and northeastern region of India. Here, we present the results of a study carried out in the
Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kamrup district of Assam to document the diversity of inva-
sive alien plants in the native habitats. We also investigated contemporary traditional knowl-
edge of the people about the medicinal and economic uses of the invasive plants inhabiting in
and around the sanctuary.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kamrup district of Assam comprises three reserve forests,
viz., Amchang RF (53.18 km2), South Amchang RF (15.5 km2) and Khanapara RF (9.96
km2). Amchang was declared a sanctuary in 2004 with a total area of 78.64 km2. This
san c t u ar y li e s be t w e e n 26° 06´ to 26 °13´ N la t i t u d e an d 91°5 0 ´ to 91° 5 8´ E
longitude. Geographically, the area is a continuation of the Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya
and forms a part of the Shillong Plateau (Shankar 2019). The Sanctuary is bounded by the
river Brahmaputra in the North, by National Highway 37 and Sonapur in the South, by urban
agglomeration of Guwahati city in the West and by Digaru Railway Station in the East
(Figure 1). The ethnic groups such as Boro, Karbi, Kasari, Garo, Nepalese, Tea tribes and
Assamese are residing in the fringe area of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. These local
people not only extract many wild plants and other non-timber forest products from the
sanctuary as medicine and vegetables for their daily livelihood requirements, but also inter-
act with vegetation in many other ways which paves the way for the spread of the invasive
plants.
Figure 1. Map showing the location of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary (source: Anonymous
2019).
Nandita Sarma et al. 327
Several rounds of field visits to various parts of the forest areas in Amchang wildlife
sanctuary, Assam (North-East India) were carried out in different seasons of the year
during 2014-2019. During the surveys, live specimens along with photographs were taken.
Plant species were collected and herbarium specimens were prepared (Jain & Rao 1977)
and preserved in laboratory for further investigation. The collected specimens were
processed, mounted and identified with the aid of available resources (Barooah & Ahmed
2014; Hooker 1872 – 1897; Kanjilal et al. 1934, 1936, 1938, 1940; The Plant List 2013) in
the BSI herbarium and the NEHU library. The list of invasive species has been prepared
following nomenclature of WFO (2019). The nativity of the exotic plants was recorded
from the published literature (Das 2002; Boro et al. 2013; Khuroo et al. 2007; Reddy et
al. 2008; Sekar 2012). A list of invasive species is tabled with scientific names, local
names, habit and nativity.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The field survey carried out in the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary revealed that a total of 57
invasive species belonging to 49 genera and 22 families of angiosperms constituted the flora of
the Sanctuary. Of these, the dicots were represented by 50 species belonging to 43 genera of
19 families and the monocots were represented by seven species belonging to six genera of
three families (Table 1). The most dominant family was Compositae with 11 species followed
by Solanaceae with six species, Fabaceae with five species, Amaranthaceae with four species
and Cleomaceae, Convolvulaceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae with three species each (Table
1). The invasive species recorded from Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary were characterized by
prolonged flowering and fruiting periods and some species flowered and fruited throughout the
year. The local names of the species as spoken today are given as per the local dialect of the
Assamese language. These names are colloquial and may differ from their literary utterances.
Table 1. The diversity of invasive plants in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary.
328 Invasive flora of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
Species name with collection
number
Flowers
& fruits
Local name in
Assamese
Nativity Habit Occurrence
Ageratum conyzoides (L.) L.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 133898
(ASSAM)
July –
January
Gondhowa-
bon
Tropical
America
Herb Dominant
Alternanthera philoxeroides
(Mart.) Griseb.[Amaranthaceae];
N. Sarma 133866 (ASSAM)
August –
November
Pani-khutura Tropical
America
Herb Dominant
Alternanthera
sessilis (L.) R.Br.
ex DC. [Amaranthaceae]; N.
Sarma 133981 (ASSAM)
July –
January
Mat-kaduri Tropical
America
Herb Dominant
Amaranthus
spinosus L.
[Amaranthaceae]; N. Sarma
134015 (ASSAM)
July –
January
Kata-khutura America Herb Frequent
Argemone mexicana L.
[Papaveraceae]; N. Sarma
136580 (ASSAM)
September
– January
Sealkata Central &
South
America
Herb Occasional
Bidens pilosa L. [Compositae];
N. Sarma 136516 (ASSAM)
July –
December
Deumeubai
(Bodo)
Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Blumea
lacera
(Burm.f.) DC.
August
–
Kukur
-
Tropical
Herb
Frequent
Nandita Sarma et al. 329
Species name with collection
number
Flowers
& fruits
Local name in
Assamese
Nativity Habit Occurrence
Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 136579
(ASSAM)
August –
February
Kukur-
shuta/Kukur-
sunga
Tropical
America
Herb Frequent
Calotropis gigantea (L.)
