A taxonomic checklist of the Fabaceae Lindl. of Mymensingh division, Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study provides a taxonomic checklist of the family Fabaceae distributed in the Mymensingh Division of Bangladesh. Field surveys and herbarium investigations confirmed the occurrence of 141 species belonging to 79 genera in the study area. The genus Albizia Durazz. was the most dominant, with seven species, followed by Senna Mill. (six species), Crotalaria L. and Dalbergia L.f. (five species each), and Senegalia Raf. (four species). The recorded species include 55 herbs, 52 trees, 22 shrubs, and 12 lianas that are most frequently found in homesteads and woodlands, followed by hill slopes, scrub jungles, roadsides, fallow lands, and agricultural fields. In the study area, the native species (66.67%) prevail over exotic species (33.33%). The documented species possess significant economic and agricultural importance, and the majority of the recorded species (59.57%) are used in traditional medicine. The Mymensingh district harboured 128 species, the highest number in the division. Seven species recorded from the study area are assessed as Vulnerable (VU) in the IUCN's Plant Red List of Bangladesh, which emphasises the conservation importance of the divisional flora. The findings of this study reveal a rich repository of leguminous flora in the Mymensingh Division, characterised by a high proportion of tree species, and suggest the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies to protect this precious flora, particularly the seven VU legume species.

Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 14(1 & 2): 123-137, 2025 (June & December)