Abstract

Vindhya region is one of the less studied areas and characterized for rich vegetations of India. The plants species observed in the area have immense potential for the management and treatment of various ailments. The present paper reports to the documentation and conservation of ethnomedicinal plants of Sonebhadra district and their socio- economic relationship with the forest and its resources. The ethnobotanical data were collected using interviews, with local medicine man and field observations. Correct identity of the plants were done with the help of botanical survey of India (B.S.I). Important medicinal plants belonging to different families are documented in the present ethnobotanical study. During survey it was found that many plants were very rare viz Gymnema sylvestre, Withania somnifera, Curiculigo orchioides, Chlorophytum tuberosum, Plumbago zeylanica, Acorus calamus, Celastrus paniculatus etc. The main causes of raring of plants are deforestation, over grazing and increasing population. Due to scarcity of government health facilities in the district the peoples were largely dependent on traditional health care system.

Key words: Ethnomedicinal plants, extinction ranking, Sonebhadra forest, Eastern Uttar Pradesh