Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S439

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Document heading Genetic resources, current ecological status and altitude wise distribution of medicinal diversity of Himalaya of , Rajendra Yonzone1*, R. B. Bhujel1, Samuel Rai2 1 and Ethnobiology Research Laboratory, Cluny Women’s College, P.O. , District Darjeeling, W.B., India 734301 2 Darjeeling Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, P.O. Kalimpong, District Darjeeling, W. B., India 734301

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history: Objective: To find out the genetic resources, current ecological status and altitude wise 3 2012 Methods: Received February distribution of medicinal plants diversity of Darjeeling Himalaya of West Bengal, India. 11 2012 Received in revised form February The intensive field survey was conducted in the entire regions and necessary information were A 15 A 2012 Results: ccepted pril collected from the local inhabitants and literatures. The present study revealed 218 A 28 A 2012 vailable online pril medicinal plants species from 97 families with 195 genera distributed throughout the different altitudinal ranges of entire Darjeeling Himalaya. Of these, 6 species were from 3 500-45 00 Keywords: m altitude, 22 from 1 800-3 500 m, 69 from 1 000-1 800 m and 121 from Conclusions: 130-1 000 m in the study 24 Darjeeling Himalaya area. There were cultivated medicinal plants and the rest were wild. It is unique Medicinal plants diversity for rich, wide genetic diversity resources and distribution of medicinal plants in distinct climatic Current status zones. However, the status of these some plant species are vulnerable, threatened, rare and Atitude wise distribution critically endangered.

1. Introduction add richness to the medicinal plants wealth of the region[3]. It harvours one of the richest biodiversity in the world[4]. Darjeeling is the northernmost district of West Benvizgal. In the present investigation, genetic resources, current The district is subdivided into four Sub-Divisions ., ecological status, diversity and altitude wise distribution D K K S (F D H W arjeeling sadar; alimpong, O ur’seong aOnd ’ iliguri igure of medicinal plant species of arjeeling imalaya of est 1) T 26 31 27 31 B I . he region liOes ’betweenO ’ and north latitude engal, ndia has been studied. and between 87 59 and 88 53 east longitude in the Eastern [1] Himalayan region of India . It is bordered by in 2. Materials and methods the north, and in the south, in the east and Nepal in the west. The district has two topographical features. Darjeeling, and Kalimpong form the The intensive field survey was conducted in the entire hill areas whereas is stationed at the foothill in Darjeeling hills including the forests. The authors visited a vast stretch of the plains. The shape of the district is Singhalila National Park, Darjeeling and Neora Valley triangular. The total area of the triangular shaped district National Park in Kalimpong and remote far flung areas is 3 254.7 sq. km. which is 3.68 percent of the total areas covering all the altitudinal ranges as low as Siliguri to of West Bengal state. The hilly region covers 2 320 sq. km. the as high as -Phalut of entire Darjeeling and the remaining 934.7sq.km of the area falls in the Terai hills of West Bengal, India. All the medicinal plants and and plains. The altitudinal variations of the district range their necessary information were collected from the local from 150 m at Siliguri to 3 636 m at Sandakphu-Phalut with herbal practisioners known as Jhakri or Dhami, Bonbo, a sharp physiographic contrast between the plain and the Baidhya, Mangpa, Phedangma, Lama, Mata, Bhagawati, mountainous regions[2]. Bijuwa, Bungthing, herbal practitioners, senior men and Darjeeling Himalaya enjoys the dignity of being blessed women of different villages of study area. The necessary with ideal climatic and edaphic factors which favour and information from the website, scientific papers, articles, booklets and books have been utilized. The collected plant

