Category | Code and Name | Description | Examples of noteworthy species |
---|---|---|---|
I. Defined by soil composition | MH1. Rock Crevices | Cracks between rocks with 3–6 cm soil depth. Individual microhabitats confined to area of 60 x 91 cm. | Indigofera dalzelli Ceropegia jainii* Pinda concanensis |
MH2. Rock Depressions | Rock depressions with 3–6 cm of soil. | Indigofera dalzellii Utricularia purpurascens | |
MH3. Gravel Patches | Coarse gravel and lateritic pebbles-dominated patches found intermittently with MH4. | Ceropegia jainii* Pinda concanensis Utricularia purpurascens Cyanotis fasciculaae Murdannia vaginata. Glyphochloa divergens | |
II. Defined by micro-elevation & topographic position | MH4. Pleocaulis ritchiei (Acanthaceae) Tableland | Dominated by Pleocaulis ritcheii and lacking stagnant water; most common microhabitat on plateau top. | Iphigenia stellata* Adenoon indicum Justicia trinervia *Flemingia nilgheriensis Murdannia vaginata |
MH5. Elevated Tableland | Similar to MH4 but dominated by Habenaria grandifloriformis and Iphigenia stellata. | Dipcadi maharashtrensis* Ceropegia vinacefolia*, Iphigenia stellata* Adenoon indicum *Smithia agharkarii Smithia salsuginea Swertia densifolia Utricularia albocaerulea Murdannia vaginata Habenaria rariflora *Chrysopogon castaneus *Coelachne minuta Glyphochloa divergens | |
MH6. Plateau Edges | Rock faces of the escarpments; steep slope lacking water retention. | Vigna kahandalensis*, Pinda concanensis*, Impatiens dalzellii*, Hitchenia caulina* *Ceropegia vincaefolia Pinda concanensis Phyllocephalum tenue Begonia crenata Paracaryopsis coelestina Paracaryopsis malabarica Smitihia bigamina | |
III. Defined by moisture saturation | MH7. Shallow Streamlets | Streamlets that cross plateau top; 3–10 cm deep and 90-50cm wide. | Aponogeton satarensis* |
MH8. Streamlets Bank | Marshy shoulders of streamlets; 30–110 cm wide. | Aponogeton satarensis* Utricularia purpurascens Cryptocoryne cognata | |
MH9. Marshy Patches | Ground depressions with 2–4 cm of water. | Habenaria panchaganiensis,* Eriocaulon tuberiferum* Utricularia purpurascens Utricularia albocaerulea | |
MH10. Marshy Crevices | Rainwater-saturated soil in crevices between rocks; 2-8cm deep. | Aponogeton satarensis* Cryptocoryne cognata | |
MH11. Temporary Puddles | Rainwater-filled depressions or ditches. 2- 12cm deep and 60–121 cm wide. | Aponogeton satarensis* Cryptocoryne cognata |