Flora of Bangladesh

Survey of Vascular Flora of Barishal and Sylhet Division (SVFBS)

Background

Bangladesh is very rich in plant diversity. Due to its geographical location, soil, water, climate and landscape of this country are suitable for luxurious growth of plants. According to different taxonomic references, there are about 5300 species of vascular plants (5000 flowering plants and 300 non-flowering plants) in the country. Plants provide all of our basic needs, such as food, clothes, shelter, medicines and educational elements. Plants play an important role in emitting oxygen, up taking carbon dioxide, regulating water cycle, providing food and shelter for wildlife, and thus maintaining balance of the environment. It protects us from various natural calamities like storms, floods, droughts, heatwaves, landslides, river erosion etc. The existence of animal kingdom cannot be even imagined without plants. However, plant diversity of the country is under serious threat due to population growth, over exploitation of natural resources, deforestation, alteration of habitats, environmental pollution, spread of invasive alien species, indiscriminate killing of wildlife, climate change etc.

Updated information on plant diversity of the country is essential for the study of plant science, establishment of intellectual property rights, conservation of plant species, development, sustainable management and policy making about plants. However, to know about the plant species of the country, we still have to rely on J.D. Hooker's (1872-1897) 'Flora of British India' and David Prain's (1903) 'Bengal Patents' which are more than a hundred years old. Among the above two books, first one is written on the flora of Indian subcontinent and Myanmar, and second one is written on the flora of some parts of present Bangladesh (except Sylhet) and India (West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa). In the recent time, the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh has published a book series entitled 'Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh' based on available literatures and information. However, it could not reflect the actual picture of existing plant diversity of the country. Very recently, Bangladesh National Herbarium has published a book entitled 'Vascular Flora of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts' to meet the information gap and provide updated information on plant diversity of the country.

The above said book ublished by BNH was written on the basis of primary data obtained through the botanical survey conducted on the flora of Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts regions. Hence, a real picture of plant diversity of the region has emerged. The information obtained from that book is being used in the study and research of botany, assessment of plant genetic resources, sustainable management and use of plant diversity, identification & protection of threatened plants, and formulation of national strategies & action plans for biodiversity conservation of the country. Considering these, Survey of Vascular Flora of Barishal and Sylhet Divisions (SVFBS) project has been undertaken.

Project Area

Divisions of Barishal (Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, Barishal, Bhola) and Sylhet (Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj).

Objective

Collection and preservation of specimens with updated information through extensive botanical survey and publication of pictorial books on vascular plant species of Barisal and Sylhet divisions.

Specific Objectives

  • Enrichment of the collections of Bangladesh National Herbarium by collecting and preserving approximately 70,000 voucher plant samples with information and photographs by conducting plant surveys in the project areas;
  • Identification of all threatened vascular plant species of the project areas for future conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity;
  • Preparation of basic floristic information repository of all vascular plant species found in the project areas and disseminate among the stakeholders through proper management; and
  • Writing up of two pictorial books on the plant species found in the project areas and publishing in the website.

Implementation period

 01 July 2021 to 30 June 2024 (03 Years).

Major Activities 

  • Collection of samples of all vascular plant species of the project areas with relevant information and photographs through botanical survey and preparation of voucher herbarium sheets;
  • Organizing seminars and workshops;
  • Identification and classification of all vascular plant specimens collected from the project areas;
  • Determination of threatened vascular plant species;
  • Preservation of voucher herbarium sheets;
  • E-databases preparation and publishing in website; and
  • Dissemination of survey results through publishing books.

Beneficiaries

Common people interested in plants including students, teachers, researchers,  policy makers, forest managers, conservationists, nature lovers, agronomists, pharmacists, environmentalists.