C R Y R S T specimens were processed, described, properly identified * orresponding author: ajendra onzone,’ search cholar, axonomy and Ethnobiology Research Laboratory, Cluny Women s College, P.O. Kalimpong, District and authenticated with the help of Flora of British India Darjeeling, W.B., India - 734301. (Hooker, 1872-1897)[5]: medicinal plants (Jain SK, 1968)[6]; E-mail: [email protected] and from the Herbarium of Department of Botany, North Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S440 Bengal University, Siliguri; Central National Herbarium, sub-temperate zone, there were 22 plant species. Out of Indian Botanical Garden, Sibpur, and finally these 1 was climber, 13 were herbs, 4 were shrubs and the deposited in the Herbaria of Taxono’ my and Ethnobiology rest 4 were trees and in case of ecological status 7 were Research Laboratory, Cluny Women s College, Kalimpong. endangered, 5 were rare, 8 were sparse, 3 were frequent, 1 In the present investigation t’he study of ecological status was vulnerable and 1 threatened (Table 2). In sub-tropical was conducted by Raunukiaer s ecological statitistics, given zone, there were 69 plant species, out of these 36 were by Raunukiaer, (1934)[7] . It was laid out in each of the major herbs, 14 were shrubs, 10 were trees and the rest 9 were plots, and the species habitat rich plots of 5 m暳5 m were climbers and in ecological status 2 were endangered, 6 were laid out diagonally for regeneration status of frequency. rare, 1 vulnerable, 30 were sparse, 15 were frequent, 5 were Quantification of studies have been carried out to find out abundant and 6 were planted or cultivated in the region the current status of these species from [8]. (Table 3) and in tropical zone there were 121 plant species. All the plant specimens are arranged systematically as per Out of these, 40 were herbs, 26 were shrubs, 39 were trees their altitude wise distribution in the area with botanical and the rest 16 were climbers and in case of ecological names, habitat, family and ecological status. status, 3 were endangered, 7 were rare, 2 were threatened, 54 were sparse, 14 were frequent, 16 were common, 15 3. Results were planted and 4 were abundant (Table 4). It was found that Orchidaceae was the largest family with 10 species, followed by Zingiberaceae 8, Rubiaceae 8, 6, There were 218 medicinal plant species and 97 families Euphorbiaceae 6, Urticaceae 6, Asteraceae 6, Rutaceae 6, with 195 genera including 54 trees, 44 shrubs, 94 herbs and Polygonaceae 5 and Araliaceae 4 which is shown in Figure 3. 26 climbers widely distributed with four different classified Monocots are dominant over dicots in distribution and altitudinal ranges of the district[9](Figure 2). The altitude occurrence. Of these, 6 plants from 3 500 to 4 500 m wise distribution of plant species in sub-alpine zone were altitudinal range, 22 plants from 1 800 to 3 500 m, 69 plants 6. Out of these 1 was tree and the rest 5 were herbs and in from 1 000 to 1800 m and 122 from 130-1000 m. Above data case of ecological status 4 were endangered, 1 was critically clearly signify that lower the altitude higher the medicinal endangered and 1 was frequent (Table 1). In temperate and plants distribution in study area.

