🌿 True Mangrove Species in the Sundarbans

These are salt‑tolerant halophytes, primarily found along tidal zones, playing ecological roles in stabilisation, wildlife habitat, and coastal protection

1. Heritiera fomes (Sundari) — Dominant canopy tree (~70% of forest), endangered species

2. Excoecaria agallocha (Gewa) — Euphorbiaceae member, toxic latex, widespread in brackish zones

3. Ceriops decandra (Goran / Jhamti Goran) — Shrub or small tree up to 15 m, common in understory

4. Sonneratia apetala (Keora / Tak Keora) — Pioneer coloniser on newly accreted mudbanks, essential for spotted deer

5. Avicennia alba (Kalo Baine)

6. Avicennia marina (Paira Baine)

7. Avicennia officinalis (Jat Baine)

8. Rhizophora apiculata (Garjan)

9. Rhizophora mucronata (Bhara)

10. Aegialitis rotundifolia (Tora)

11. Aegiceras corniculatum (Khalsi)

12. Acanthus ilicifolius (Hargoja)

13. Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (Kankra)

14. Bruguiera parviflora (Bakul Kankra)

15. Ceriops tagal (Jat Garan)

16. Sonneratia caseolaris (Chak Keora)

17. Pongamia pinnata (Karanja)

18. Thespesia populnea (Habli)

19. Lumnitzera racemosa (Kripa)

20. Nypa fruticans (Golpata) — Mangrove date palm, forming dense stands in sheltered tidal creeks

21. Bruguiera cylindrical (Son Champa)

22. Xylocarpus mekongensis (Pashur / Passur)

23. Hoya parasitica (Hoya)

24. Kandelia candel (Goria)

25. Finlaysonia obovata (Kalak Kambing)

🌱 Mangrove Associates, Marsh & Inland Vegetation

These species inhabit the transitional marshes, grasslands, freshwater swamps and rising banks of the Sundarbans terrain

• Xylocarpus granatum (Dhundul / Passur)

• Poresia coarctata, Myriostachya wightiana (Palms)

• Imperata cylindrica (Imperata grass)

• Phragmites karka (Khagra reed)

• Numerous non‑mangrove shrubs, herbs, grasses and pioneer colonisers as the land undergoes successional changes

📊 Overall Biodiversity Figures

• Early surveys by Prain (1903) recorded 334 plant species across 245 genera

• Later research confirms approximately 230 flowering plant species in Bangladeshi Sundarbans, of which 28 are true mangroves and others are mangrove associates or inland flora

• One annotated checklist reports 528 vascular plant species (356 genera, 111 families), including pteridophytes, mangrove associates and non‑mangroves

✅ Methodology & Cross‑Validation

• Primary list of true mangroves drawn from official Tiger Reserve and ecological sources

• Supplemented by Wikipedia and UNESCO for community composition and successional dynamics Wikipedia.

• Cross‑checked against comparative research (ResearchGate, biodiversity surveys) to include associate species and broader vascular plant diversity

✍ Ecologist’s Notes

• Ecological importance: True mangroves like Sundari, Gewa, Keora, and Goran form the foundational structure of the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. They specialize with viviparous seeds, pneumatophores, salt excretion mechanisms, and stilt roots to thrive in saline, oxygen‑poor soils

• Succession zones: Keora is typically the pioneer species on newly accreted mudbanks, followed by Avicennia and Excoecaria, while mature zones support Heritiera fomes dominance

• Associates: Inland marshes and elevated areas support grasses and palms like Imperata, Poresia, and reed species that also contribute to nutrient cycling and wildlife habitat.

🗂 Summary Table

📌 Additional Recommendations

• For field‑level precision, consult Sundarbans Tiger Reserve flora handbooks or regional botanical keys (e.g., local herbarium surveys) to confirm species present in your specific zone.

• Regional publications such as “Lichen Flora of Sundarbans” provide in‑depth surveys of lichens (~167 species) which complement vascular flora listings