Abstract

The ethnobotanical studies indicated that the inhabitants of Poonch Valley utilized 169 plant species for more than 30 domestic needs. The major usage include 68 medicinal plants, 35 fuel wood species, 35 fodder species, 24 vegetable and pot herbs, 10 veterinary medicinal plants, 24 fruit yielding plants, 14 spices and condiment species, 12 for construction and timber requirements, 13 ornamental species, 9 used as field fencing, 13 furniture making species, and 6 used as mouth wash (maswak). Other miscellaneous uses of plants included agricultural tools, thatching and roofing, basket making, cosmetics, dish cleaners, home decoration, narcotic, anti-snake and scorpion bite, soil binding, stick/handles, shade tree, utensil making and pillow filling.  Results of the survey conducted revealed that 72% of folk medicinal knowledge comes from people above the age of 50 years, while 28% of it comes from people between the ages of 30 and 50. The survey also indicated that men especially old ones are more informative of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants than women in the area.

Key words: Ethnobotany, poonch, Himalayan region, fodder species, fuel wood species, enumeration.