The Diversity of Ficus L. in Plant Community of Limestone Hills in central Thailand

Abstract

The present study aims at knowing the diversity of Ficus L. in plant community of limestone hills in central Thailand and the current conservation status of the present species. The study was undertaken in five localities covering three provinces of central Thailand in which two localities located in Saraburi, two localities located in Lopburi and one locality located in Nakhon Sawan. Data were collected by counting the number of species along the survey route; samples were collected for species identification and further classifying of the conservation status. The results show that there are seventeen species present in the plant community of the limestone hills in central Thailand. Among these, sixteen species are native with only one introduced species namely Ficus religiosa. The majority of present Ficus L. are listed as Least concern (LC), whereas the two rare Ficus alongensis and Ficus pubipetiola are categorized as Endangered species.