Ethnobotanical knowledge among the semi-pastoral Gujjar tribe in the high altitude (Adhwari’s) of Churah subdivision, district Chamba, Western Himalaya

Abstract

BackgroundThe wild plants not only form an integral part of the culture and traditions of the Himalayan tribal communities but also contribute largely to the sustenance of these communities. The tribal people use large varieties of wild fruits, vegetables, fodder, medicinal plants, etc. for meeting their day-to-day requirements. The present study was conducted in Churah subdivision of district Chamba where large populations of Muslim Gujjars inhabit various remote villages. These tribal people are semi-pastoralists, and they seasonally (early summers) migrate to the upper altitudes (Adhwari’s) along with their cattle and return to permanent settlements before the onset of winters. A major source of subsistence of these tribal people is on natural resources to a wide extent, and thus, they have wide ethnobotanical knowledge. Therefore, the current study was aimed to report the ethnobotanical knowledge of plants among the Gujjar tribe in Churah subdivision of district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.MethodsExtensive field surveys were conducted in 15 remote villages dominant in Gujjar population from June 2016 to September 2017. The Gujjars of the area having ethnobotanical knowledge of the plants were interrogated especially during their stay at the higher altitudes (Adhwari’s) through well-structured questionnaires, interviews, and group meetings. The data generated was examined using quantitative tools such as use value, fidelity, and informant consensus factor (Fic).ResultsThis study reveals 83 plants belonging to 75 genera and 49 families that were observed to have ethnobotanical uses. Plants were listed in five categories as per their use by the Gujjars, i.e. food plants, fruit plants, fodder plants, household, and ethnomedicinal plants. The leaves, fruits, and roots were the most commonly used plant parts in the various preparations. The highest number of plants was recorded from the family Rosaceae followed by Polygonaceae and Betulaceae. On the basis of use value (UV), the most important plants in the study area were Pteridium aquilinum, Juglans regia, Corylus jacquemontii, Urtica dioica, Diplazium maximum, and Angelica glauca. Maximum plant species (32) were reported for ethnomedicinal uses followed by food plants (22 species), household purposes (16 species), edible fruits (15 species), and as fodder plants (14 species). The agreement of the informants conceded the most from the use of various plants used as food plants and fruit plants (Fic = 0.99), followed by fodder plants and household uses (Fic = 0.98) while it was least for the use of plants in ethnomedicine (Fic = 0.97). The fidelity value varied from 8 to 100% in all the use categories. Phytolacca acinosa (100%), Stellaria media (100%), and Urtica dioica (100%) were among the species with high fidelity level used as food plants, while the important species used as fruit plants in the study area were Berberis lycium (100%), Prunus armeniaca (100%), and Rubus ellipticus (100%). Some important fodder plants with high fidelity values (100%) were Acer caesium...

Richness of non-timber forest products in Himalayan communities—diversity, distribution, use pattern and conservation status

“…As NTFPs-derived cash income is the principal cash earner among the poorer households, NTFPs do not, however, serve as mere gap fillers or just a safety net; they are a cornerstone in household livelihood strategies as has been found elsewhere [ 40 – 42 ]. The role of NTFPs is particularly important in the Himalayan region where a large proportion of the rural population depends on them as a source of wild fruits, vegetables, fodder, medicinal plants, food, fibre, dye, and other useful materials for daily needs and trade [ 37 ].…”

“…Locally available and commercially valuable natural resources have the potential to improve the livelihoods of rural mountain people [ 51 , 52 ]. Such diversity supports to health care and nutrition and can significantly contribute to rural wellbeing through proper planning [ 37 , 53 , 54 ].…”

Ethnobotany as A Science of Preserving Traditional Knowledge: A Case Study of Herbal Uses of Plants in Trans-Himalaya (Ladakh), India

“…Ahmad et al [54] reported the utilization of most of the plant species for medicinal and fodder purposes in Pakistan Himalaya. The highest proportion of plant species were utilized for medicinal purposes followed by fodder in Azad Jammu and Kashmir [55] and Gujjar, Western Himalaya [56]. Due to higher dependence on medicinal plants for treating various ailments and demand by the pharmaceutical industry, the locals especially Amchis, shepherds and herbal drug dealers prefer the medicinal usage of local flora.…”

Phytopharmacology and Clinical Updates of Berberis Species Against Diabetes and Other Metabolic Diseases

“…The water extract obtained by soaking the root bark in water is used for the treatment of diabetes (Ahmed et al, 2004). The whole plant is used to treat diabetes in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, West Himalaya, India (Rana et al, 2019). The Bhotiya tribal community of the Central Himalayan region of India used B. lycium roots with water for the treatment of diabetes (Phondani et al, 2010).…”

“…A decoction prepared from the roots of Berberis plants is one of the common traditional recipes for the treatment of diabetes (Neag et al, 2018). Various studies have reported the traditional uses Berberis plants for the treatment of metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes and hyperlipidemia) in many countries, including India, Pakistan, China, and Iran (Hamayun et al, 2006;Uniyal et al, 2006;Rahimi Madiseh et al, 2014;Rana et al, 2019). Various bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, etc., have been found in Berberis species along with various vitamins and mineral components (Andola et al, 2010;Srivastava et al, 2015;Belwal et al, 2016;Belwal et al, 2017).…”