Vegetation analysis and species composition of the unexplored Bani Mountain in the Western Himalayas, India

Many interior regions of Himalayas still remain poorly explored for biodiversity because of their remoteness, rugged and snow-covered terrain. This study focuses on relatively unexplored Bani Mountain of Western Himalayas to document species composition and vegetation structure. Eighteen expedition surveys were conducted across three zones (Bani, Sarthal-Lawong, Chatargalla). Data were collected from 48 plots using 100 m line transects across four altitudinal zones: subtropical (1200–1600 m), temperate (1601–2500 m), subalpine (2501–3500 m), and alpine forests (3501–4500 m). A total of 479 plant species were recorded, representing 278 genera and 91 families. Angiosperms dominated the flora (93.89%), while gymnosperms and pteridophytes were less represented. Potentilla L. was the most dominant genus, and Asteraceae was the largest family with 53 species. Herbs constituted 69.10% of species, and 72.03% were perennial. Most plant species (86.22%) flowered between April and September. Native Himalayan plant species dominated (80.79%), whereas non-native species accounted for 19.21%. Population of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List such as Trillium govanianum, Aconitum lethale, Taxus baccata, Atropa acuminata and Ulmus wallichiana were limited. This study provides a critical baseline for conservation planning and future ecological and taxonomic research in this underexplored Himalayan region.