Tropical thorn forest
Also called: Thorn and scrub forest · Topic: Natural Vegetation and Forests of India · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Natural Vegetation"
Meaning
Tropical thorn forest grows in semi-arid areas that get under 50 cm of rain. It is found in southwest Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Plants stay leafless for most of the year, so the land looks like scrub. Tussocky grass (grass that grows in thick clumps) can reach 2 m. Plants save water with long roots, thick fleshy stems, small leaves and thorns. Typical species are babool, ber, wild date palm, khair, neem, khejri and palas.
Example
Khejri trees are common in the dry lands of western Rajasthan. At Khejarli in 1730, Bishnoi villagers gave their lives to save khejri trees from being cut.
Don't confuse with
- Dry deciduous forest: this gets more rain (70-100 cm). It has real trees with grass between them, not mostly leafless scrub.