Floristic inventory of Meghalithic Site Hirebenakal, Koppal District, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Meghalithic site, Hirebenkal located near to Hampi, is the ‘Valley of the Dead’, “Mouryaragudda”, one of the seven wonders of Karnataka & selected for obtaining UNESCO World Heritage status from India for 2025. An intensive field surveys have been carried out in this megalithic sites of Koppal district from 2020 to 2023 and collected total of 122 plant species belongs to 107 genera 45 families. Dominant families are Fabaceae with 18 species (16.21%) followed by Apocynaceae with 10 species (9%), Amaranthaceae with 9 species (8.1%), Malvaceae with 7 species (6.3%) and Asteraceae with 5 species (4.5%). Among the habit herbs stands first with 63 species (56.75%) followed by shrubs 43 species (38.73%), trees 10 species (9%) and climbers 5 species (4.5%). Perennials are more with 91 species (81.98%) than annuals (26.12%). This particular hill is the ‘treasure of medicinal plants’ which is under threat by anthropogenic activities. There is an urge to protect and conserve biodiversity rich area with high concentration of medicinal plant species, hence the current study.