Mangroves in India. Identification Manual. 1989. illustrated. 22 plates (some coloured). VIII, 113 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

The term mangrove is derived from the work 'mangal' and the Portuguese word for mangroves is 'mangue'. Mangroves are a group of salt tolerant plant species which occur in the tropical and subtropical intertidal estuarine regions, sheltered coast-lines and creeks and are dominated by partly submerged sclerophyllous plant species which are taxonomically unrelated. Mangroves constitute a dynamic ecosystem with a complex association of species both of flora and fauna of terrestrial and aquatic systems and the vegetation presents an evergreen type with varied life-forms. While the families Rhizophoraceae, Sonneratiaceae, Avicenniaceae are dominant with gregarious growth of their species, different other species are also commonly distributed belonging to the families: Combretaceae, Arecaceae, Sterculiaceae, Acanthaceae, Meliaceae, Fabaceae, Myrsinaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Plumbaginaceaeand a few others. Salt tolerant plant associates or halophytes commonly growing on a relief that is situated above the tidal level and mostly remains dry in the mangrove ecosystem are usually seen in the families: Chenopodiaceae, Acanthaceae and Plumbaginaceae. As a result of convergent evolution due to habitat stress, mangrove species have similar physiology and structural adaptations (Fortes, 1988).