Flora of Manipur. A Pictorial Field Guide. 2023. illus. (col.). XIX, 745 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.

North Eastern region of India is part of both Eastern Himalaya as well as Indo-Burma biodiversity Hotspots and comprising of the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. Bio-geographically, this region has tropical valleys, temperate habitats, alpine meadows and cold deserts. Manipur state is listed in the top ten hotspot biodiversity rich zones of world famous 34 biodiversity hotspots and considered as the nature’s paradise for its wild fauna and flora including rich heritage of wild orchids in particular. This sate is guarded by nine ranges of bluish green hills with rich biodiversity and endemism. The state is bounded on the north by Nagaland, the south by Mizoram and Chin hills of Myanmar, the east by Chindwin district of Myanmar and the west by Cachar and North Cachar districts of Assam.

Geographically, the sate has diverse forests including tropical to subtropical and temperate with rich floral diversity as well as high degree of endemism which includes valuable medicinal plants. Among plant species, 2795 species of Dicotyledons and 1232 species of Monocotyledons are found in Manipur. Among these, 117 species are endemic to this region. Due to global warming and climate change, the population of many species is facing threat of survival in their natural habitats. The state is inhabited by numerous ethnic groups, practising their traditional healthcare and using a large number of wild plants for the treatment of various ailments.