J. Indian bot. Soc. e-ISSN:2455-7218, ISSN:0019 - 4468 Vol. 96 (1 & 2) 2017 :94-99

RARE AND THREATENED MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SANTHAL PARGANA, JHARKHAND

CHANDRA BHANU SINGH

University Department of Botany, T. M. Bhagalpur University,Bhagalpur-812 007 (Bihar) E- mail: [email protected] Date of online publication: 31st March 2017

The paper deals with 18 rare/threatened medicinal plants of forests of Santhal Pargana Division, Jharkhand. Out of such medicinal plants, 10 are rare in occurrence. The threatened categories encompass near threatened (05), vulnerable (01) and endangered (02) medicinal plant species. The list of rare medicinal plants includes Aegle marmelos, Asparagus racemosus, Dillenia pentagyna, Emblica officinalis, Oroxylum indicum, Sterculia urens, Tacca leontopetaloides, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, Vitex peduncularis. Among threatened medicinal plants, Acorus calamus, Costus speciosus, Diospyros malabarica, Rauvolfia serpentina, Strychnos nux-vomica represent near threatened; Pterocarpus marsupium vulnerable; Clerodendrum serratum, Gloriosa superba endangered status. All these medicinal plants need urgent conservation and large scale cultivation giving top priority.

Key words: Rare/Threatened Medicinal Plants, Santhal Pargana

Plants have been used to prevent and cure documentation of some rare/ threatened taxa various human ailments since time from this area rather than rare and threatened immemorial. Out of the total 4,22,000 medicinal plants in particular (Varma and flowering plants reported from the world Pandey 1987, 1998, Varma et al.1989, Varma (Govaert 2001), more than 50,000 have been and Singh 1990, 1998, Pandey et al. 2007). In used worldwide for medicinal purposes the present study, frequent field visits have (Schippmann et al. 2002). The World Health been undertaken to assess the threat status and Organization (WHO) has estimated that 80 per to ascertain the factors responsible for such cent of the world's population rely upon the status of medicinal plant species growing in the traditional medicinal systems for their primary forests of Santhal Pargana division of health care and 85 per cent of traditional Jharkhand (India). medicines involve the use of plant extracts or their active principles (Farnsworth et al. 1985). Study Area Out of 17,000 species of higher plants reported The survey has been conducted in the forests of to occur in India, 7500 are known to have Santhal Pargana Division which lies within the medicinal importance (Shiva 1998). A large geographical limits of 23040'-25018' north number of such higher plants having quick and latitude and 86028'-87057' east longitude in intense therapeutic properties are used either in the northern part of Jharkhand state of India traditional system of medicine and/or as the (Figure 1). The division is spread over in an chief source of active principles for use in area of 14,166 sq.km. It is now divided into modern medicine(Lavania and Lavania six districts viz., Deoghar,Dumka, Godda, 1994).Although medicinal plants are fast depleting and gradually becoming threatened Jamtara, Pakur and Sahebganj. It is a hilly all over the world due to factors like habitat terrain covered with dry deciduous tropical loss, over exploitation, improper collection, forests of mixed and miscellaneous types trading of plant materials, etc. More or less dominated by sal tree (Shorea robusta similar condition prevails in the forests of Gaertn. f.). It is bounded by the river Ganga Santhal Pargana division (Jharkhand) also. The in the north, by Burdwan and Birbhum work done so far on this burning topic is limited districts of West Bengal cum Dhanbad to the operative threat factors and

Received on January 10, 2017 www.indianbotsoc.org Accepted on February 25, 2017 Rare and threatened medicinal plants of Santhal Pargana 95

