Vegetation characteristics of Bangladesh homegardens

A total of 162 perennial species were recorded from the 100 homegardens surveyed in four regions of Bangladesh. The highest number of species was recorded from the deltaic region (91) followed by the plain (79), hilly (73) and the dryland (65) regions, respectively. Species density declined with increasing homegarden size in each region. Within each region food and fruit producing species dominated in the homegardens. Between any two regions more than 50% of the species was common. Nine general uses (food/fruit, timber, fuelwood, spice, fodder, medicine, fence, agricultural implement, others) of homegarden plants were identified.