The book mainly deals with medicinal plants being used by aboriginal and rural communities in India for the treatment of various ailments through their traditional and endemic prescriptions. About 48 articles on the subject have been contributed by the expert ethnobotanists from different parts of the country. Information about ethnobotanical uses, especially ethnomedicinal uses, is claimed to be original by the authors which is obtained by them from tribal people or others who have accrued deep knowledge about medicinal plants through their long association with forest environment in one way or the other. Certain articles, besides dealing with medicinal aspects, have also touched other uses of plants. Still others purely deal with other economic aspects, viz. edible, rituals, dyes etc. Such contributions, though not in accordance of title of the book, have also been included keeping in view the present uncertain global trends in patenting, demand and exploitation. The maps, illustrations, photographs etc have been appended by some authors to supplement and authenticate their findings. The local names of plants, wherever provided, will make the book usable at grass root level at one end, and correct botanical nomenclature at advanced platform spread over in 464 pages book. Though authentic preliminary information has been furnished by the authors, yet clinical tests for many have not been done. As such, the self use of any plant for the treatment of prescribed ailments in the book is not advisable. However, the data presented here will open new platforms to play upon for all those who are engaged in producing herbal drugs on scientific/clinical or commercial scale. May be certain typographic or other minor errors left in the book, the readers are requested to ignore them in view of attempts made by the authors and editor to achieve the theme of conservation/protection of indigenous wisdom of Indian aboriginals from biopiracy in future.
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