PHENOLOGY OF TREE SPECIES OF TROPICAL MOIST FOREST OF UTTARA-KANNADA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA, INDIA

Phenological observations on tree species in tropical moist forest of Uttara Kannada district (13-degrees-55' to 15-degrees-31' N lat; 74-degrees-9' to 75-degrees-10' E long) during the years 1983-1985 revealed that there exists a strong seasonality for leaf flush, leaf drop and reproduction. Young leaves were produced in the pre-monsoon dry period with a peak in February, followed by the expansion of leaves which was completed in March. Abscission of leaves occurred in the post-monsoon winter period with a peak in December. There were two peaks for flowering (December and March), while fruit ripening had a single peak in May-June, preceding the monsoon rainfall. The duration of maturation of leaves was the shortest, while that of full ripening of fruits was the longest. Mature flowers of evergreen species lasted longer than those of deciduous species; in contrast the phenophase of ripe fruits of deciduous species was longer than that of evergreen species.