Medicinal Plants of Darjeeling Hills - a Study by Silviculture (hills) Division, Darjeeling

The forest areas are well endowed with plants having useful medicinal properties very well recognised by village and tribal people. Generally the village folks even now cure their ailments by treatments from such plants having medicinal value. Efforts were taken during 1997-1999 by Silviculture (Hills) Division, Darjeeling to raise different medicinal plants collected from forest areas on the basis of information extended by local people. Since 1997 nurseries have been started at different Ranges of the Division viz; Lava, Sukna, Bhuttabari, Kalijhora, Sonada and Lloyd Botanical Garden, Darjeeling to raise medicinal plants and study various information on the parts of plants used flowering time, fruiting time, seeding, methods of propagation and above all ailments for which it is applicable has been gathered and stated for ready reference in this article.