Ethnobotany of India: Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas is the 4th volume of the 5-volume set, an informative book series on the ethnobotanical aspects of India. The books cover different regions, including Volume 1: Eastern Ghats and Deccan Volume 2: Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India Volume 3: North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas Volume 5: The Indo-Gangetic Region Each volume looks at the important ethnic plants of the specific region. Volume 4 covers the Western and Central Himalayas, the well-known mountain range on the Indian subcontinent. The unique flora and fauna of the Himalayas are varied, affected by climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils, and are vulnerable to impacts from climate change. The editors espouse that because indigenous non-Western societies form the vast majority of people now as well as in the past, a study of their plant interrelationships is necessary, and India is one of the most important regions of the old world for its ancient and culturally rich and diverse knowledge of ethnobotany. With this in mind, these volumes share a great deal of information that will be valuable to plant botanists and others working in and interested in ethnobotany. This important volume covers the ethnobotanical aspects of many plants of the region. It looks at ethnic diversity of people ethnic food plants and food preparation ethnomedical aspects of plants psychedelic plants and their possible link to soma, a vedic ritual drink whose plant origins are a mystery ethnoveterinary medicinal plants ethno-conservation practices biodiversity heritage sites The volume includes the details of the plants used, their scientific names, the parts used, and how the plants are used, providing the what, how, and why of plant usage. The book is well illustrated with 20 color and 67 b/w illustrations. Together, the five volumes in the Ethnobotany of India series presents the available ethnobotanical knowledge of India in one place. India’s ancient and culturally rich and diverse information and use of ethnobotany will be valuable to those in the fields of botany and plant sciences, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, nutraceuticals, and others. The books also consider the threat to plant biodiversity imposed by environmental degradation, which impacts cultural diversity.

Ethnobotany deals with relationship between people and plants. Since ancient times plants were used to cure all types of illness and diseases all over the world. The traditional knowledge of medicincal valued plants communicated from one generation to another generation and plays a significant role in the development of traditional medicines. The ethnobotanical research provides information about medicinal plants that can cure fatal diseases. This book has fourteen chapters that include various aspect of Ethnobotany viz: Introduction to Ethnobotany; Ethnobotany: Past, Present and Future; Ethnobotany and Ayurveda; Important Sacred Plants in India; Grace of Butter tree; Diversity, Indigenous use of the Ethnomedicinal flora of various plants of India; Ethnobotany and Modern system of Medicine; Plants of folklore from myth to magic; Different tribal committee of India and Historical journey and its prospective in India. This book is highly relevant to innovated and enhance knowledge about Ethnobotany and helpful for undergraduate, post-graduate students, research scholars and faculty. The book incorporates chapters authored by eminent botanists who are working in the field of Ethnobotany since a long time.

This book comprehensively introduces all aspects of the physiology, stress responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses of the Fabaceae plants. Different plant families have been providing food, fodder, fuel, medicine and other basic needs for the human and animal since the ancient time. Among the plant families Fabaceae have special importance for their agri-horticultural importance and multifarious uses apart from the basic needs. Interest in the response of Fabaceae plants toward abiotic stresses is growing considering the economic importance and the special adaptive mechanisms. Recent advances and developments in molecular and biotechnological tools has contributed to ease and wider this mission. This book provides up-to-date findings that will be of greater use for the students and researchers, particularly Plant Physiologists, Environmental Scientists, Biotechnologists, Botanists, Food Scientists and Agronomists, to get the information on the recent advances on this plant family in regard to physiology and stress tolerance.

This new 5-volume set, Ethnobotany of India, provides an informative overview of human-plant interrelationships in India, focusing on the regional plants and their medicinal properties and uses. Each volume focuses on a different significant region of India, including Volume 1: Eastern Ghats and Deccan Volume 2: Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India Volume 3: North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Volume 4: Western and Central Himalaya Volume 5: The Indo-Gangetic Region and Central India With chapters written by experts in the field, the book provides comprehensive information on the tribals (the indigenous populations of the region) and knowledge on plants that grow around them. Each volume includes an introductory chapter with an overview of the region and then goes on to cover ethnic diversity and culture of the ethnic tribes plants used for healing and medical purposes for humans and animals ethnic food plants and ethnic food preparation specific information on the ethnomedicinal plants, the parts used, and the diseases cured other uses of plants by the ethnic tribes, such as for fiber, dyes, flavor, and recreation conservation, documentation, and management efforts of the ethnic communities and their plant knowledge The books include the details of the plants used, their scientific names, the parts used, and how the plants are used, providing the what, how, and why of plant usage. The volumes are well illustrated with over 100 color and 130 b/w illustrations. Together, the five volumes in the Ethnobotany of India series bring together the available ethnobotanical knowledge of India in one place. India is one of the most important regions of the old world, and its ancient and culturally rich and diverse knowledge of ethnobotany will be valuable to many in the fields of botany and plant sciences, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, nutraceuticals, and others. The books also consider the threat to plant biodiversity imposed by environmental degradation, which impacts cultural diversity.

In its thirteen chapters, this book deals with biophysical, biological, hydrological, meteorological and socio-economic aspects of western Himalayan region of India. It emphasizes on the need for strengthening institutional and research capacities that are critical to delivering meaningful and sustainable outcomes & impacts in return for the investments made. It also makes recommendations for the policy, planning and administrative interventions & reforms necessary for efficient and equitable delivery of benefits to the intended beneficiaries and for conservation of the valuable natural resources of the region. Each chapter has been prepared by a recognized expert in the identified area and the treatment bears the required mark of quality & authenticity.

The book will be very useful for students and researchers of ethnobotany, economic botany, bioresources, traditional universities, phytomedicines, Indian systems of medicines, plant genetic resources, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceutical houses, corporate houses, herbal industry, policy planners, institutional libraries etc. and laymen alike.