Senna spectabilis

WHY IN NEWS?

The Forest and Wildlife Department is planning to adopt steps to arrest the rampant growth of invasive plants, especially Senna spectabilis, in the forest areas of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

ABOUT SENNA SPECTABILIS

• The spread of invasive plants, especially Senna spectabilis, is posing a major threat to the forest areas of the reserve, owing to its quick growth and coppicing character.
• A recent study of the Ferns Nature Conservation Society recorded the presence of the plant in 78.91 sq km area of the sanctuary.
• The plant has started to invade the adjacent Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves in Karnataka and the Mudumalai tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu, P.A. Vinayan, president of the society, said.
• Earlier, the plant species was planted as avenue trees in Wayanad.
• An adult tree grows up to 15 to 20 metres in a short period of time and every year distributes thousands of seeds after gregarious flowering.
• The thick foliage arrests the growth of other indigenous tree and grass species and causes food shortage for the wildlife population, especially herbivores. Moreover, wildlife will not feed on the leaf of the treeas it is not palatable for them.
• The vayal ecosystem (marshy land) of the forest area now has this plant in large numbers.
• The allelochemicals produced by this plant adversely affect the germination and growth of the native species.

Prelims Question

Q. What is the specialty of Senna spectabilis which was recently in news?

a)Invasive plants
b)Medicinal plant for burn wounds
c)Biodiesel generation
d)Cancer treatment

Answer to the Prelims Question