ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY IN KHAS COMMUNITY OF RAMAROSHAN RURAL MUNICIPALITY, ACHHAM, WESTERN NEPAL
Date
2024-01-28
Authors
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Publisher
Amrit Campus
Abstract
Ramaroshan Rural Municipality of Achham district lies in the Sudur Paschim
Province in West Nepal. This area is rich in biodiversity. The present study includes
documentation of ethnobotanically useful plant species found in this area. Different
plant specimens were prepared during field visit. Quantitative parameters like
Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Frequency Index (FI), and Used Values (UV)
were used during ethnobotanical analysis to find out the important uses of plant
species in the study area. A total number of 156 plants belonging to 75 families were
recorded from the study area. The grass family (Poaceae) was the most dominant
family while the tobacco family (Solanaceae) was the least one. Among the different
use categories, 56% of plants were used for single uses and 44% of plants were used
for multiple uses. The highest ICF value was obtained for anticancer and antidote use
while least ICF value was obtained for skeleton- muscular and cardiovascular
disorders. Among 42 species in medicinal category, the frequency index showed that
Hymenidium dentatum, Neopicororhiza scrophulariiflora and Hippolytia
dolichophylla were most used plant species having a high frequency index. 89% were
considered to have a high use value, 7% a moderate value, and 4% a low use value.
Among them, highest value for Spinacia oleracea (2.5), and Acorus calamus (2.35),
and moderate value for Ficus religiosa (1.87), and Cuscuta reflexa (1.85) and the least
use value (1) was known for 103 species such as Aconitum lethale, Zingiber
officinale, and so on.
Description
Keywords
Informant consensus factor, use value, Frequency Index, traditional knowledge, interview