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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11, NOVEMBER 2019 ISSN 2277-8616 Floristic Diversity And Ethanobotanical Studies On Selected Sacred Groves Of Perambalur District, Tamilnadu G. Rajkumar, S. Ravipaul Abstract: Sacred groves are small patches of forest left untouched by the local inhabitants to be protected by the local village folk deities who play a vital role in the conservation and preservation of species diversity. Field studies on floristic composition and ethno botanical practices of the sacred groves of Kunnamtaluk, Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu were undertaken. A total of 113 plant species belonging to 102 genera distributed among 51 families were recorded. The mode of mythical and therapeutic uses and conservation practices of these plants by the local people has been discussed. A total of 113 plant species belonging to 102 genera distributed among 51 families were recorded. Medicine preparations made from different parts of medicinal plants included whole fresh plant, flower, leaves, bark, fruit, root and tubers were used for treatment of various diseases by the village people The present study as result shows leaves were the most commonly utilized plant part with 30.08 % application in traditional medicinal raw materials, followed by whole plant (18.69%), root(11.38%), stem (1.62%), fruit|(12.19%), Seed(8.13%), flower (8.94%), bark (6.5%), shoot(1.51%) and rhizome (0.81%).These observations indicate that the sacred grove is the traditional way of conserving plants. Keywords: Floristic composition, sacred groves, Ethno medicine, Medicinal plants, Conservation. ———————————————————— 1. INTRODUCTION medicinal, rare, endemic, threatened, timber and fuel wood Biodiversity is the total assortment of life on earth. It consists yielding plants (Sukumaran and Raj 2007; Sukumaran et al., of all genes, species and ecosystems. The totality of revealed 2007). the totality of genus, species and ecosystems in a region (FES, 2010). The biodiversity have now understood greater Sacred groves are significant, not only because they are importance as ecologists try seriously to document global sacred, but values of for reaching importance are contained biodiversity in the face of extraordinary perturbation, habit them. The scientific economical social and spiritual values in loss and extinction rates (Rajendran et al, 2014). Floristic them will have to explicit. The vegetation in uninterrupted inventory and diversity status help us understand the species groves is luxuriant and comprises several stories of trees composition and diversity status of forests (Phillips et al, mixed with shrubs, lianas and herbs. The soil is rich in humus 2003). A study of the flora and forest taxonomic is essential and covered with thick litter (AnishBabu et al., 2014). Sacred to understand and evaluate the richness of their biodiversity groves are the repositories of rare and endemic species and (Sindhu et al, 2012). Furthermore, quantitative accounts help can be observed as the remnant of the primary forest left to identify species that are in different stages of susceptibility unaffected by the local inhabitants and protected them due to (Padalia, et al, 2004) as well as the various factors that the belief that the deities reside in these forests. Many studies influence the presented vegetation in any region have explained sacred groves in different ways. Sacred (Parthasarathy, 1999). In addition in any resources groves are an evident fact that is existed indigenous management programs, continuous updating of data about traditional societies has spiritual relationship. The role of any vegetation, flora and economically related plants of the sacred groves in the conservation of biodiversity has region is an important component of bio-prospecting tools. extended been recognized (Kosambi, 1962; Gadgil and Conservation related to religious and cultural beliefs has been Vartak, 1976; Haridasan and Rao, 1985; Ramanujam, 2000; significant in preserving biodiversity in different regions of Khan et al. 1997; 2008). In this study, the floristic wealth of India. In India, conservation of plants and animals are ThunijampadiSadaiyapparkoil, KadurPadaikathavarkovil and measured as sacred by the indigenous people. They believe KovilpalayamAyyanarkoil, sacred grove from Perambalur that trees represent God (Ganesan, et al., 2009). Flora district of Tamil Nadu state was reported here in order to protection and conservation communities have been many prepare the conservation and management plan for the traditional conservation practises. One such tradition is biodiversity protection in India. The objectives of the study is named as sacred groves. Cultural tradition and religious to raise awareness on the ecological and socio-economic