Biological diversity is essential to life on earth. It contributes to the regulation of the climate and functioning of the biosphere. It is also the common heritage of mankind and, since the dawn of human civilization, it has been providing human beings with their means of subsistence, securing their food supplies and health through many traditional medicines and remedies.

Abelia grandifolia Villarreal (Caprifoliaceae): Eng.- Glossy Abelia; Kash.– Abeel [NI]. A vigorous, arching, medium sized semi-evergreen shrub commonly grown in gardens for hedging. Leaves ovate, short petioled, entire, dark glossy-green. Flowers born in axillary cymes and terminal panicles, slightly fragrant, produced over a long period from June to October; sepals 2-5; corolla funnel form, white tinged pale- pink.

Barbarea vulgaris var. taurica (DC) Hook. f. & Anders. (syn. Barbarea vulgaris R. Br.) (Brassicaceae): [W]. A herb of damp soils inhabiting water bodies. Flowers yellow. Leaves used for healing of frost bites.

Cajanus cajan ( L ) Millsp. (Fabaceae): Eng.- Pigeon Pea / Cajan Pea; Hindi – Arhar; Kash.- Lokut Chana [RC]. An annual erect herb, stem woody, leaves trifoliate. Flowers yellowish diffuse red, borne in axillary racemes. Pods flattish with fawn brown coloured seeds having light yellow cotyledons. The pulse has been lately introduced and is under marginal cultivation.

Dactylis glomerata L (syn. Bromus glomeratus (L.) Scop. (Poaceae): Eng.- Orchard Grass; Kash.- Dramun [W]. Perennial bunch grass,usually in dense shaded forest areas. A very important pasture and hay grass of temperate grasslands. Culms glabrous, erect. Inflorescences are erect panicles bearing spikelets in dense one sided clusters.

Echeveria derenbergii DC (Crussulaceae): Eng.- Painted Lady [NI]. A succulent house plant and green house perennial grown for its succulent coloured leaves which are arranged in rosettes. The orange coloured flowers appear in July on raised stem branches

Fagopyrum acutatum (Lehm.) Mansf. ex Hammer (syn. Fagopyrum cymosum (Trev.) Meissn (Polygonaceae): Eng.- Medicinal Buckwheat / Perennial Buckwheat; Hindi – Kutu; Kash.- Tsok Hakh [RC]. A tall branched, puberulous annual growing wild in Drasss, Kargil, Gurez areas at 2800 to 3300 m amsl. Leaves tri-angular; perianth white. Grains acutely 3- cornered.

Gagea lutea (L) Ker Gawl (syn. Gagea elegans Wall ex G Don.): (Liliaceae): Kash.- Koker neeje [W]. A bulbous perennial herb inhabiting open subalpine slopes and forming groups. Leaves narrowly lanceolate. Basal leaf single, angular flat, exceeds the inflorescence, lanceolate linear, longitudinally furrowed at base. Flowers solitary on long pedicles, tepals yellow.

Halerpestes tricuspis (Maxim.) Hand maz. (Ranunculaceae): LadakhiChitaka [W] Annual herb of alpine zone of above 3500 m altitudes. Whole plant used as stomachic and for gastrointestinal problems.

Iberis amara L. (Brassicaceae): Eng.- Candy Tuft [NI]. Half hardy annual ornamental herb. Leaves light green, lanceolate. Flowers borne in corymbs of light fragrant flowers, ranging in colour from white through pink to red purple.

Jaeschkea oligosperma Knobl. (Gentianaceae): Ladakhi- Tikta [W]. Annual herb, along scrubby alpine slopes of Ladakh. Leaves lanceolate, blunt. Flowers bluish to reddish purple. The plant is consumed raw as blood purifier.

Kerria japonica var. pleniflora Witte. (Rosaceae): Eng.- Jew’s Mallow / Japanese Rose [NI]. A deciduous ornamental shrub with vigorous and upright green shoots; alternate, ovate, pointed, sharply toothed, bright green leaves; produces very attractive, solitary, pompon like, double yellow flowers in April.

Laburnum anagyroides Med. (Fabaceae): Eng.- Golden Rain Tree [NI]. An upright, small sized ornamental tree with hairy, grey-green young shoots. Leaves dark- green above and grey-green beneath, having 3-elliptic-obovate leaflets. In late April to early May, produces bright yellow flowers in dense racemes

Magnolia aquilfolium (Pursh.) Nutt. cv. Orange Flame (Magnoliaceae) [NI]. An open suckering erect shrub. Leaves ovate to elliptic, spinytoothed, leaflets dark-green changing in colors during seasons. Flowers are yellow borne in densely clustered racemes in late March to mid April.

