Owing to its salubrious climate, the state of
Orissa has a 33% of its land covered by forests. Commonly classified
into two categories namely tropical moist deciduous and tropical dry
deciduous, these forests are the store houses of Bamboo, Teak, Rosewood,
Sal, Piasal, Sanghvan and Haldi. The hills, plateaus and isolated areas
of the northeastern part of the state are covered by the tropical moist
deciduous forests whereas the second types of the forests are located in
the southwest region of the state.
Out of a total geographical area of 155,707 sq kms, the state of Orissa
has recorded 52,472 sq kms of forest area. Whereas the actual forest
cover as per the records of Forest Survey of India is 47,033 sq kms.
Upholding the best possible example of bio diversity, the state is home
to about 7,000 plant species including 120 Orchid species and 63
varieties of Mangrove trees which make the state second largest mangrove
ecosystem in India.
A vast variety of other plants like Reserpine, Quinine, Ephedrine,
Cocain, Emetin, Digitonin, Diogenin, Colchicines, Taxol, Vinblastim
Areteminsinine And Gugulipid, Acorous Calamus, Alpinia Galangal,
Androgaphis Paniculata, Ocimum Basilicum, Cathraranthus Roseus,
Celastrus Paniculatus, Cissus Quadranggularis, Clerodendrum, Centella
Asiatica, Gloriosa Superba, Asparagus Reacemes, Plumbago Zeylanica,
Croton Roxburghjii, Hemidesmus Indicus, Rauvolia Serpentina, Whighina
Somenifera, Toddalia Asiatica and Curcuma Angusifolia is also found in
the state.