Figure1. Map showing location of study sites (1-8) in Santhal Pargana, Jharkhand: 1-Motijharna, 2-Banjhi,3- Maharajpur, 4-Jitpur,5-Sundarpahari, 6-Silingi,7-Kathikund, 8-Gopikandar. (District:A-Sahebganj, B-Godda, C- Pakur, D-Dumka, E-Deoghar, F-Jamtara) district of Jharkhand in the south, by expected to be threatened/rare and thus Birbhum district of West Bengal in the east selected for the present study. These and by Jamui, Banka and Bhagalpur medicinal plant species have been collected districts of Bihar cum Giridih district of from their natural habitats and identified Jharkhand in the west. The soil is red sandy properly with the help of different floras to loamy which is well suited for the growth (Haines 1961, Varma 1981). To assess of forests. The climate is of monsoon type threat status of medicinal plant species, the and is characterized by three distinct knowledgeable persons of the respective seasons in a year. areas have been approached and enquiries have been made about various aspects of MATERIALS AND METHODS occurrence of species in the past and the T h e f o r e s t s e x i s t i n g w i t h i n t h e changes that have occurred since then geographical boundaries of Santhal leading to the present state. The operating Pargana Division (Jharkhand) have been threat factors have been observed closely. visited frequently for last three years (June Employing the procured information, 2 0 1 3 - M a y 2 0 1 6 ) a i m i n g o n threat assessment for individual plant occurrence/threat assessment of medicinal species has been made as per criteria of BSI plant species growing in their natural (1987-1990)/IUCN (2000). The medicinal habitats. The medicinal plant species that plant species facing different degrees of have been mentioned by earlier worker(s) threat have been assigned threat status as but are now either missing from their near threatened, vulnerable and endangered. indicated localities or occurring in those For all these three categories, a collective term areas in reduced population, have been threatened has been used throughout the text of CHANDRA BHANU SINGH 96 paper. The degree of threatening follows the plant parts, habitat destruction (mainly by order as endangered > vulnerable > near deforestation, mining operations, shifting threatened. The rare and threatened medicinal cultivation), etc. (Varma and Pandey 1987, plant species have been arranged in alphabetic 1998; Varma et al. 1989; Munshi and Singh order with respect to their botanical name 1990; Varma and Singh 1990, 1998; Singh f o l l o w e d b y c o m m o n n a m e / f a m i l y, 2003; Pandey et al. 2007; Singh et al. 2015). It locality/habit, plant part/product-medicinal is noteworthy that most of the medicinal plant use(s) and threat status (Table-1). species growing in this area are facing more than one threat factors at a time. It is likely that RESULTS AND DISCUSSION if such conditions continue to operate In the present study, a total of 18 medicinal unchecked, the category of these species may plant species have been observed either as change from rare to near threatened, near rare in occurrence or in different critical threatened to vulnerable, vulnerable to stages of threat in their natural habitats of endangered and endangered to critically Santhal Pargana forests. These rare / endangered in the near future. As such the threatened medicinal plants belong to 17 species like Aegle marmelos, Emblica officinalis, Oroxylum indicum, Sterculia urens, genera and 15 families of angiosperms. Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, Vitex Among these species, 11 are trees, 03 herbs, peduncularis, encountered earlier as depleting 02 shrubs and 02 climbers. Out of such taxa (Varma and Singh 1998), have become medicinal plants, 10 are rare in occurrence. The rare due to continued operation of various threatened categories encompass near threat factors in the forests of the region. threatened (05), vulnerable (01) and endangered (02) medicinal plant species. The The rate of depletion of many wild medicinal list of rare medicinal plants includes Aegle plants has outpaced regeneration capacity with marmelos, Asparagus racemosus, Dillenia the adverse result that some of these are now pentagyna, Emblica officinalis, Oroxylum facing threats of extinction and are enlisted i n d i c u m , S t e r c u l i a u r e n s , Ta c c a under red category. Threatened status of many leontopetaloides, Terminalia bellirica, species is in alarming situation for the Terminalia chebula, Vitex peduncularis. medicinal treasure of Santhal Pargana division Among threatened medicinal plants, Acorus of Jharkhand state. Therefore, there is an urgent calamus, Costus speciosus, Diospyros need for conservation and cultivation of rare malabarica, Rauvolfia serpentina, Strychnos and threatened medicinal plants of the area. nux-vomica represent near threatened; The large scale cultivation of such plants is Pterocarpus marsupium vulnerable; necessary not only to conserve the plants but Clerodendrum serratum, Gloriosa superba also to ease the pressure of trade in wild. endangered status. Simultaneously, the attempt should also be taken to promote sustainable harvesting and to The forests of Santhal Pargana (Jharkhand) create awareness among the local people for have been wonderfully rich floristically in the conservation and about the depleting status of past (Haines 1910, 1961; Panigrahi 1966). medicinal plants in the area. Presumably these forests might have been the natural abode of a large number of medicinal The author is thankful to Prof. S.K. Choudhary, plants acting as the resource of prime Head, University Department of Botany, T.M. importance for the health care system of tribal Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur for constant communities inhabiting the region. Now the encouragement and facilities; Dr. T.K. Pan medicinal plants are fast depleting from the (Garden Superintendent) and Dr. N. Pandit surviving forests of the division and gradually (Herbarium In-charge), UDB, TMBU, becoming rare/threatened due to over Bhagalpur for help during field visits and exploitation, unsustainable harvesting, trade of collection; Mr. S. K. Thakur (Artist), Rare and threatened medicinal plants of Santhal Pargana 97