Dryand. [Apocynaceae]; N.
Sarma 136373 (ASSAM)
Througho
ut the year
Akan Tropical
Africa
Shrub Occasional
Cardamine hirsuta L.
[Brassicaceae]; N. Sarma
136578 (ASSAM)
July –
February
- Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Chenopodium album L.
[Amaranthaceae]; N. Sarma
136577 (ASSAM)
Jilmil Mexico Herb Rare
Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M.
King & H. Rob. [Compositae];
N. Sarma 133898 (ASSAM)
December
– May
Germani bon Tropical
America
Shrub Dominant
Cleome gynandra L.
[Cleomaceae]; N. Sarma 136576
(ASSAM)
September
–
December
Bhutmala Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Cleome rutidosperma DC.
[Cleomaceae]; N. Sarma 134062
(ASSAM)
August –
November
- Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Cleome viscosa L. [Cleomaceae];
N. Sarma 136435 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Hurhuria Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Crotalaria pallida Aiton
[Fabaceae]; N. Sarma 134008
(ASSAM)
August –
March
Jhun-jhuniya Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Croton bonplandianus Baill.
[Euphorbiaceae]; N. Sarma
136302 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Bon-tulsi Temperate
South
America
Herb Rare
Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.
[Convolvulaceae]; N. Sarma
134033 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Akashi-lata Mediterrane
an
Climber Occasional
Cyperus difformis L.
[Cyperaceae]; N. Sarma 136575
(ASSAM)
August –
December
- Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Cyperus iria L. [Cyperaceae]; N.
Sarma 136574 (ASSAM)
August –
January
- Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Datura metel L. [Solanaceae];
N. Sarma 136573 (ASSAM)
August –
February
Kala-dhatura Tropical
America
Shrub Rare
Echinochloa colona
(L.) Link
[Poaceae]; N. Sarma 136572
(ASSAM)
August –
March
Binoi-bon Tropical
South
America
Herb Occasional
330 Invasive flora of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
Species name with collection
number
Flowers
& fruits
Local name in
Assamese
Nativity Habit Occurrence
Eclipta prostrata
(L.) L.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 136571
(ASSAM)
June –
March
Keharaj Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Eichhornia crassipes
(Mart.)
Solms [Pontederiaceae]; N.
Sarma 136570 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Pani meteka Tropical
America
Aquatic
herb
Frequent
Euphorbia hirta L.
[Euphorbiaceae]; N. Sarma
136569 (ASSAM)
August-
December
Gakhirati bon Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Evolvulus
nummularius (L.) L.
[Convolvulaceae]; N. Sarma
136347 (ASSAM)
October –
February
Bhui- ankra Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Galinsoga parviflora Cav.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 136568
(ASSAM)
August –
January
Potato weed
(E)
Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit.
[Lamiaceae]; N. Sarma 134016
(ASSAM)
August –
March
Ukma Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Impatiens balsamina L.
[Balsaminaceae]; N. Sarma
136567 (ASSAM)
July –
January
Keruphul Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Imperata cylindrica (L.)
Raeusch. [Poaceae]; N. Sarma
134086 (ASSAM)
July–
December
Ulu-bon Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Ipomoea hederifolia L.
[Convolvulaceae]; N. Sarma
134063 (ASSAM)
August –
December
- Tropical
America
Climber Rare
Lantana camara L.
[Verbenaceae]; N. Sarma
133991 (ASSAM)
Througho
ut the year
Goo-phul Tropical
America
Shrub Dominant
Ludwigia octovalvis
(Jacq.) P.H.
Raven [Onagraceae]; N. Sarma
133809 (ASSAM)
July–
December
Bon-jalakia Tropical
Africa
Herb Frequent
Mikania micrantha Kunth
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 133839
(ASSAM)
December
- April
Gahori-lata Tropical
America
Climber Dominant
Mimosa pudica L. [Fabaceae];
N. Sarma 136434 (ASSAM)
July -
February
Lajukilota Brazil Herb Frequent
Monochoria vaginalis
(Burm.f.)
C.Presl [Pontederiaceae]; N.
Sarma 134025 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Bhat meteka Tropical
America
Aquatic
herb
Occasional
Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv.
[Solanaceae]; N. Sarma 136566
(ASSAM)
December
- April
Ulu-lai/ dhopat Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Ocimum americanum L.
[Lamiaceae]; N. Sarma 133988
(ASSAM)
August –
January
Bon-tulsi Tropical
America
Shrub Rare
Oxalis corniculata L.
[Oxalidaceae]; N. Sarma 136483
(ASSAM)
August –
December
Saru-tengesi Europe Herb Occasional
Parthenium hysterophorus
L.
