Ethnomedicinal Plants of Malika forest, Baglung, West Nepal

Abstract

The Baglung Municipality of Baglung district is located in the West Nepals province of Gandaki. This area is rich in flora and culture. This study documents plant species that are ethnmedicinally valuable in the area. Several plant specimens were prepared during the field tour. During Ethnobotanical analysis quantitative indicators like informant consensus factor (ICF), Frequency Index (FI) and Used Value (UV) were utilized to identify plant species with significant usage in the research area. The study area comprises 180 plants from 59 families. The Asteraceae family was the most dominant while the Saururaceae family had the least presence. The informant consensus factor values ranged between 0.11 to 0.92. The high ICF value was obtained for gynecological disorders while least was obtained for gasto-intestinal disorders. The frequency index showed that Daphne bhoula, Rhododendron arboreum, Artemisia indica and Zanthoxylum armatumwere the most commonly used plant species with the highest frequency index. Among the plant used 6% had a high use value, 21% had a moderate use value and 73% had a low use value. Among them, highest value was observed for Zanthoxylum armatum (2.6) followed by Daphne bhoula (2.4). Keywords: Ethnobotany, use value, West Nepal, disorders, flora, informant