Table 1. Medicinal plants of sub-alpine zone (3 500-4 500 m). Sl. No. Botanical name Habit Family Status Abies densa 1 Grief. ex Parker. Tree Pinaceae Frequent Aconitum bisma 2 (Buch-Ham.) Rapaics. Herb Ranunculaceae Endangered Aconitum spicatum 3 (Bruhl.) Stapf. Herb Ranunculaceae Endangered Dactylorhiza hatagirea 4 (D. Don) Soo. Herb Orchidaceae Critically Endangered Nardostachys jatamansi 5 DC. Herb Valerianaceae Endangered Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora 6 (Pennel) D.Y. Hong. Herb Scrophulariaceae Endangered Table 2. Medicinal plants of temperate and sub-temperate zone (1 800-3 500 m). Sl. No. Botanical name Habit Family Status Daphne bholua 1 D. Don. Shrub Thymelaeaceae Frequent Dicentra scandens 2 (D. Don) Walpers. Climber Fumariaceae Rare Fragaria nubicola 3 (Hook. f.) Lacaita. Herb Rosaceae Sparse Heracleum nepalense 4 D. Don. Herb Apiaceae Sparse Heracleum wallichii 5 DC. Herb Apiaceae Frequent Iris clarkei 6 Baker ex Hook. f. Herb Iridaceae Sparse Mahonia napaulensis 7 DC. Shrub Berberidaceae Sparse Panax pseudoginseng angustifolius 8 Wall. var. (Burkill) Li Herb Araliaceae Endangered Panax pseudoginseng bipinnatifidus 9 Wall. var. (Seemab) Li Herb Araliaceae Endangered Paris polyphylla 10 Smith. Herb Trilliaceae Sparse Pentapanax fragrans 11 (D. Don) Ha Tree Araliaceae Rare Persea fructifera 12 Kostermans. Tree Lauraceae Sparse Podophyllum sikkimense 13 Chatterjee & Mukherjee. Herb Podophyllaceae Endangered Rosa sericea 14 Lindl. Shrub Rosaceae Vulnerable Rheum acuminatum 15 Hook. f. Herb Polygonaceae Sparse Rhododendron arboretum 16 Smith. Tree Ericaceae Frequent Satyrium nepalense 17 D. Don. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Swertia bimaculata 18 (Sieb. & Zucc.) Hook. f. & Thoms ex Clarke. Herb Gentianaceae Threatened Swertia chirayita 19 (Roxb. ex Fleming) Karsten. Herb Gentianaceae Endangered Taxus baccata 20 L. sub.sp. wallichiana Zucc. Tree Taxaceae Endangered Valeriana hardwickii 21 Wall. Herb Valerianaceae Rare Zanthoxylum acanthopodium 22 DC. Shrub Rutaceae Rare Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S441 Table 3. Medicinal plants of sub-tropical zone (1 000-1 800 m). Sl. No. Botanical name Habit Family Status Acmella calva 1 (D.C.) Jansen. Herb Asteraceae Frequent Acorus calamus 2 L. Herb Araceae Sparse Ageratina adenophora 3 (Spreng.)King & Robinson. Herb Asteraceae Abundant Ageratum conyzoides 4 L. Herb Asteraceae Abundant scholaris 5 (L.) R. Brown. Tree Apocynaceae Frequent Amaranthus spinosus 6 L. Herb Amaranthaceae Frequent Amomum subulatum 7 Roxb. Herb Zingiberaceae Planted Anthogonium gracile 8 Wall ex Lindl. Herb Orchidaceae Common Ardisia macrocarpa 9 Wall in Roxb. Shrub Myrsinaceae Frequent Artemisia dubia 10 Wall. ex Besser. Herb Asteraceae Frequent Astilbe rivularis 11 D. Don. Herb Saxifragaceae Sparse Begonia cathcartii 12 Hook. f. D. Don. Herb Begoniaceae Rare Belamcanda chinensis 13 (L.) DC. Herb Iridaceae Sparse Bergenia ciliata 14 (Haworth) Sternberg. Herb Saxifragaceae Planted Betula alnoides 15 D. Don. Tree Betulaceae Sparse Callicarpa vestita 16 Wall. ex Clarke. Tree Verbenaceae Sparse Cinchona succirubra 17 Pavon ex Klotz. Tree Rubiaceae Planted Clematis buchananiana 18 DC. Climber Ranunculaceae Vulnerable Coelogyne ovalis 19 Lindl. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Costus speciosus 20 Koen. ex Retz. Smith. Herb Zingiberaceae Sparse Curcuma zedoaria 21 (Berg.) Rosc. Herb Zingiberaceae Rare Datura suaveolens 22 Humb & Bonpl. ex Willd. Shrub Solanaceae Sparse Dendrophthoe falcata 23 (L. f.) Etting. Shrub Loranthaceae Sparse Didymocarpus aromaticus 24 Wall. ex D. Don. Herb Gesneriaceae Sparse Digitalis purpurea 25 L. Herb Scrophularaceae Planted Dioscorea bulbifera 26 L. Climber Dioscoreaceae Sparse Dioscorea pentaphylla 27 L. Climber Dioscoreaceae Sparse Drymaria cordata 28 Willd. Herb Caryophyllaceae Abundant Edgeworthia gardneri 29 (Wall.) Meisner. Shrub Thymelaeaceae Sparse Fagopyrum dibotrys 30 (D. Don) Hara. Herb Polygonaceae Sparse Fraxinus floribunda 31 Wall. Tree Oleaceae Sparse Hedychium coronarium 32 Koen. Herb Zingiberaceae Rare Holarrhena pubescens 33 Wall ex G. Don. Tree Apocynaceae Sparse Houttyunia cordata 34 Thumb. Herb Saururaceae Frequent Hypericum uralum 35 Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don. Shrub Hypericaceae Sparse Juglans region 36 L. Tree Juglandaceae Frequent Kaempferia rotunda 37 L. Herb Zingiberaceae Rare Laportea terminalis 38 Wight. Shrub Urticaceae Frequent Litsea cubeba 39 (Lour.) Persoon. Tree Lauraceae Rare Pratia nummularia 40 (Lamk) A. Br. Herb Campanulaceae Frequent Lygodium alatum 41 (Clarke) V.A.V.R. Climber Lygodioceae Sparse Lycopodium japonicum 42 Thumb. Herb Solanaceae Abundant Lyonia ovalifolia 43 (Wall.) Drude. Tree Ericaceae Frequent Menthe arvensis 44 L. Herb Lamiaceae Sparse Mussaenda treutleri 45 Stapf. Shrub Rubiaceae Frequent Nasturtium officinale 46 R. Brown. Herb Brassicaceae Sparse Nephrolepis cordifolia 47 (L.) Presl. Herb Nephrolepidaceae Abundant Phytolacca acinosa 48 Roxb. Herb Polygonaceae Sparse Piper nigrum 49 L. Climber Piperaceae Planted Plantago erosa 50 Wall. Herb Plantaginaceae Frequent Plumbago zeylanica 51 L. Shrub Plumbaginaceae Rare Pouzolzia hirta (Blume) 52 Hassk. Herb Urticaceae Frequent Pouzolzia sanguinea nepalensis 53 (Blume) Merrill. var. (Wedd.) Hara. Shrub Urticaceae Frequent Rubia manjith 54 Roxb. ex Fleming. Climber Rubiaceae Sparse Rubia sikkimensis 55 Kurtz. Climber Rubiaceae Sparse Rubus ellipticus 56 Smith. Shrub Rosaceae Sparse Rumex nepalensis 57 Sprengel. Herb Polygonaceae Sparse Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S442 Table 3, continued

