Ethnobotany and Plants of Trans-Himalaya

Contents: Foreword/W. Selvamurthy. Introduction. Preface. 1. Physiography. 2. High altitude vegetation. 3. Plant survival in high altitudes. 4. Ethnobotany and trans Himalayan plants. 5. Ethnobotanical exploration. 6. Medicinal plants. 7. Aromatic plants. 8. Edible wild plants. 9. Fodder plants. 10. Ornamental plants. 11. Magico-religious plants. 12. Fuel plants. 13. Forestry. 14. Endangered plant species. 15. Conservation and sustainable utilization. 16. Propagation and cultivation. Bibliography. Index to botanical names and families. Index to other names.

"Indian cold deserts come under the trans Himalayan zone of Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) and Lahaul-spiti (Himachal Pradesh) which are rich in Ethnobotanical wealth and known for their characteristic environment. This book includes 704 plant species belonging to 298 genera and 63 families of Ethnobotanical importance have been described along with their brief botany, families, habit, habitat and Ethnobotanical utility under different chapters. In addition, all the listed plant species have been summarized in tabular form. The book also include 438 photographs related to physiography, vegetation and different plant species of Ethnobotanical importance, taken by the authors during the botanical exploration.

The present compilation will be extremely useful to researchers and scientists associated with ethnobotany, traditional medical systems, natural products, horticulture, environment and allied fields of plant sciences for scientific based sustainable and commercial utilization for the benefit of society in general and defence forces deployed in these sector in particular." (jacket)