Survey of the plants in Queen Mary’s College, Chennai, India

Chennai is one of the densely populated cities in the world with large masses throng the beaches in search of fresh air, and while they pass the educational institutions along the beach, they gaze with wonder at the greenery that is becoming a rarity in metropolitan cities. Species diversity is a characteristic feature of tropics, and many educational institutions still maintain a restricted green patch that harbours diverse plant species. This article is aimed at surveying and documenting the plant diversity in Queen Mary’s College campus which has good green cover both at canopy level and ground level. Stratification at four levels ground cover (herbs), shrubs, small trees and tall trees with species diversity nurturing insects, beetles, butterflies, birds and small animals is a common sight.