Ethnobotany of Rewalsar Himalaya

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The present study. 3. Ethnobotanical uses of plants. 4. Discussion and conclusion. Captions for plates. Plates. 5. Literature cited. 6. Index to local names. 7. Index to uses. 8. Index to families.

"This invaluable compendium opens our eyes to the wealth of scientific information on the utilization of 262 plant species [Medicinal - 236; vegetable - 25; wild edible fruits - 24; fodder - 18; magico-religious beliefs and offerings - 16; fibre (cordage, basketry, stuffing) - 5; aromatic - 2; dye - 1; fire making - 1] by the indigenous people inhabiting all the villages under Rewalsar  block, a mythologically important wonderland of North-West Himalaya which falls on the confluence of 'Sikandra Dhar' and 'Barkot' ranges and abounds in beautiful sacred lakes. To gain an overview of this region, detailed information on various aspects of the land, people and its rich cultural heritage is also provided. The contents and style of the text are lucid, cogent and highly stimulating. To facilitate identity and comprehension by the readers, the text is abundantly illustrated with 322 photographs. It is, therefore, hoped that this book would serve as a valuable resource to students and scholars of ethnobotany, policy-makers, conservation organizations and pharmacology, and a must for scientific and university libraries." (jacket)