Eravikulam National Park in Munnar, India, is well-known for its natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, and it has lately added a new attraction – a Fernarium.
What are Ferns?
- Ferns are vascular plants that propagate through spores rather than seeds.
- They have unique leaves known as fronds, which are frequently intricately divided into smaller leaflets.
- Ferns can grow in a broad range of environments, from rainforests to deserts, and they serve an important part in many ecosystems by providing habitat for animals as well as food and shelter for other plants.
Ferns’ Importance
- Ferns are ecological indicators of healthy forests, and the park’s climatic circumstances are ideal for producing ferns.
- Ferns are members of the Epiphytic genus and thrive in soilless environments.
- They get water and minerals by leaching from trees, and there are a lot of ferns on the trees in the park.
Eravikulam Fernarium
- The Fernarium is a plant collection and the first of its kind in Munnar.
- Currently, 52 fern types have been planted, with the goal of eventually covering all 104 varieties found in the park.
- This project seeks to raise visitor awareness of the park’s biodiversity.
Source: https://s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/esapp/evmpic/1539237014313.jpeg