Diversity, Distribution and Indigenous uses of Medicinal Plants in Rissa Khad, Watershed of District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Present study has been focused on assessment of diversity, distribution and indigenous uses of medicinal plants in the Rissa Khad Watershed, Himachal Pradesh. A total of 546 medicinal plants belonging to 125 families and 393 genera were recorded. These species are distributed between 700-2150m. Of the total medicinal plants recorded, 92 species were native and 36 species near endemic to the IHR. Two species i.e., Pimpinella acuminata and Pittosporum eriocarpum were endemic to the IHR. Maximum species were used for skin diseases followed by wounds and injuries, dysentery, stomach problem, headache, eye diseases, cough, asthma, tonic, snake bite, teeth problem, cold, boils, abortificent, rheumatism, sores and piles, respectively. The continued over exploitation and habitat degradation of some of the commercially viable species may lead to their extinction from the wild in near future. Ecological assessment of the native, endemic and commercially viable species, investigation of active ingradients, mass multiplication of native, endemic and commercially viable medicinal plants through conventional (vegetative and seeds) and in-vitro (Tissue culture) methods, and establisment in natural habitats (in situ conditions) and ex situ conditions, and promotion of education and awareness among the inhabitants for the conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants have been suggested.