Aquatic ecosystems directly or indirectly play a major role to stabilise environment by various natural processes. Macrophytes or wetland vascular plants mostly comprising of angiosperms and pteridophytes grow in aquatic ecosystems and possess outstanding ability for assimilating nutrients and creating favourable conditions for microbial decomposition of organic matter. The present floristic survey focuses on the diversity of macrophytes in Dal lake wetland of Kashmir. During the study tenure 46 species of macrophytes belonging to 24 families were recorded. The recorded species have been classified with the help of life forms, distribution patterns (common/rare), life patterns, dominant forms and habitat. The variation in the composition of Dal lake macrophytes have been documented via synthesizing and comparing the current species composition with the previous studies, which shows a significant alteration in the macrophytic composition of Dal lake during last 4-6 decades.

Keywords: Macrophytic Vegetation, Srinagar, Dal Lake, Wetland.