Research Article | Published: 30 August 2024

Diversity, distribution pattern and indigenous uses of medicinal plants in Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India

Vijay Kumar, Sher Singh Samant, Lalit Mohan Tewari, Om Prakash and Amit Singh

Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products | Volume: 31 | Issue: 2 | Page No. 75-93 | 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-R6UBJ5 | Cite this article

Abstract

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is the storehouse of wide variety of medicinal plants. However, protected areas in Himachal Pradesh are less explored for medicinal plants. As such, Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh has not been explored for the medicinal plants diversity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the medicinal plants diversity of the sanctuary during 2016-2023. The study recorded 377 medicinal plants belonging to 264 genera and 87 families. Of the recorded medicinal plants, 177 were natives, 83 near endemics and 06 endemics. Different parts of the medicinal plants were used by the inhabitants for curing cough, cold, fever, cuts, wounds, blood purification, tonic, liver and kidney complaints, antidote to snake, insect bite, etc. But, due to over exploitation, habitat degradation and changing environmental conditions, the populations of most of the species are declining rapidly in the sanctuary. Therefore, there is an urgent need to monitor the populations of these medicinal plants frequently by using ecological (quadrat) method, and create awareness among the inhabitants and Forest Department officials about the sustainable utilization.

Keywords

Diversity, Endemism, Indigenous Uses, Medicinal Plants, Nativity, Over Exploitation, Utilization Pattern

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How to cite

Kumar, V., Samant, S.S., Tewari, L.M., Prakash, O. and Singh, A., 2024. Diversity, distribution pattern and indigenous uses of medicinal plants in Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India. Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 31(2), pp.75-93. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-R6UBJ5

Publication History

Manuscript Received on 07 June 2024

Manuscript Revised on 09 July 2024

Manuscript Accepted on 11 July 2024

Manuscript Published on 30 August 2024

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