Sl. No. Botanical name Habit Family Status Streptolirion volubile 58 Edgew. Herb Commelinaceae Sparse Tetradium fraxinifolium 59 (Hook.) T.G. Hartley. Tree Rutaceae Sparse Tricosanthes lepiniana 60 (Naudin) Cogniaux. Climber Cucurbitaceae Common Tricosanthes wallichiana 61 (Seringe) Wight. Climber Cucurbitaceae Sparse Tupistra nutans 62 Wall. ex Lindl. Herb Liliaceae Sparse Urtica ardens 63 L. Shrub Urticaceae Frequent Urtica dioica 64 L. Shrub Urticaceae Frequent Urtica parviflora 65 Roxb. Herb Urticaceae Sparse Viscum album 66 L. Shrub Loranthaceae Endangered Viscum liquidambaricolum 67 Hayata. Shrub Loranthaceae Endangered Zingiber officinale 68 Rosc. Herb Zingiberaceae Planted Zingiber rubens 69 Roxb. Herb Zingiberaceae Planted Table 4 Medicinal plants of tropical zone (130-1 000 m). Sl. Botanical name Habit Family Status No. Abroma augusta 1 (L.) L. f. Shrub Sterculiaceae Sparse Acacia catechu 2 (L. f.) Willd. Tree Mimosoideae Sparse Acampe papillosa 3 (Lindl.) Lindl. Herb Orchidaceae Common Achyranthes aspera 4 L. Herb Amarantaceae Sparse Adiantum lunulatum 5 Burm. Herb Adiantaceae Sparse Aegle marmelos 6 (L.) Correa. Tree Rutaceae Planted Aerides odorata 7 Loureiro. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Aerva javanica 8 Juss. ex Schult. Herb Amaranthaceae Frequent Aloe barbadensis 9 Miller. Climber Liliaceae Planted Ampelocissus barbata 10 (Wall.) Planchon. Climber Vitaceae Frequent Andrographis paniculata 11 (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Ness. Herb Acanthaceae Sparse Anthocephalus cadamba 12 (Roxb.) Miquel. Tree Rubiaceae Sparse 13 Retzium. Shrub Euphorbiaceae Sparse Artocarpus heterophyllus 14 Lamarck. Tree Moraceae Planted Artocarpus lacucha 15 Buch-Ham. Tree Moraceae Sparse Asparagus officinalis 16 L. Climber Asperagaceae Planted Asparagus racemosus 17 Wild. Climber Asperagaceae Planted Azadirachta indica 18 Juss. Tree Meliaceae Planted Bauhinia purpurea 19 L. Tree Caesalpinoideae Sparse Bauhinia variegata 20 L. Tree Caesalpinoideae Sparse Bischofia javanica 21 Blume. Tree Bischofiaceae Sparse Bombax ceiba 22 L. Tree Bombaceae Sparse Bryonopsis laciniosa 23 (L.) Naud. Climber Cucurbitaceae Sparse Buddleja asiatica . 24 Loureiro Climber Buddlejaceae Sparse Butea parviflora 25 Roxb. Climber Papillionoideae Frequent Calotropis gigantea 26 (L.) Dryander. Shrub Asclepiadaceae Sparse Cannabis sativa 27 L. Shrub Cannabiaceae Sparse Cassia fistula 28 L. Tree Caesalpinoideae Planted Catharanthus roseus 29 (L.) G. Don. Herb Apocynaceae Planted Cayratia trifolia 30 (L.) Domin. Climber Vitaceae Sparse Centella asiatica 31 (L) Urban. Herb Apiaceae Common Cephalis ipecacuanha 32 (Brot.) A. Rich. Shrub Rubiaceae Planted Chromolaena odorata 33 King & Robinson. Shrub Asteraceae Common Cinnamomum tamala 34 (Hamilton) Nees at Ebermaier. Tree Lauraceae Sparse Cissampelos pareira 35 L. Climber Menispermaceae Sparse Clerodendrum serratum 36 (L.) Moon. Shrub Verbenaceae Frequent Colebrookea oppositifolia 37 Smith. Shrub Lamiaceae Sparse Curcuma aromatica 38 Salisbury. Herb Zingiberaceae Planted Curcuma longa 39 L. Herb Zingiberaceae Sparse Cuscuta reflexa 40 Roxb. Tree Cuscutaceae Sparse Cymbidium aloifolium 41 (L.) Sw. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Cymbopogon citratus 42 Stapf. Herb Poaceae Planted Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S443 Table 4, continued

