title: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in sacred groves of Kumaon Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International organizations recognize the importance of sacred groves and place them into the context of sustainable development and also emphasize to conserve biodiversity through protection of sacred groves and sties. The significance of medicinal plants from Himalayan region is well known to the world. Therefore, present study was conducted in identified sacred groves of Kumaon Himalaya to investigate and document the utilization of medicinal plants by various local communities and tribal people.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted during 2008-2011 in four seasons of the year. Information was collected from 70 locals from different sacred groves by using free listing interviews with randomly selected informants and semi-structured questionnaires; plant specimens were collected, identified and deposited at the CSIR-NBRI herbarium (LWG), Lucknow, India.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven sacred groves viz., Dhwaj, Haat Kali, Hokra, Malay Nath, Nakuleshwar, Narayan Swami Ashram and Patal Bhuvneshwar were identified from the Pithoragarh district of Kumaon Himalaya. 89 medicinal plants belonging to 52 families and 77 genera of which, 2 are lichens, 4 are pteridophytes, 3 are gymnosperms and remaining 80 plant species are angiosperms. 6 plant species are reported with new therapeutic uses for the first time in this paper. Highest informant׳s consensus factor value was found in liver disorder (0.55) and least by body pains (0.23). 55 ethnomedicinal plants are showing 100% fidelity level against various diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sacred groves in Kumaon region of Indian Himalaya are rich sources and best repository of ethno-medicinally important plants with many rare, endangered and threatened species. It is an excellent example of unique traditional way of in situ conservation of different plant species.
authors.affiliation: Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India. Electronic address: harshchamlegi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Harsh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agnihotri
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Pande
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 22600, Uttar Pradesh, India. Electronic address: sayyadak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sayyada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D032462:Cycadopsida; D019448:Ethnobotany; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008011:Lichens; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064028:Tracheophyta
keywords: Conservation; Ethnobotany; Kumaon Himalaya; Sacred grove; Traditional knowledge