Abstract
Distribution, medicinal properties, uses and conservation assessment of ten threatened medicinal plant species namely Aconitum heterophyllum Wallich, Angelica glauca Edgew., Atropa acuminata Royle ex Lindl., Berberis spp., Coptis teeta Wallich, Dioscorea deltoidea Wallich, Gentiana kurroo Royle, Nardostachys jatamansi DC., Podophyllum hexandrum Royle ex Camb., and Rauvolfia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz is discussed. These plant species have been exploited indiscriminately by the local people, tribals, forest contractors, government agencies and by various pharmaceutical houses for their extensive use in household remedies, Allopathic and Aurvedic medicines. They possess great medicinal properties and have been used in the ancient as well as modern systems of medicine. Their over-exploitation has resulted in the depletion of the natural population of these taxa and many of them are facing increased risk of their extinction. During this study, field surveys have been undertaken to various phytogeographical regions representing the species to assess the population size of each taxon. Herbaria were consulted to study the past and present distribution of each species. Information on the medicinal uses have been collected from the local informants during the field study besides scrutinies of existing literature on biological activities and medicinal properties of these taxa. In this study conservation status of each species is discussed with recommendation of suitable measures either in situ or ex situ.
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