Sl. Botanical name Habit Family Status No. Cynodon doctylon 43 (L.) Pers. Herb Poaceae Abundant Dicliptera bupleuroides 44 Nees. Herb Acanthaceae Sparse Dolichos biflorus 45 L. Herb Fabaceae Planted Dalbergia sissoo 46 Roxb. Tree Kabraceae Common Dendrobium nobile 47 Lindl. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Elaeocarpus sphaericus 48 (Gaertn.) Schumann. Tree Elaeocarpaceae Rare Elsholtzia blanda 49 (Benth) Benth. Herb Lamiaceae Sparse Entada rheedii Sinohimalensis 50 Sprengel. sub.spp. (Grierson & Long) Panigrahi L. Climber Mimosoideae Sparse Equisetum debile 51 L. Herb Equisetaceae Frequent Euphorbia hirta 52 L. Herb Euphorbiaceae Common Fagopyrum esculentum 53 Moench. Herb Polygonaceae Sparse Ficus semicordata 54 Smith. Tree Moraceae Sparse Garcinia cowa 55 Roxb. ex DC. Tree Clusiaceae Sparse Geodorum densiflorum 56 (Lam.) Schltr. Herb Orchidaceae Rare Gloriosa superba 57 L. Herb Liliaceae Planted Gmelina arborea 58 Roxb. Tree Verbenaceae Frequent Gynocardia odorata 59 R. Brown. Tree Flacourtiaceae Rare Hedyotis scandens 60 Roxb. Climber Rubiaceae Sparse Holarrhena pubescens 61 (Buch-Ham.) Wall. ex G. Don. Tree Apocynaceae Frequent Imperata cylindrica 62 (L.) Reauschel. Herb Poaceae Abundant Jatropha curcas . 63 L Shrub Euphorbiaceae Sparse Justicia adhatoda 64 L. Shrub Acanthaceae Sparse Lagerstroemia hirsuta 65 (Lamarck) Willd. Tree Lythraceae Sparse Mallotus philippensis 66 (Lamk.) Mueller. Tree Euphorbiaceae Sparse Melastoma malabathricum 67 L. Shrub Melastomataceae Frequent Mimosa himalayana 68 Gamble. Shrub Mimosoideae Sparse Mimosa pudica 69 L. Shrub Mimosaceae Frequent Mirabilis jalapa 70 L. Herb Nactaginaceae Sparse Momordica dioica 71 Roxb. Climber Cucurbitaceae Common Moringa oleifera 72 Lamarck. Tree Moringaceae Common Morus australis 73 Poiret. Tree Moraceae Frequent Mucuna nigricans 74 (Lour.) Steudel. Climber Papilionoideae Sparse Murraya paniculata 75 (L.) Jack. Tree Rutaceae Sparse Nerium odorum 76 L. Shrub Apocynaceae Sparse Ocimum basilicum 77 L. Herb Lamiaceae Planted Ocimum tenuiflorum 78 L. Herb Lamiaceae Planted Osbeckia stellata 79 Ker-Gawler.var. stellata Shrub Melastomataceae Sparse Oroxylum indicum 80 (L.) Kurz. Tree Bignoniaceae Frequent Oxalis corniculata 81 L. Herb Geraniaceae Frequent Paederia foetida 82 L. Shrub Rubiaceae Sparse Phaius tankervilleae 83 (Bank ex I-Herit.) Blume. Herb Orchidaceae Common Pholidota imbricata 84 Hook Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis 85 (Roxb. ex Hardwick) D.J. Mabberley. Shrub Acanthaceae Sparse Phyllanthus emblica 86 L. Tree Euphorbiaceae Sparse Phyllanthus fraternus 87 Webster. Herb Euphorbiaceae Common Physalis divaricata 88 L. Shrub Solanaceae Sparse Piper longum 89 L. Shrub Piperaceae Common Prunus cerasoides 90 D. Don. Tree Rosaceae Sparse Psidium guajava 91 L. Tree Myrtaceae Common Pupalia atropurpurea 92 Moq. Herb Amarantaceae Sparse Rauvolfia serpentina 93 Bentham ex Kurz. Shrub Apocynaceae Endangered Rhus chinensis 94 Miller. Tree Anacardiaceae Rare Rhynchostylis retusa 95 (L.) Blume. Herb Orchidaceae Sparse Schima wallichii 96 (DC) Kortals. Tree Theaceae Abundant Scoparia dulcis . 97 L Herb Scrophulariaceae Common Semecarpus anacardium 98 L.f. Tree Anacardiaceae Sparse Sida acuta 99 Burm. f. Shrub Malvaceae Common Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S444 Table 4, continued

