Medicinal Plants of Ultapani Forest Range Under Holtugaon Division, Manas Biosphere Reserve (Assam).

ABSTRACT

Ultapani is one of a “hotspot” area situated in Holtugaon forest division under Manas Biosphere Reserve, Assam. Ultapani forest range is located in between 26068.18// N to26081.18// N and 90024.44// E to 90041.90// E. Vegetation of the forest is unique in the world as most of its plants are evergreen and semi-evergreen. It consists of lots of floristically diverse plants, of which some of them are rare, endangered and threatened. Moreover, the forest of Ultapani forest range under Holtugaon division is rich for its valuable plant resources. Among these some plants have medicinal values, some are edible fruits, while, some of them are oil and timber yielding plants with great economic prospects. But the valuable asset of this forest is now threatened due to over exploitation of forest resources by forest mafias and encroachment for agricultural and human settlements by economically poor people in the forest lands living there in. Therefore, authors thought that the medicinal plants of the study area need to be surveyed, conserved and protected in their natural habitat. Considering this view point in mind, a survey has been carried out on certain naturally occurring medicinal plants of the study area. The present paper throws light on the description and uses of certain species of medicinally important plants along with their botanical and local names.