Table-1: List of rare and threatened medicinal plants of Santhal Pargana, Jharkhand

Botanical name / Common Localitys Plant part/product-Medicinal Threat name / Family /Habit use(s) Status Acorus calamus L./Safed bach Motijharna1 Rhizome/Root stock-Flatulence, Near / Araceae /Herb vomiting Threatened Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. / Motijharna1 Fruit pulp-Constipation, diarrhoea, Rare Bel / Rutaceae /Tree dysentery, refreshing drink Asparagus racemosus Willd. / Motijharna1 Root decoction- Leucorrhoea, Rare Satawar / Liliaceae /Climber urinary infection Fresh tuber decoction- Diabetes Clerodendrum serratum (L.) Jitpur2 Root-Rheumatism, snake bite Endangered Moon / Barangi / Verbenaceae /Shrub Costus speciosus (Koen.) Sm. / Motijharna1 Root decoction- Diabetes Near Keu / Zingiberaceae /Herb Threatened Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. / Silingi3 Bark decoction-Arthritis, gout Rare Chalta / Dilleniaceae /Tree Diospyros malabarica (Desr.) Motijharna1 Bark-Menstrual disorder Near Kostel / Gab / Ebenaceae /Tree Threatened Emblica officinalis Gaertn. / Banjhi1 Fruit-Vitamin C, diarrhoea, Rare Amla / Euphorbiaceae /Tree dysentery,habitual constipation Gloriosa superba L. / Daini / Sundarpahari2 Rhizome-Painful delivery Endangered Liliaceae / Climber Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent. / Sundarpahari2 Bark-Spleen enlargement Rare Sona Chhal / Bignoniaceae /Tree Seed-Snake bite Tender fruit-Flatulence Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. Jitpur2 Heart wood infusion-Diabetes, Vulnerable / Bijasal / Fabaceae /Tree diarrhoea, dysentery Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Kathikund3 Root-Dysentery, snake bite Near Benth. ex Kurz / Sarpaganda / /Under shrub Threatened Apocynaceae Sterculia urens Roxb./ Telher / Motijharna1 Stem bark/gum-Diarrhoea, heat of Rare Sterculiaceae /Tree stomach, burning sensation in urinary tract Strychnos nux-vomica (L.) Gopikandar3 Seed powder-Diarrhoea, nervous Near Benth. ex Kurz /Kuchla / /Tree disorder, paralysis Threatened Loganiaceae

CHANDRA BHANU SINGH 98

Tacca leontopetaloides (L.) Maharajpur1 Tuber-Piles Rare Kuntz. / Dhai / Taccaceae /Herb Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Kathikund3 Ripe dry fruit-Diarrhoea, dropsy, Rare Roxb. / Bahera / / Tree headache, indigestion, piles Combretaceae Bark-Anaemia, leucoderma Terminalia chebula Retz. / Kathikund3 Fruit-Chronic diarrhoea, Rare Harara / Combretaceae / Tree dysentery, flatulence, urinary disorder, vomiting Vitex peduncularis Wall. ex Sundarpahari2 Leaf juice-Malaria Rare Sch. / Bhadu / Verbenaceae /Small tree

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