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P. K. Pandit , R. K. Bhakat

Abstract

Ethno-medicinal plants are traditionally used by local tribal people of Paschim Medinipur District (West Bengal) since long for their healthcare. As many as 90 ethno-medicinal plant species have been identified which were traditionally used to cure gynaecological disorders like leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, etc. These were also used to treat related ailments and problem like birth control, contraception, gonorrhoea, spermatorrhoea, syphilis, regulation of menses and act as an aphrodisiac.

Keywords

Ethno-medicinal Plants, Gynaecological Disorders, Traditional Uses, Tribal People,
West Medinipur District, West Bengal

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R. K. Bhakat , U. K. Sen , P. K. Pandit

Abstract

Many traditional conservation ethics of people directly or indirectly protect forest patches by dedicating them to local deities. Such forest pockets, referred to as sacred groves, are more or less small to large chunk of traditionally maintained near-virgin forests protected on sociocultural grounds. Named differently in different states of India, these groves are mainly concentrated in tribal areas and are managed by local people for various purposes. Irrespective of their origin, size and management regimes, all sacred groves are islands of biodiversity protecting a host of plant and animal species including some rare and threatened taxa. With this background, this paper attempts to highlight the role played by a 4-acre sacred grove (popularly known as'Sitabala than') of West Midnapore District in West Bengal towards conservation of plant diversity. The study records 80 species of angiosperms covering 42, 10, 16 and 12 species of herbs, shrubs, trees and climbers respectively. Moreover, the grove supports few locally useful medicinal plants. Owing to protection offered on socio-religious grounds, the sacred grove provides optimum conditions congenial for the growth of plants. As a result, some of the trees attain maximum dimensions in terms of size and growth patterns. Therefore, there is an urgent need not only to protect the sacred forest, but also to revive and reinvent such traditional way of nature conservation.

Keywords

Sacred Grove, Conservation, Sitabala Than, West Midnapore, West Bengal

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R. K. Bhakat , P. K. Pandit , P. P. Maity

Abstract

Sacred groves are small tracts of near-virgin forests protected by the indigenous communities. Being the storehouses of medicinal plants, these are a unique Indian way of in-situ conservation of biodiversity. This paper deals with an account of the role played by Chilkigarh sacred grove in West Bengal in the conservation of regional ethnomedicinal trees. The study records 30 species of locally useful tree species of which 4 are rare in the wild. The paper calls for continued protection of the grove and also recommends to incorporate this traditional way of nature conservation into management plans.

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R. K. Bhakat , P. K. Pandit

Abstract

Sacred groves are small patches of forests protected by local communities on religious grounds. A repository of medicinal plants, these are a unique traditional Indian way of in-situ conservation of biodiversity. This paper deals with 18 sacred groves of Purulia District of West Bengal and also highlights the role played by these groves in medicinal plant conservation. The study for the first time records 56 species of medicinal plants growing in these groves. It also mentions the threats to the sacred groves.

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R. K. Bhakat , P. K. Pandit

Abstract

Sacred groves are tracts of near-virgin forests , the vestiges of an ancient practice in which people protected forest patches. A repository of medicinal plants , these are a unique example of the all-embracing concept and practice of the Indian way of in-situ conservation of biodiversity. This paper deals with an account of the role of Chilkigarh sacred grove in the conservation of regional medicinal plants. It records for the first time 105 species of useful medicinal species of which 12 are threatened elsewhere in the Midnapore District. The paper also calls for the continued protection of the grove.

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R. K. Bhakat ¹, A. Bhattacharjee ², U. K. Kanp ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany and Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore 721102, West Bengal, IN
2 Department of Botany, Burdvvan University, Golapbng 713 104, Burdwan, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The present study shows that seed pretreatment of Mimosa with various concentrations of Lniitnnn leaf extracts and leaf leachates for 24 hours duration reduced percentage germination, speed of seed, germination and field emergence capacity. Levels of insoluble carbohydrate and protein and activities of catalase and dehydrogenase enzymes were significantly reduced in seed samples pretreated with leaf extracts and leaf leachates of Lantana. Seedling performance was found to be much poor when they were rai.sed from .seeds which underwent pretreatment with the plant extracts and leachates. This was measured in terms of ischolar_main length, shoot length, total leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight of plants. Leaf extract and leaf leachateinduced reduced germinability and suppressed activities of catalase and dehydrogenase enzymes being the important phytotoxic indices, it can be concluded that Lantana can potentially render phytotoxic action on Mimosa.

Keywords

Lantana Camara, Mimosa Pudica, Phytotoxicity.

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U. K. Kanp ¹, R. K. Bhakat ¹, R. K. Das ¹, A. Bhattacharjee ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany and Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721 102, West Bengal, IN
2 Department of Botany, Burdwan University, Golapbag-713 104, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

AUelopathic effects of Amarnntluis spinosia: on normal and forcedly aged seeds were established from some reliable physiological and biochemical parameters. Leaf extract and leachate of Amaranthus strongly reduced the percentage and speed of germination in both acceleratedly aged and non-aged seeds. While sugar and amino acid levels were rapidly increased in the leachate of seeds pretreated with leaf extract and leachate, protein and RNA levels and catalase and dehydrogenase activities were significantly reduced. Inhibitory action was much more prominent in aged .seed samples than nonaged ones. The present paper thus discusses this differential allelopathic action at normal and stressful (accelerated ageing) conditions.

Keywords

Allelopnthy, Amaranthiis Spinoaus, Horse Gram, Leaf Extract, Leaf Leachate.

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