Diversity and distribution of climbers of Uttar Pradesh: a preliminary review

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is one of the largest states in India. Based on vegetation types, the state is divided into four main regions: the Terai Region, Gangetic Plains, Vindhyan, and Semi-arid Regions. These regions harbour a rich diversity of unique and interesting plant species. Climbing plants, owing to their distinctive features, have long fascinated ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Interest in these unique plants has surged notably over the past two decades, leading to a significant increase in research on these climbing species in the country. The current state of knowledge on climbers in Uttar Pradesh remains fragmented, with most available studies providing only isolated and sporadic information. In the present study, an attempt has been made to provide insights into the diversity and distribution of climbers across the four regions of Uttar Pradesh based on a literature survey. The study revealed a total of 344 climbing species (including 12 infraspecific taxa) belonging to 169 genera under 42 families and 23 orders across four regions of the state. Fabaceae was the most diverse family with 39 genera, followed by Apocynaceae with 24 genera. Ipomoea was the most speciose genus with 23 species. Climbers are an important group of plants with varied climbing mechanisms. They range from ornamental vines to medicinally important plants having significant cultural and economic value. The information gathered from the study would provide baseline data for future climber-based research in India.