Activities of BSI

ACTIVITIES OF
BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Botanical Survey of India (BSI), the apex taxonomic research organization of the
country which is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change,
Government of India was established on 13thFebruary 1890 under the direction of
Sir George King. The organization’s mandate was to explore, collect, identify and
document the rich plant resources of the erstwhile British India.
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was established in 1890 with the basic
objectives of carrying out floristic surveys of the Indian empire. It was reviewed and
reorganised in 1954. During the successive plan periods its functions have been
gradually expanded. After reorganisation and establishment of 10 different regional
centres throughout the country, the aims and objectives of the Survey were
redefined in 1976 with a view to encourage taxonomic research and to accelerate
the scientific expertise for the preparation of a comprehensive flora of the country.
The objectives and perspectives of BSI were thoroughly reviewed in 2002 by the
subcommittee constituted by Programme Advisory Committee for BSI & ZSI.
Activities like survey and exploration of plant resources, listing of endangered
species, publication of national flora, preparation of national Data Bank on herbarium
and live collection, plant distribution and nomenclature were strengthened.
History
The British East India Company had established botanical gardens at Sibpur, Poona,
Saharanpur and Madras as centres for improving botanical knowledge and
experimentation under the local Governments. For example, the Saharanpur
botanical garden, which dates from before 1750, was acquired by the East India
Company in 1817 for growing medicinal plants. Most of the EIC botanical gardens'
work was for the cultivation of plants of interest in commerce and trade.
The Botanical Survey was formally instituted on February 13, 1890 under the
direction of Sir George King, who had been superintendent of Royal Botanic Garden,
Calcutta since 1871. King became the first ex-officio Director of BSI. The Calcutta
Garden became the headquarters of the Survey and was given regional
responsibility for Bengal, Assam, North East, Burma, and the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
Objectives of BSI
The prime objectives of the Survey were:
1
• To undertake intensive floristic surveys and collect accurate and detailed
information on the occurrence, distribution, ecology and economic utility of
plants in the country.
• To collect, identify and distribute materials which may be of use to educational

and research institutions and,
• To act as custodian of authentic collections in well planned herbaria and to

document the plant resources in the form of local, District, State and National
Flora.
Mandate of BSI
After Independence, Botanical Survey of India was reorganized in 1954,

under the leadership of Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal. Over the years, the mandate of the
organization has been broaden to biosystematics research, floristic studies,
documentation, databasing of National Botanical collection, digitization of herbarium
specimens, development of molecular taxonomy laboratory, advisory services and
capacity building training programmes etc.
During the successive five year plan periods, the functions of Botanical
Survey of India were further diversified to include various new areas such as
assessment and inventorisation of endemic, rare and threatened plant species;
evolving conservation strategies; studies on fragile ecosystems and protected areas
like Sanctuaries, National Parks and Biosphere Reserves; monitoring of changes in
floristic components; ex-situ conservation, multiplication and maintenance of
germplasm of plant genetic resources, endemic and threatened species, wild
ornamentals, etc.; ethnobotanical and geobotanical studies and the development of
National Database on Herbarium (including Type specimens) live collections, plant
genetic resources, plant distribution and nomenclature. The aims and objective of
the department were redefined, reviewed during the year 1987 and survey and
exploration of plant resources and inventorisation of threatened species, publication
of National and State Floras and development of National database were given top
priority.
After the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity by the Govt. of

India in February, 1994 a greater role for Botanical Survey of India was envisaged,
particularly with reference to the article – 7, 8, 12, 16 of the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD). Following which the objectives and strategies of the Botanical
Survey of India were further diversified.
Presently, Botanical Survey of India is spread in 11 Regional Centers with 4

units and Head Quarter at Kolkata, viz.
• Industrial Section Indian Museum (ISIM),

2
• Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCBIBG),
Howrah - the oldest garden (founded in 1787),
• Central Botanical Laboratory (CBL) and Central National Herbarium
(CNH) and
• Botanic Garden of Indian Republic, Noda (founded in 2002).
Functions of BSI
Following are the main functions of Botanical Survey of India:
Primary Functions
• Exploration, inventorisation and documentation of phytodiversity (including

nonflowering plants) in general and protected areas, hotspots, fragile
ecosystems, wetlands, sacred groves in particular; publication of National,
State and District Floras.
• Identification of Red list species and species rich areas needing

conservation; ex situ conservation of critically threatened taxa in the
Botanical Gardens.
• Survey and documentation of traditional knowledge (ethnobotany)

associated with plants
• Develop a national database of Indian plants including herbarium

specimens, live specimens, Botanical paintings /illustrations etc.
Secondary Functions
• Revisionary/Monographic studies on selected plant groups.
• Qualitative analysis of nutritive value of ethno-food plants and other

economically useful species.
• Capacity building in plant taxonomy through refresher courses and post