Nandina domestica Thunb. (Berberidaceae): Eng.- Chinese Sacred Bamboo [NI]. An evergreen or semi-evergreen ornamental shrub with upright shoots. Leaves mostly bi-to tripinnate, rich green purple on fall. Flowers star shaped, white with large yellow anthers, in erect panicles followed by long lasting, spherical bright red fruit.

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae): Eng.- Sweet Basil; Hindi- Ban tulsi; Kash.-Baber [RC]. A cultivated aromatic herb grown for its seed. Flowers showy, light blue, fragrant. Leaves used for flavouring purposes. Seeds used for preparing refreshing drinks/ sharbats.

Paeonia emodi Royle. (Paeoniaceae): Eng.- Himalayan Paeony; HindiUdsalap; Kash.- Mamekh [W]. A shurby perennial, found in W. Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumoan at 2400- 3300 m altitudes. Flowers yellowish white with a bunch of orange-yellow stamens.

Quercus baloot Griffith (Fagaceae): Eng.- Holy Oak; Kash.- Jamal Gota/ Baloote Kashmir [W/UC]. A small rounded evergreen tree. Leaves are coriaceous, oblong-ovate to lance shaped, entire or with spiny -toothed margins. Acorns oblong-ovoid to nearly rounded, solitary or in groups of 2 or 3. Grows as a hard wood element of forests. Also grown as ornamental.

Rabdosia rugosa (Wallich ex Benth.) Hara (Lamiaceae): [W]. An erect branched leafy shrub or under-shrub growing as high altitude shrub above 2000 m altitudes on alpine slopes.Leaves ovate, wrinkled, hairy, coarsely toothed, conspicuously grey-woolly beneath, in contrast to green wrinkled upper surface. Flowers tiny, fragrant, white, spotted with purple. Shrub is of great significance for honey bee colonies.

Sagittaria sagittifolia L. (Alismataceae):Eng.- Old World Arrow Head; Hindi- Chotakut; Kash.- Kyou [W]. Perennial herb inhabiting shallow water ponds, swampy rice fields. Leaves arrow shaped. Flowers have small sepals and three white petals, numerous purple stamens.Tubers edible (Figs. S 1, 2).

Tagetes erecta L. (syn. Tagetes patula L.) (Asteraceae): Eng.- French Marigold; Hindi- Genda / Gule jafre; Kash.- Jaffre / Bata poshe [NI]. A herbaceous annual, naturalized in N W Himalayas and grown for border as well as bedding plant. Both double and single forms are cultivated. Double forms are golden yellow and carnation like

Ulmus parvifolia Jacq. (Ulmaceae): Eng. – Chinese Elm; Ladakhi Shampoo Tree / Yumbuk [W]. A small to medium deciduous tree growing upto 12 m tall, across the region as a temperate woody element. Leaves leathery, toothed and lustrous green. Trunk has a handsome, flaking bark of mottled greys with tans and reds. Also used as a landscape tree. In Ladakh the bark of the plant used as shampoo to promote hair growth.

Vaccaria hispanica (Mill.) Rauschert. (Syn. Saponaria vaccaria L.) (Caryophyllaceae): Eng.- Cow Soapwort/ Cow Basil [W]. Annual herb,as weed of orchards.Plant has blue-grey, waxy herbage and pale pink flowers. Used traditionally to relieve body swellings.

Waldhemia glabra (Decne.) Regel. (Asteraceae): Eng.- Smooth Ground Daisy [W] A tufted mat forming, aromatic high altitude plant of drier areas of Kashmir Himalaya at 4000-5000 m altitudes. Leaves wedge shaped and bluntly 3-5 lobed, occur in rosettes. Flower heads solitary on stems, pink to purple ray florets, disc florets yellow. Whole plant used for rheumatism.

Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae): Eng.- Common Cocklebur; Kash.- Tcheere [W]. An annual herb usually inhabiting disturbed soils. Leaves simple, alternate. Flower heads are borne in leaf axils and have disc florets only.

Youngia tenuifolia (Willd.) Babc. & Stebb. (Asteraceae): Ladakhi– Neu [W]. A perennial herb of high altitude cold arid areas.

Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. (syn. Calla aethiopica L.) (Araceae): Eng.- Arum Lily; Hindi – Iram sousan [NI]. A rhizomatous perennial, suitably planted in moist and shaddy situations and under green house conditions.

Bamzai, P. N. K. 1987. Socio –economic History of Kashmir (1846 – 1925). Metropolitan Book Co. (P) Ltd., Netaji Subash Marg, New Delhi – 11002, India: pp. 9 -32.