Rajkot: A new book titled “Trees of Kachchh” challenges the common view of the Kutch district as a barren, arid expanse. Published by the Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), the book is a carefully researched field guide that offers a detailed look at the region’s vegetation and plant life.Shaped by tectonic movements since the late Jurassic period, the Kutch landscape includes a wide range of ecosystems such as saline marshlands, tropical thorn forests, grasslands and mangroves. The book documents 170 wild and cultivated tree species belonging to 48 plant families. Of these, 110 are native and 60 introduced. The Fabaceae family is the most dominant, accounting for 38 of the recorded species. Aimed at botanists, ecologists and nature lovers, the book groups species by habitat to aid field identification. “Readers can explore trees grouped into categories such as ‘Urban Oasis’ for park trees, ‘Travelling Partners’ for roadside shade providers, ‘Thorny Guardians’ of the mixed thorn forests and ‘Flood Fighters’ representing the region’s crucial mangroves,” said V Vijay Kumar, director of GUIDE. More than a botanical catalogue, the book also highlights key conservation efforts led by GUIDE. Scientists have advanced ex-situ conservation of the threatened Indian bdellium species, Commiphora stocksiana, by raising nearly 4,000 saplings at the Aushadhiya Garden in Nani Reldi. Researchers have also tackled destructive traditional tapping methods used on the Commiphora wightii (guggul) tree, which had caused sharp population declines. Using an improved, sustainable technique with a ‘Mitchie Golledge’ knife and the plant regulator ethephon, they increased guggul production 22-fold without endangering the trees. The book draws attention to rare ecological features, including the inland mangroves at Shravan Kavadiya, which grow on landlocked saline ground rather than near seawater. According to Vasant Gadhvi, former chairman of GUIDE, trees are living beings that act as the “anchor point attracting and connecting other floral and faunal diversity to each other”. The book is authored by Jayesh B Bhatt, Vivek U Chauhan, Rakesh A Poptani, Bhagirath R Paradva and Nikunj B Gajera. BOX Unusual trees The Cannonball Tree (Couroupita guianensis): Locally called Shivlingi, this tree’s flower has a gynoecium at the centre that resembles a Shiva Lingam, while the surrounding hood-like formation of stamens represents a Naga (sacred cobra). Native to Bolivia, northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, it is uncommon in Kutch but found in gardens and temples. The African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata): Locally called Pichkari, the nectaries at the base of its flower release a watery nectar when pressed, like a water pistol. It is native to tropical Africa and is found across Kutch. The Manchineel Tree (Hippomane mancinella): Known as the “Tree of Death”, its extreme toxicity has earned it the Guinness World Record for being the “most dangerous tree” on Earth. Because of the risk it poses, areas where it grows are often marked with warning signs. The tree is found in parks and along roadsides in Kutch. — Inland mangroves Inland mangroves are rare ecosystems that grow away from coastal tidal zones, surviving on landlocked saline ground rather than seawater-flooded areas. These habitats form due to geological shifts such as the retreat of ancient seas or underground links to saline water sources, forcing mangrove species to adapt to high salinity. Kutch has two notable inland mangrove sites. Shravan Kavadiya: Near Dharampur village, this site is a Hindu pilgrimage centre linked to the folktale of King Dashratha and the devoted son Shravan. While a temple now stands here, the inland mangrove patch is highly degraded, with only remnants of large old stumps marking where the forest once stood. Guneri: Near Guneri village in Lakhpat taluka, this thriving mangrove has long been protected by local people, including Devaji Negrajji Jadeja. Conservation efforts gained momentum in 2012 with the formation of a biodiversity management community. GUIDE later carried out biological and physical studies of the area. In recognition of these efforts, the state govt declared the 32.78-hectare Guneri site a Biodiversity Heritage Site in Jan 2025.
