Riparian flora of Haveri District, Karnataka, India

The Haveri District is located in the central part of Karnataka, acting as a transitional zone between the Western Ghats and Maidan region. The riparian zones are the most diverse, dynamic, and complex habitats on land. The present study on the riparian vegetation along the four rivers of Haveri District identified a total of 307 species belonging to 233 genera of 73 families. Out of that 231 species are indigenous belonging to 160 genera and 68 families. The remaining 76 non-native species belong to 63 genera and 27 families. The highest number of species were recorded from the Tungabhadra River (232 species), followed by the rivers Kumadwathi (181), Dharma (156), and Varada (149). Herbs are the most common among the recorded plants, with 186 species representing approximately 61% of the total flora. With 36 species, Fabaceae is the most represented family accounting for 12% of the flora. The riparian vegetation in the study area faces several threats, including habitat loss due to encroachment for agriculture, overgrazing, dumping of plastic waste, sand mining, invasive species, and tourism activities. Effective conservation measures are needed to protect the riparian zones and their plant wealth.