Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants in chopta-mandal forest of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand

Abstract

Uttarakhand, in the Indian Himalaya, has a rich diversity of medicinal plants, which are widely used. Medicinal plants have played an important role of primary health care system among the local people of Himalayan region. However, information on the uses for plants for medicine is lacking from many interior areas of Himalaya. The study aimed to look into the diversity of plant resources that are used by local people for curing various ailments. Questionnaire surveys, participatory observations and field visits were planned to illicit information on the uses of various plants. The study came to document nearly 64 species of plants used as wild edibles. Analysis of taxonomic group of plants revealed that a total of 31 wild edible species used for medicinal purposes belongs to 27 genera and 23 families. Mostly leaves, roots, seeds, fruit, bark and whole plant are used to prepare medicine. Collection of wild medicinal plants is not the usual practice of all the villagers, only few knowledgeable people (Vaids), old people and others) who are able to identify collect them from the wild and store them for future use.