Tribal Wisdom on Medicinal and Economic Plants (Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal)

Under an approved in house research project of National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, ethnobotanical studies of the tribals and aboriginal populations were conducted in 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal inhabited by 18 tribes mainly among the Tharus, Kols, Gonds, Bhoxas, Kharwars, Jaunsaris, Bhotias, Garhwalis, Mushars, Baigas etc. in different seasons with a view to gather ethnobotanical informations on the traditional uses of plants and to uncover new plants of potential economic and medicinal value or new uses of known plants during the last 18 years by the scientists of ethnobotany group. The resource inventory of plant genetic resources used by the tribes, local inhabitants foresters, vaidyas and other knowledgeable informants of the region for food, fibre, medicine, oil, gums, dyes tannin, tribal crafts, narcotic, drinks and for antifertility and aphrodisiac medicines, were prepared and documented. The studies have brought to light new indigenous knowledge on many species of useful plants. The present book highlights 450 plant species used in the life and economy of the tribals for meeting the day-to-day needs and healthcare. Plants species of the forest flora utilized for food, fibre, medicines, oils, gums, resin, dyes, basketry, timber, wood work, fish poison, religious ceremonies, narcotics, drinks, etc. have been enumerated here along with their processing methods and uses. The valuable ethnobotanical plant resources are divided into 15 groups on the basis of their uses and the products obtained from them. The species are arranged under each group alphabetically, giving information on their botanical name, family name in parenthesis followed by local name and the tribes. The book also provides information on some potential threatened ethnomedicinal plants and suggests their conservation measures in their own agro climatic ecosystems. The plant species enumerated in ethno medicinal plants group needs further phytochemical, pharmacological, clinical investigations for isolation of potential drugs for standardization and validation of useful green medicines and herbal preparations for human welfare and healthcare. The book will serve as a database and serve as a potential Source of information and useful tools to the students, teachers, researchers, botanists, foresters, environmentalists, conservationists practitioners of herbal medicines, planners and administrators for preparing Developmental Action Plans (DAP) for the tribal tracts through Integrated Tribal Developmental Programme (ITDP), extension programmes for the welfare and upliftment of rural, tribals, aboriginal populations as well as modern society.