Sl. Botanical name Habit Family Status No. Sigesbeckia oriantalis 100 L. Herb Asteraceae Common Smilax aspericaulis 101 Wall. Climber Smilaceae Sparse Solanum nigrum 102 L. Herb Solanaceae Abundant Solanum torvum 103 Swartz. Shrub Solanaceae Common Sonchus oleraceus 104 L. Herb Asteraceae Common Sorea robusta 105 Gaertner f. Tree Dipterocarpaceae Sparse Spermadictyon suaveolens 106 Roxb. Shrub Rubiaceae Rare Spondias pinnata 107 (L. f.) Kurz. Tree Anacardiceae Sparse Stephania glabra 108 (Roxb.) Miers. Climber Menispermaceae Endangered Tamarindus indica 109 L. Tree Caesalpinoideae Sparse Terminalia bellirica 110 (Gaertner) Roxb. Tree Combretaceae Rare Terminalia chebula 111 Retzius. Tree Combretaceae Rare Tetradium fraxinifolium 112 (Hook.) T.G. Hartley. Tree Rutaceae Sparse Thysanolaena latifolia 113 (Roxb. ex Hornem) Honda. Shrub Poaceae Planted Tinospora cordifolia 114 (Willd.) Hook. f. & Thoms. Climber Menispermaceae Endangered Tridax procumbens 115 L. Herb Asteraceae Sparse Urena lobata 116 L. Herb Malvaceae Sparse Vernonia saligna 117 DC. Shrub Asteraceae Frequent Vitex negundo 118 L. Tree Verbenaceae Frequent Woodfordia fruticosa 119 (L.) Kurz. Shrub Lythraceae Sparse Youngia japonica 120 (L.) DC. Herb Asteraceae Sparse Zingiber officinale 121 Rocs. Herb Zingiberaceae Planted