precept of scared groves of forests is dedicated region to significance of these groves to humankind, cultural events local spirit or deity and protected (Gadgil and Vartak, 1975, and religious practices associated with each of the groves 1976). All over the world including India have been identified would be organized with the participation of the communities Tamil in Sacred groves, also known as ―KovilKadugal‖, they concerned. Conservation linked to religious and cultural are rich in biodiversity (Sukumaran, 2002; Anbarasan and beliefs has been important in preserving biodiversity in Padmavathy, 2010). They are collected of several floras with different regions of India. The fact that many of the species ———————————————— conserved are vital for the ecosystem functioning in the area G. Rajkumar, Research Scholar, P.G and Research Department of changes the role of these groves from being purely religious Botany, Government Arts College (Affiliated to Bharathidasan spaces, to those which also have a larger ‗ecological‘ role to Univeristy) , Ariyalur -621713,Tamilnadu, India,, PH-09994656609. fulfill. E-mail: [email protected] S. Ravipaul , Assistant Professor, P.G and Research Department of Botany, Government Arts College,Ariyalur -621713, Tamilnadu, India 3067 IJSTR©2019 www.ijstr.org INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11, NOVEMBER 2019 ISSN 2277-8616 2.MATERIALS AND METHODS district. Its geographical limit is 11 o14‘00. 59‘ N Latitude, 0 Description of the study area ThunijampadiSadaiyapparkoil, 78 52‘59.85‘E Longitude, with elevation ranging 133.3 M KadurPadaikathavarkovil and KovilpalayamAyyanarkoil altitude above mean sea level. The temperature ranges from o o located at KunnamTaluk, Perambalur district TamilNadu 31-38 C during summer and 25-32 C during winter. The (Figure1). The district boundaries of Perambalur are east average humidity ranged from 32 to 34% during November to Ariyalur district, west Tiruchirappalli and Salem districts, North December. Annual rainfall is ranging from 800 to 861 mm. Cuddalore and Salem South Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur . Figure 1 Map showing Perambalur district, Tamilnadu, India The floristic vegetation of the sacred groves stand as tropical Menispermaceae, Oleaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae, dry every green forest with local variations. It comprises of Rhamnaceae represented by 2species Alangiaceae, trees, shrubs, climbers and herbs were also recorded. In all Anacardiaceae, Cyperaceae, Commelinaceae, the three areas plant species were collected, identified and Casuarinaceae, Cannaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Cactaceae, systematic enumeration was made with the available Logoniaceae, Myrtaceae, Molluginaceae, Moringaceae, monographs relevant literatures and taxonomic revisions Meliaceae, Oxalidaceae, Papavaraceae, Portulaceae, (Gamble et al 1915, Mathew 1982).Their specific medicinal Passifloraceae, Scrophulariaceae, Sapindaceae, Sapotaceae, values were verified with the knowledge of local people who Zygophylaceae, Vitaceae, Cucurbitaceae and are well versed with the uses of these plants and also after Arstolociaceae represented by 1 species (Figure 1). confirming the details available in the recent studies Maximum numbers (101 sps) were recorded in the (Srivastava and Chouksey 1999; Goelet al., 1999; Thuninjapadisadaiyapparkoil grove followed by Ramakrishnan and Ganesan, 2001). Kadurpadaikathavarkoil grove (90sps), Kovilpalayamayyanarkoil grove (85sps). Albiziaamara, 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION AlangiumsalvifoliumCynodondactylon were common in The present study has been carried out on the plants species 3groves Cardiospermumhelicacabum, Aeglemarmelos, that are found in 3 Sacred groves namely Syzygiumcummi, Tamarindusindica, Zizipusjujuba, ThunijampadiSadaiyapparkoil, KadurPadaikathavarkoil and, Azadirachtaindica, Cassia auriculata, were recorded common KovilpalayamAyyanarkoil of Kunnamtaluk, Perambalur district in 2 groves, based on the utilization 81 species recorded were Tamil Nadu. A total of 113 plant species belonging to 102 used for medical purposes. Tamarindusindica(puli), genera distributed among 51 families were recorded (Table Syzygiumcuminii (naval) and Madhucalongifolia(Iluppai), 1). Based on the habit classification of the 113 plants, believed as the abode of the ghost. Azadirachtaindica maximum numbers of species were herbs (54sp), followed by (vaembu) and Aloe vera (Sothukatthalai) are used for warding trees (29sp), shrub (17sp), climbers (13sp). Among the off of the evil spirit, Gloriosasuperba (Kalappaikizhangu) were families, Acanthaceae and Euphorbiaceae was most considered poisonous. Phytodiversity of the present studied dominant comprising 6 genera and 7species and 5genera sacred groves from various