Vegetation of Mandapam Region : A Note on economic importance

The vegetation of Mandapam region mainly comprises of Zerophytes, the plants which are adapted to low water requirements and Mesophytes, the plants of habitats which are neither extremely dry nor very wet, owing to low rainfall mostly limited between September and December during the North east monsoon. Apart from these plant communities, the littoral fringes of the coasts of Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay support a varied number of halophytes or the plants of saline and marsh habitat The seas around Mandapam harbour a diversity of marine flora consisting of microalgae, Seaweeds and, Seagrasses. A brief account on the Economic and medicinal value of the terrestrial and marine flora existing In Mandapam region is contemplated below.