Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in the Dakshin Dinajpur District

Hariswami Das; Usha Chakraborty

doi:10.37591/rrjob.v8i3.2413

Abstract

AbstractAn ethnobotanical study was undertaken to collect information from the locals on the use of medicinal plants in Dakshin Dinajpur district of North Bengal during June 2009 to October 2010. The data were collected through repeated interactions and semi-structured interviews based on a standardised questionnaire with the help of elderly people especially. They inherited the knowledge of their practices from their fore parents, relatives or friends. The investigation revealed the medicinal plants of 107 species of 96 genera belonging to 48 families. The investigated plants were mostly used to cure diseases such as diabetes, dysentery, stomach/liver diseases, cold–cough, rheumatism, skin diseases, urinary tract infection etc. Highest number of medicinal plants was found in the Leguminaceae family followed by Acanthaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae. The high number of medicinal plants recorded perhaps indicated the rich plant diversity of the study area.Keywords: Ethnobotanical, medicinal plants, semi-structured, tribalCite this ArticleHariswami Das, Usha Chakraborty. Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in the Dakshin Dinajpur District. Research & Reviews: Journal of Botany. 2019; 8(3): 18–24p.