Importance of local names of some useful plants in ethnobotanical study

Abstract

Plants are commonly known by their local names in every part of the world. These local names play a very important role in ethnobotanical study of a specific tribe or region. Local names given to plants by indigenous people in their local dialects often reflect a broad spectrum of information on their understanding of plants. Most often, the local names are given based on some salient features, e.g. appearance, shape, size, habit, habitat, smell, taste, colour, utility, and other peculiar character, etc of the plants. These practical, meaningful, easily understandable and rememberable local names are disappearing rapidly along with the culture and tradition of the tribal group of our country. Therefore, it must be recorded, preserved and documented before lost forever. In the paper, about 100 plants of Garhwal, Kumaun and Bhoxar area of Uttarakhand have been given in alphabetical order with their family followed by local names including their meaning in English along with detail reason / basis for the naming of the plants.