The threat status of ’all the plant species have been analyzed by Raunukiaer s ecological statistics of frequency and IUCN. Accordingly, 16 plants species were facing 10 1 17 33 endangered, critically endangered, are rare, are 8 98 2 1 9 frequent, are sparse, vulnerable, threatened, are 6 abundant, 24 were planted and 18 were common in the study areas (Table 1-4 and Figure 4 ). 4 2

0 e a ae ae e ce e e ea e ae e e a ac ac c ea e ae ea a e id bi r a c ac e c e a e e h u be an ia r ac ta ac ce ea a ae e rc R gi y rb te ic u i a c ce e ea ae ae O n oc o As rt R m an na a c c e e Zi p h U La l o n na ia ac ac A up So g la o al o n E ly So yg r P e Po ol A rb P Ve Figure 3. Genus with family wise distribution of plants.

120

100

80 Figure 1. Location of Darjeeling district (study area) of West Bengal, 60 India. 40

20

0 En Cr En T V R F S A P C 100 Figure 4. 94 E 54 cological status of plant species. ( 44 En=Endangered, Cr En=Critically endangered, R=Rare, =Vulnerable, 0 F=Frequent, S=Sparse, T=Threatened, A=Abundant, P=Planted and 2G C=Common). Trees Shrubs Herbs 4. Discussion Climbers