July
–
Gajar ghass
Tropical
Herb
Dominant
Nandita Sarma et al. 331
Species name with collection
number
Flowers
& fruits
Local name in
Assamese
Nativity Habit Occurrence
Parthenium hysterophorus L.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 136407
(ASSAM)
July –
February
Gajar ghass Tropical
North
America
Herb Dominant
Passiflora foetida L.
[Passifloraceae]; N. Sarma
136441 (ASSAM)
June –
December
Junuka phul Tropical
South
America
Climber Rare
Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth
[Piperaceae]; N. Sarma 136587
(ASSAM)
July–
December
Pononua Tropical
South
America
Herb Occasional
Physalis minima L.
[Solanaceae];
N. Sarma 136565 (ASSAM)
July –
January
Kapalfuta Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Saccharum spontaneum L.
[Poaceae]; N. Sarma 136513
(ASSAM)
August –
December
Kahua-bon Tropical
West Asia
Herb Rare
Scoparia dulcis L.
[Plantaginaceae]; N. Sarma
136446 (ASSAM)
July –
December
Seni bon Tropical
America
Herb Frequent
Senna alata (L.) Roxb.
[Fabaceae];
N. Sarma 133907 (ASSAM)
May –
December
Khor-goch West indies Shrub Occasional
Senna occidentalis (L.) Link
[Fabaceae]; N. Sarma 136564
(ASSAM)
July –
December
Hantthenga Tropical
South
America
Herb Rare
Senna tora (L.) Roxb.
[Fabaceae];
N. Sarma 136563 (ASSAM)
August –
December
Medeluwa Tropical S
America
Herb Rare
Sida acuta Burm.f. [Malvaceae];
N. Sarma 133806 (ASSAM)
July –
December
Boriala Tropical
America
Herb Occasional
Solanum americanum Mill.
[Solanaceae]; N. Sarma 136561
(ASSAM)
June –
December
Laskosi/ koisi Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Solanum torvum Sw.[
Solanaceae];
N. Sarma 136339 (ASSAM)
October –
March
Hati bhekuri West Indies Shrub Rare
Solanum viarum Dunal
[Solanaceae]; N. Sarma 136560
(ASSAM)
August –
February
- Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.)
Vahl [Verbenaceae]; N. Sarma
133889 (ASSAM)
Mainly in
rainy
season
- Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Synedrella nodiflora (L.)
Gaertn. [Compositae]; N. Sarma
133830 (ASSAM)
August –
January
Suhani ban West Indies Herb Rare
Tridax procumbens (L.) L.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 134087
(ASSAM)
Througho
ut the year
Mexican
Daisy(E)
Tropical
Central
America
Herb Frequent
Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.
[Malvaceae]; N. Sarma 136559
(ASSAM)
June –
December
Agora Tropical
America
Herb Rare
Urena lobata L. [Malvaceae]; N.
Sarma 133832 (ASSAM)
July –
December
Honborolua Tropical
Africa
Shrub
(annual)
Rare
Xanthium strumarium L.
[Compositae]; N. Sarma 136558
(ASSAM)
August –
March
Aagora-kata Tropical
America
Herb Rare
The frequency of occurrence of species showed that the most species were of rare
occurrence (29 species) followed by occasional (14 species), frequent (7 species) and
dominant (7 species) occurrences (Table 1). The dominant species included: Ageratum
conyzoides, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Alternanthera sessilis, Chromolaena odorata,
Lantana camara, Mikania micrantha and Parthenium hysterophorus. The habit of the
species showed that the most species were herbs (42 species) followed by shrubs (8 species)
and undershrub (1 species), and four climbers (Cuscuta reflexa, Ipomoea hederifolia,
Mikania micrantha and Passiflora foetida) besides two aquatic herbs (Eichhornia
crassipes and Monochoria vaginalis) (Table 1). Most of the invasive species were from
No r t h and So u t h Ame r i c a (4 8 sp e c i e s ), Trop i c a l Africa (3 species,
Calotropis gigantea, Ludwigia octovalvis, Urena lobata), West Indies (3 species, Senna
332 Invasive flora of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
Table 2. A list of invasive plants used as local medicine by the local people in Amchang
Wildlife Sanctuary.
