Madayipara is a flat-topped hillock located in the Madayi, of Kannur district of Kerala state in the Southern India.

As noted by William Logan (1887) in the Malabar Manual; the river Kuppam "bending slightly and passing under the guns of an old ruined fort of the Kolathiris" on the southeastern edge of Madayipara, suddenly turns due south at Payangadi and takes a course parallel to the sea to meet the larger Valapattanam river at Matakkara, finally discharging into the Lakshadweep Sea at Azhikkal.

The available geo-morphological and historical data suggest that, till 1450 A.D. this river was drained into the sea, flowing west from Payangadi instead of turning south.

On the northeastern slope of the hill, is situated the Thiruvarkad Bhagavathi temple (Madayikavu) and its sacred grove, drawing thousands of devotees every year.

The Madayipalli, one of the oldest mosques in India and believed to have been built in A.D. 1124 by Malik lbn Dinar of Arabia, is situated on the eastern slope of the hill.

The British rulers had also built a traveler's bungalow in 1793 on the eastern side of the Madayipara, endowed with a rich scenic beauty of landscapes.

The aquatic and semi-aquatic plants form extensive carpets of blue, pink, white and yellow during the monsoon season.

The area is notable for the presence of some of the rarest plants of the world such as Nymphoides krishankesara, Rotala malabarica, Lindernia madayiparense, Eriocaulon madayparense, etc.

The midland hillocks of northern Kerala have its own characteristic floral composition supporting scrub jungles and cashew plantations on the hill slopes and grasslands and associated aquatic and semi-aquatic plants on the hilltops.

The midland hillocks of northern Kerala have its own characteristic floral composition supporting scrub jungles and cashew plantations on the hill slopes and grasslands and associated aquatic and semi-aquatic plants on the hilltops.

So it can be safely stated that Arundinella grasses represent a higher stage in grassland development in the areas where they occur.

A small plot, containing a thick growth of Themeda and other species of grasses fetches about rupees three thousand per season for a landowner.

The first fall of southwest monsoon during late May or early June stimulates the germination of seeds and the growth of annual plants.

The deep blue flowers of Utricularia and white flower heads of Eriocaulon and Rhamphicarpa literally paint the whole plateau in shades of blue, violet and white, amidst herbaceous plants such as Sopubia trifida, Lindernia, Polygala elongata, Justicia japonica, Leucas sp.

Following the retreat of southwest monsoon, during September, most of the early appearing plants give way to others such as Celosia argentea, Sesamum orientale and grasses such as Arundinella spp., Dimeria spp., Ischaemum indicum, Panicum spp., etc.

[3] Stronger winds during the month of January and the direct incidence of sunlight enhance the drying up process of the flora of Madayipara.

The majority of the herbaceous plants dry up except for some grass species and the thorny Lepidagathis keralaensis, which may remain spread all over the rocky regions of the hill.

The forest dwelling species of Stereospermum colais is one of the major wonders of this woody area, with its large white flowers blooming during November and December.

The geographical and climatical features made Madayipara and the adjacent laterite hillock system in supporting a unique assemblage of species.

Justicia ekakusuma (Pradeep et al., 1991), aptly named because of its nature of flower, is rare and seen in the rocky edges of the plateau.

It is observed that the number of Justicia ekakusuma has been declining drastically over the years, while other newly described species remain uniformly distributed.

Another interesting plant of this locality is the rare lycophyte, Isoetes coromandelina found near the temporary pools of Madayipara during the wet phase.

The wet phase of the Laterite hillocks is the more active in terms of the appearance of plant and animals (Jafer Palot and Radhakrishnan, 2005).

The indiscriminate mining for laterite and soil demolishing the hillocks had been severely threatened the very existence of the biota, culture and also the water availability in most of the areas.

The lack of awareness is the major reason for the pathetic condition of this type of unique ecosystem, which supports many endemic species.

Adopting conservation practices such as bringing it under the protection of a community reserve only could save the Madayippara and its environs from degradation.

In addition to its high scenic beauty and ecological values, its historical significance and rich cultural heritage also make it an ideal site to be conserved for the future.