The 4000 years old treatise ‘Agnipurana’ mentions that a man should protect trees to ensure material prosperity and religious merit. The great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata provide a very lucid description of the forest like Dandakaranya. Manadavana and Khandvan. Pipal (Ficusreligiosa) and Babul plants (Acacia nilotica) are considered to ancient times lived in harmony with their ecosystem, which was formed by the forests.
The accounts of Indian forests given in these sources are one of richness and abundance and so have little relevance to the present time scarcity sticken condition and complexity of modern forests management. Mismanagement of Indian forests started ever since the beginning of invasion of India by foreign powers and reached its zenith during the Mughal and early British period. For the British, Indian forests were an inexhaustible source of durable and ornamental timber and other forests products. Teak forests along the coast of Malabar were over exploited to meet the requirement of the British Navy.
The sandalwood tree of South Indian were exploited for the periods of great devastation of Indian forests. Forests were cut recklessly to meet the increasing demands. As a result, rich productive forests vanished, causing an irreparable damage of the ecosystem and to the people especially the tribals. In the present compilation the attempt has been made to determine the floristic composition, productivity and Biodiversity characterization of Indian forest.
Plant-based products have always served human as a safe and rich source of nutrition and medicines. India, since Vedic fines has been using natural products to build a healthier society, a healthier nation. A late of people believe that when it comes to medicines, “natural” is better healthier and safer than unnatural or synthetic drugs. Nowadays, people have started under & pending the importance of natural products and before natural product’s to meet their health goals. A global resurgence is evident in natural products and healthier lifestyle
India has a very wealthy tradition of herbal medicines for the treatment of many health discomforts.The tradional healing practicese are common and popular among all the tribes and communities.It is evident that many communities have so much belief in their ethnobotanical knowledge that they often prefer a traditional medicineal practicener over any certified medical personality. Among all the plant species which have been already reported by many researchers for their ethno medicinal properties are getting very rare in their original habitat.These plants are obviously of great medicinal importance and immediate need of conservation.Some medicinal plants which are exclusively found in forest are getting lost due to habitat fragmentation and enormous deforestation.
The publication of “Flora of British India” by Hooker (1872-1897) was followed by a series of regional floras by Cooke (1901-08) for Bombay presidency; Prawn (1903) for Bengal: Duthie (completed by Parker & Turrill, 1905-29) for upper gangetic plains and adjacent Siwalik and of sub Himalayan tracts; Kanjilal (1966) for the forest flora of Uttar Pradesh; Gamble (completed by Fisher, 1915-1936) for Presidency of Madras; Haines (1921-1925) for Bihar and Orissa: and Kanji et al (1934-1940) for Assam. Duthie’s work was completed by Raizada and associates (Raizada, 1954, Raizada et al. 1961; 1983; Raizada & Jain, 1964, 1966). Later, Raizada (1976) brought together all additions made to Duthie Flora. However, the trends of additions has persisted afterwards and is hoped to continue onwards as well. Revision of old floras has become all the more important because the nomenclature of a large number of species has changed in accordance with International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (1956, 1961, 1966, 1972, 1978 & 1983).
Collection trips were organized in a planned manner so as to cover every locality in all three seasons. Rural and remote areas which were thus far practically unexplored were surveyed more intensively. Frequency of collection trips was twice a week during first year; once a fortnight in third and once a month in the last and forth years. During the field work, observations on the habit and habitat; flower colour; fragrance; fruiting, colour of the bark and blaze in case of trees and shrubs; dominance and sociability of the collected plants were entered into rough field book. In the mean time information regarding medicinal or other uses, if any, were gathered from local inhabitants, vaidyas and haquims. Plants of small size were uprooted carefully and pressed as such. In case of larger plants, care was taken so that specimens should have flowers, fruits, leaves and stems of young and old stages. At least four specimens, for making herbarium sheets, were pressed at spot after tagging; and a tagged bundle of a few plants was taken in a polythene bag for study in laboratory.
Dicotyledons Ranunculaceae Juss., Gen. 231. 1789. Type: Ranunculus L. Ranunculus L., Sp. Pl. 548. 1753. Lectotype: R. auricomus L. R. sceleratus ssp. sceleratus; Tutin in Fl. Eur. 1: 233. 1964. Ranunculus sceleratus L., Sp. Pl. 551. 1753; Fl. Alld. 1: 2. Vernacular Name: Jaidhania., Kandira Description: Annual herbs, erect up to 60-70cm tall. Stem, fistuler simple, glabrescent below, branched and pubescent Leaves 3-5-palmately lobed o partite, lower long-petioled, higher ones panicled. Flowers yellow, Sepals reflexed. Petals oblong. Stamens and carpels numerous. panicled. Achenes with an intramarginal rib. Receptacle pilose. Distribution: North temperate. Habitat: A Common-herb during winter near river and pond banks: in wet places in gardens.
