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A number of indigenous communities reside in the Himalayan belt of Baramulla, where the lack of modern health care facilities represents crucial problems to their survival. Therefore, the current study was aimed at documenting traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the region. Ethnomedicinal data was collected during 2018-2020. Fifty-one informants were interviewed in seventeen villages via questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Data was also analyzed by various ethnobotanical indices. A total of 85 plant species distributed in 40 families was documented. Asteraceae was reported to be the dominant plant family and leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part. Musculoskeletal disorder scored the highest informant consensus factor (ICF) value (0.87). Colchicum luteum (0.61) and Verbascum thapsus (0.59) had the highest use value (UV) and Viola odorata and Ajuga integrifolia had the highest fidelity value (FL) (100%). Of the documented species, the use in this area of about 18 plants (21%) is reported here for the first time.. Medicinal plants still play an important role in the health care sector in the region and the folk knowledge attached to them is remarkable, although declining among the younger generations. Medicinal plants reported for the first time need to be studied pharmacologically.

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Background: Plants are being used since the time immemorial to alleviate sufferings and ailments. Herbal medicine forms an essential part of the traditional primary medical system of Kashmir Himalaya. Present study attempts to report the essential ethnomedicinal plant species used against various ailments by Gujjar and Bakerwal community of Gulmarg Mountainous region of district Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir.Methods: Extensive surveys were conducted in the study area in different seasons during March 2019 to July 2020 for the collection of medicinally important plants and the traditional knowledge associated with them. Ethnomedicinal data was obtained through group discussions, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and field observations. During the study a total of 54 informants (36 males and 18 females) were interviewed aged between 29-78 years. The interviews were carried out in local dialect and all the documented data was then translated into English.Results: A total of 60 plant species belonging to 56 genera and 35 different families were reported to be used by Gujjar and Bakerwal community in order to treat various ailments. Asteraceae was recorded to be the dominant plant family in the area and leaves were the most commonly utilized plant part with decoction as the major mode of herbal recipe preparation. The highest ICF value of 0.83 was reported for dermatological disorders. Present study reported two plant species Taraxacum officinale and Viola odorata with a FL of 100% and Achillea millefolium, Chenopodium album, Phytollaca acinosa, Ajuga bracteosa, Cannabis sativa, Senecio chrysanthemoides were reported to be the most important medicinal plants according to their use value.

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