Characteristic Flora: State Symbols and Key Species

3.1 State Symbols and Signature Species

Symbol	Species	Scientific Name	Significance
State Tree	Khejri	Prosopis cineraria	"Kalpavriksha" of the desert; fodder, food, N-fixation; protected by Bishnoi community
State Flower	Rohida	Tecomella undulata	Blooms March–April; brilliant orange flowers; hard wood used in furniture; found in Marwar, Mewar
State Bird	Great Indian Bustard (Godawan)	Ardeotis nigriceps	Critically Endangered (IUCN); <150 surviving globally; 90–100 in Rajasthan (2024 est.)
State Animal	Chinkara	Gazella bennettii	Indian Gazelle; thrives in arid plains; national protected under Wildlife Protection Act 1972

Source: Rajasthan Government Gazette notifications; IUCN Red List 2023

3.2 Economically and Ecologically Important Flora

Desert Zone species:

• Kair (Capparis decidua): Leafless thorny shrub; edible fruit (preserved as "kair") used in Rajasthani cuisine; fixes nitrogen; tolerates extreme aridity
• Phog (Calligonum polygonoides): Sand-binding shrub; holds dunes; major source of biomass fuel in Thar
• Jal/Bui (Salvadora oleoides): Edible fruit; toothbrush tree; important bird nesting substrate in desert
• Sewan/Sevan (Lasiurus sindicus): Perennial desert grass; keystone species for desert herbivore food web

Aravalli/Eastern Zone species:

• Dhok (Anogeissus pendula): Dominant deciduous tree of eastern Rajasthan forests; characteristic of Ranthambhore's landscape
• Salai/Shallaki (Boswellia serrata): Source of Indian frankincense (shallaki resin); found in Baran, Kota
• Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon): Leaves used for bidi making; significant minor forest produce (MFP) commodity
• Amla (Phyllanthus emblica): High Vitamin C content; major MFP and agroforestry species

3.3 Invasive and Problematic Species

Vilayati Babul (Prosopis juliflora): Introduced from Latin America in the 1960s for afforestation in arid zones; now a serious invasive, displacing native Khejri and Rohida, degrading Sevan grasslands, and reducing GIB habitat quality. Its thorny, dense growth creates near-impenetrable thickets that GIB (a ground-nesting bird needing open habitat) cannot use. Rajasthan Forest Department has undertaken targeted removal campaigns around Desert National Park.

Lantana camara: Invasive shrub in Aravalli zone forests (Ranthambhore, Kumbhalgarh), competing with native understory; management is an ongoing challenge.

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