M.Sc. certificate course.
• Environmental Impact Assessment of areas assigned to BSI for study.
• Develop and maintain Botanical Gardens, Musea and Herbaria.
• Preparation of Seed, Pollen and Spore Atlas of Indian Plants.
• Recently, the Survey has also extended its activities to Antarctica from
16th expedition (1996 – 97) onwards for the study of Bryophytes, Fungi
and Algae (except the blue-green).
3
Research Center/ Circle
To cope up with this enormous task assigned to the Survey, the following 4 circles
were established after independence, in different Botanical regions to cover the vast
stretches of the country:
1. Botanical Survey of India, Southern Circle at Coimbatore on 10th October 1955.
2. Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Circle at Shillong on 1st April 1956.
3. Botanical Survey of India, Western Circle at Pune on 12th December 1955.
4. Botanical Survey of India, Northern Circle at Dehra Dun on 1st August 1956.
Simultaneously, a Central Botanical Laboratory at Lucknow was established

in December, 1957 for studying the various aspects of plant biology like – cytology,
plant physiology, plant chemistry, seed biology, ecology, etc.- in order to provide
multidisciplinary approach to conventional taxonomy.
During the same year (1957), the Herbarium belonging to “Royal Botanic
Garden”, Calcutta, which was renamed as the “Indian Botanic Garden” in 1950, was
transferred to Botanical Survey of India and soon this herbarium shot into fame as
the “Central National Herbarium” (CAL).
In order to further strengthen the Survey for carrying out its assigned mandate
more effectively and expeditiously, a number of new Circles in different
phytogeographical regions were opened as follows:-
5. Botanical Survey of India, Central Circle at Allahabad in 1962
6. Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Circle at Jodhpur in 1972

7. Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Circle at Port Blair in 1972
8. Botanical Survey of India, Arunachal Pradesh Circle at Itanagar in 1977
9. Botanical Survey of India, Sikkim Himalayan Circle at Gangtok in 1979
10. Botanic Garden of Indian Republic at Noida in 2002
11. Botanical Survey of India, Deccan Circle at Hyderabad in 2005
4
Achievements of BSI
• With the rapid development worldwide in molecular taxonomy, BSI has also
established recently molecular taxonomy laboratories at Shillong and Pune. This
organization as a National Repository of plant resources, maintain more than four
million accessioned herbarium specimens (including non-flowering plants) of
which 18,988 Type Specimens.
• Floristic surveys of many of the Indian state and Union territories have been
completed and the rest are in progress. Floristic survey of 68 protected areas, 26
sacred groves, 01 Ramsar site, 12 fragile ecosystem and 23 Tiger Reserves
have been completed.
• About four million plant specimens of different groups are lodged in different
herbaria of the BSI. Since the inception of Botanical Survey of India, scientists of
BSI have discovered one new family, 43 new genera and more than 1666 new
species and infraspecific taxa including many botanically interested taxa.
Population study of about 900 RET taxa of the family Orchidaceae and
Sapotaceae have been completed in Eastern Himalayas.
• Towards fulfilling the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation target on ex-situ
conservation, the department has 12 botanical gardens spread in different
biogeographical zones of the country. The gardens holds more than 150
thousands live plant collections including many important commercial potential
plant groups such as Zingibers, Rattans, Bamboos, and Orchids. A large number
of medicinal and aromatic plants have also been introduced in botanic gardens
particularly in Port Blair, Yercaud and Shillong.
• The department has also developed a digital platform ‘Indian Plant Diversity
Information System (IPDIS)’ and also initiated the process of web launching of all
BSI publications (books, records, periodicals, newsletters, reports etc.), archival
correspondences (Wallich, Roxburgh, Hooker etc.), rare books (even not
available in any of the Biodiversity library portal) and herbarium specimens.
Under this scheme, digital back up of physical specimens (both general and Type
specimens) is in progress.
• Development of e-Flora of India and Plant Checklist database, digitization of all
BSI publications, launching of online portal of BSI official journal NELUMBO have
been completed.
• Till date, BSI has published 10 volumes of Flora of India, 29 volumes of
Fascicles, 29 volumes of State Flora for 9 states, 34 volumes of District Flora for
26 District and 140 numbers of Miscellaneous publication.
• BSI also publishes 3 periodicals viz.NELUMBO, Vanaspati Vani and Parijata
regularly.

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ACTIVITIES OF

BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

The prime objectives of the Survey were:

• To collect, identify and distribute materials which may be of use to educational

• To act as custodian of authentic collections in well planned herbaria and to

After Independence, Botanical Survey of India was reorganized in 1954,

After the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity by the Govt. of

Presently, Botanical Survey of India is spread in 11 Regional Centers with 4

• Industrial Section Indian Museum (ISIM),

Following are the main functions of Botanical Survey of India:

• Exploration, inventorisation and documentation of phytodiversity (including

• Identification of Red list species and species rich areas needing

• Survey and documentation of traditional knowledge (ethnobotany)

• Develop a national database of Indian plants including herbarium

• Revisionary/Monographic studies on selected plant groups.

• Qualitative analysis of nutritive value of ethno-food plants and other

• Capacity building in plant taxonomy through refresher courses and post

• Environmental Impact Assessment of areas assigned to BSI for study.

• Develop and maintain Botanical Gardens, Musea and Herbaria.

• Preparation of Seed, Pollen and Spore Atlas of Indian Plants.

1. Botanical Survey of India, Southern Circle at Coimbatore on 10th October 1955.

2. Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Circle at Shillong on 1st April 1956.

3. Botanical Survey of India, Western Circle at Pune on 12th December 1955.

Simultaneously, a Central Botanical Laboratory at Lucknow was established

5. Botanical Survey of India, Central Circle at Allahabad in 1962

6. Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Circle at Jodhpur in 1972

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