GNDU VC releases book on plant wealth of Amritsar

Amritsar, August 19

Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu released a book titled ‘Trees and Shrubs of Amritsar: A Pictorial Field Guide’ authored by Prof Avinash Kaur Nagpal and her four Ph.D students — Dr Gurveen Kaur, Dr Jaskirat Kaur, Dr Akanksha Bakshi and Nitika Sharma of the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences. Prof Sandhu lauded the book and congratulated the authors for using simple language, common plant names and vibrant photographs of the plants and their various parts. He remarked that the guide is accessible to a broad audience, extending its utility beyond botanists to anyone with an interest in nature.

Prof Avinash Kaur Nagpal informed that the book documents 100 species of trees and shrubs growing along the roadsides, in public gardens, parks, educational institutes, residential, commercial and industrial areas of Amritsar. “The main objective of the book is to aid botanists with complete botanical description about trees and shrubs, including accepted botanical names, etymology, current IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) conservation status, flowering and fruiting times etc. At the same time, this pictorial field guide will be useful for urban planners, policymakers and administrators for selection of trees and shrubs for landscaping,” said Prof Nagpal.

He further explained that although the book covers basic information about different species of trees and shrubs growing in Amritsar city, many of the species are also found in other parts of the country and the world. “Also, the number of species covered in the book is exotic. Hence, it would definitely be useful across the world as many of the trees and shrubs covered in the book are also found elsewhere. It’s like a documentation of the species of trees and shrubs native to Amritsar,” he said. — TNS