A Comprehensive Account of the Flora of Ballari District of Karnataka

The present study documents the floristic diversity of Ballari District, Karnataka, located in the semi-arid Deccan plateau. Extensive surveys recorded 1,443 vascular plant species representing 760 genera and 165 families. The flora is dominated by herbs (52.4%), followed by trees (20.1%), shrubs (15.9%), and climbers (11.6%). Poaceae (130 spp.), Fabaceae (122), Euphorbiaceae (77), and Asteraceae (75) were the richest families, with Euphorbia, Crotalaria, Indigofera, Ficus, and Solanum as major genera. The vegetation reflects adaptations to drought, agriculture, grazing, and mining pressures. Endemics like Crotalaria sandoorensis and Strobilanthes reticulata, along with threatened species such as Gloriosa superba (endangered) and Decalepis hamiltonii (critically endangered), highlight the district's conservation importance and the urgent need for protective measures.