Species name Parts used Purpose
Ageratum conyzoides Leaf Fresh leaf juice applied in cuts
Alternanthera sessilis Tender shoots Tender shoots are eaten for curing dysentery
Amaranthus spinosus Whole plant The paste of whole plant is applied on eczema
Argemone mexicana Leaf Leaves applied locally in skin disease
Chromolaena odorata Leaf Leaf paste is applied locally in toothache
Croton bonplandianus Leaf Leaf extract is used in cataract eye
Cuscuta reflexa Stem Extracted juice is given to cure jaundice
Datura metel Leaf Fresh leaves are boiled in coconut oil and the oil is
externally applied as an antiseptic
Eclipta prostrata Leaf Extract mix with oil for hair growth
Euphorbia hirta Leaf Leaf paste is used in wounds and poisonous bites
Evolvulus nummularius
Leaf, Stem Plant paste applied externally to reduce tonsillitis
pain
Lantana camara Leaf Leaf paste is used in various skin diseases and also
to stop bleeding
Mikania micrantha Leaves The crushed leaves are used in minor cuts
Mimosa pudica Root Root paste is applied on septic ulcer for quick
healing
Monochoria vaginalis Rhizome Rhizome is eaten regularly while empty stomach to
cure asthmatic trouble
Ocimum americanum Leaf Leaf paste is externally applied to treat itching
Oxalis corniculata Leaf Leaf juice is applied to cure scabies
Peperomia pellucida Leaf, Stem Plant paste externally to reduce pimple and white
spots of the body
Senna alata Leaf Leaf juice is applied on ringworm
Senna occidentalis
Leaf Leaf powder is made into a paste applied to cure
skin diseases
Senna tora Leaf Leaf paste is applied on scabies and ringworm
Sida acuta Leaf The leaf paste is layered on the boils
Tridax procumbens Leaf The leaf paste is used in cellulites
Urena lobata Seed Seeds are crushed into a paste and applied on
scabies and ringworm
alata, Solanum torvum, Synedrella nodiflora), Europe (1 species, Oxalis corniculata),
Tropical West Asia (1 species, Saccharum spontaneum) and Mediterranean (1 species,
Cuscuta reflexa).
The local inhabitants in and around the sanctuary have learned the use of a number of
these species for curing various ailments. In most cases the leaf of the plant is used and in
Table 3. A list of invasive plants used as vegetable by the local people in Amchang Wildlife
Sanctuary.
Species name Parts used Mode of use
Alternanthera philoxeroides Tender shoot Leaves cooked as vegetable
Alternanthera sessilis Tender shoot Leaves cooked as vegetable
Amaranthus spinosus Tender shoots
and leaves
Stem and leaves cooked as vegetable
Bidens pilosa Leaves Young leaves and shoots cooked as vegetable
Chenopodium album Young shoot/
Leaves
Tender shoots fried and eaten
Euphorbia hirta Young shoots
and leaves
Young shoots and leaves are used as mixed
vegetable
Oxalis corniculata Leaves/ Stem Young shoots and leaves are used as
vegetable
some cases stem, tender shoots, roots, rhizome and seeds are used. Most of the applications
are of the leaf paste or leaf juice for curing skin related diseases followed by the cure of
stomach related ailments (such as dysentery), fever, pain and antidote to poison (Table 2).
A variety of species are also used as vegetable by the local inhabitants in and around
Amchang wildlife sanctuary. In most cases the leaf of the plant or tender shoot is used as
vegetable (Table 3). These are used raw or boiled or fried in isolation or in mix with other
vegetables such as potato and onion. The local people believe that the use of some of these
plants as vegetable also renders medicinal efficacy in improving their immunity.
CONCLUSIONS
In Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, a large number of invasive plant species occur in local
flora. The invasive species grow quickly and germinate in wide range of physical conditions.
These perennial species can flower in large quantities, produce many seeds, and disperse
seeds effectively to occupy newer habitats. Our observations in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
have shown that an invasion of Parthenium hysterophorus was seen from 2014 onwards
and this species spread in a few months’ time in considerable area. The native aquatic
species were rapidly replaced by the exponentially growing Eichhornia crassipes and
Lantana camara as dense thickets. Mikania micrantha has grown to the level of menace
on the branches of trees and shrubs. The rapid proliferation of invasive species in roadsides
under the forest canopy not only poses a threat to the forest flora and community
composition, but also alters biomass and nutrient dynamics of the ecosystem. The presence
of the recorded invasive plants in this study poses a serious challenge for their control in
Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the officials of the Department of Forests and Environment,
Government of Assam for granting permission to work in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, the
authorities of the Botanical Survey of India, and the Head, Department of Botany, North
Eastern Hill University, Shillong for laboratory facilities. The forest guides and Assam
Protection Forest Force rendered help in carrying out the field work. The local people of the
area and vegetable vendors are thanked for their kind assistance and useful information.
One of the authors (US) is studying the patterns in the forests and the flora of northeastern
region of India under the doctor of science programme at the Department of Botany, North-
Eastern Hill University, Shillong and acknowledges partial support from a networking project
Nandita Sarma et al. 333
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