A Figure 2. ll these medicinal plants were still being used by various Distribution types of medicinal plants throughout the ethnic communities of Darjeeling hills of West Bengal for district. various ailments and diseases[10]. Distribution of these plants directly influence by the altitudinal ranges and Rajendra Yonzone et al ./Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine (2012)S439-S445 S445 climatic influences. Depending upon the various changes [1] B hujel RB. Studies on the dicotyledonous flora of Darjeeling in altitudinal ranges, from 130-3 636 m, the temperature district. Ph. D. Thesis, Raja Rammohanpur, Darjeeling: University of ; 1996. also changes in great extremities from warmer to colder. Common medicinal plants of Darjeeling [2] B iswas KP, Chopra RN. The study area falling from plain of Siliguri 150 m to high and Sikkim Himalayas . Alipur, Calcutta; 1956. hills of Sandakphu 3 636 m and vegetation of low altitude The treatise on Indian medicinal [3] C hatterjee A, Pakrashi SC. is quite different than the high altitude. The climate varies plants from one part of the district to another corresponding to the . New Delhi: National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR; 1991-2001. altitudes, topography and physiographic features of different Glossary of Indian medicinal [4] C hopra RN, Nagar SL, Chopra IC. areas. The district is unique in having three distinct climatic plants . New Delhi: CSIR; 1956. zones namely tropical, temperate and sub-alpine and it Flora of British India influence the richness and wide biological diversity[11]. [5] H ooker JD. . International Book Distributors, Dehra-Dun; 1872-1897, p. 1-7. The climatic condition of Siliguri is warmer than other Medicinal plants [6] J ain SK. . New Delhi: National Book Trust; 1968. hilly Sub-Divisions. Within the district the annual climatic The life forms of plants of statistical plant geography condition remain wet summer and a dry winter. Therefore, it [7] R anukiaer. . Oxford, London: Clarendon Press; 1934. is concluded that there is sharp variation in the distribution Ethnomedicinal uses of orchids of plant species at various altitudinal range. A large number [8] R ajendra Y, Ahsan K. . Presented of medicinal plant species are remarkably effective in Paper, XVIII Annual Conference of IAAT and International treatment of several dreadful diseases of man and other Seminar on Multidisciplinary Approaches in Angiosperm animals while many more are edible, poisonous depending Systematics, Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Nadia, [12] India; 2008 on the plant part and manner in which used . Due to Medicinal and aromatic plants of [9] R ajendra Y, Bhujel RB. natural calamities, uncertain rainfall, raising temperature, Darjeeling district and documentation of status habitat and local frequent land slides, deforestation, indiscriminate collection uses of the plant species, project report K D and ignorance, the status of these plants are being . ’alimpong, arjeeling, India: WBSCST, and Cluny Women s College; 2009a. vulnerable, threatened, rare and endangered. Medicinal Plants and their present status [10] R ajendra Y, Bhujel RB,. in the Darjeeling Himalaya P I Conflict of interest statement . resented paper. nternational Conference on Recent Trends in Life Science Researches vis-a- vis Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Development and We declare that we have no conflict of interest Human Welfare, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag, Jharkhand, India; 2009b. Ethnomedicinal plants among the [11] R ajendra Y, Bhujel RB. Acknowledgements Gorkha communities of Darjeeling Himalaya . Presented paper. National Conference On Plant Sciences: Diversity, Products The authors are grateful to Govt. of West Bengal, West and Environmental Planning and NCPSDPEP-2009 XVIII APSI Bengal State Council of Science and Technology, Bikash Scientists Meets 2009. Department of Botany, Marwari College, Bhavan, Salt Lake, Kolkata for providing research grant Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Academy of Plant Sciences India, Muzaffarnagar (U.P.); 2009c. through which the investigation was possible and the Medicinal orchids and their uses [12] R ajendra Y, Lama D, Bhujel RB. authors are cordially grateful to the inhabitants of Darjeeling for the welfare of mankind Himalaya because of their kind support, encouragement and . Presented paper. National Seminar co-operation during the field surveys. on Diversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plants and Traditional Knowledge in Eastern Himalaya. Department of B U N B E H S References otany, niversity of orth engal and ast imalayan ociety for Spermatophyte Taxonomy, Siliguri, W.B., India; 2010.