I am always fascinated by the sheer strength and persistence of wild ferns, mosses and lichens and other small flora in the steep hill slopes and plateau grasslands of the Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Satpuras and the Himalayas. I wonder if there is a good field guide to the ferns and mosses of the Indian mountain systems. There are a number of fern species and they do come in various sizes. Some are endemic to certain hill ranges while some occur through the Indian Subcontinent. Most of these varieties and species have been cultivated and their variegars are good garden plants.
I had accompanied my daughter to Yercaud, a hill station above Salem in Tamil Nadu. We wandered about the Shevaroy hills over a couple of days, and were amazed to see the diversity in ferns, mosses and small flora. The flowering season seemed to have just gone by, but the absolutely glowing greenery made up for it entirely. All along the slopes and in the inner forests, the strength of the small flora was very obvious.
This photograph was taken near the botanical gardens, and along the roadside. This patch was just next to the local parking lot and shanties vending various food items. It was a very disturbed location and could have easily been without any vegetation. However, the small ferns and other small flora were quite pugnacious and were able to make their own way in spite of the disturbance, exhaust fumes and shanty kitchens nearby.
I had accompanied my daughter to Yercaud, a hill station above Salem in Tamil Nadu. We wandered about the Shevaroy hills over a couple of days, and were amazed to see the diversity in ferns, mosses and small flora. The flowering season seemed to have just gone by, but the absolutely glowing greenery made up for it entirely. All along the slopes and in the inner forests, the strength of the small flora was very obvious.
This photograph was taken near the botanical gardens, and along the roadside. This patch was just next to the local parking lot and shanties vending various food items. It was a very disturbed location and could have easily been without any vegetation. However, the small ferns and other small flora were quite pugnacious and were able to make their own way in spite of the disturbance, exhaust fumes and shanty kitchens nearby.
