Ethnobotany

Survey and documentation of traditional knowledge (Ethno-botany) associated with plants is one of the primary objective of BSI.

ETHNOBOTANICAL WORK COMPLETED IN BSI

1. ALL INDIA CO-ORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT ON ETHNOBIOLOGY (AICRPE): a DST project under the umbrella of Man and Biosphere Programme was completed in two Phases (1982-88 and 1989-1994) in different Regional centre like Howrah, Shillong, Gangtok, Allahabad, Coimbatore and Port Blair of BSI.

In this project about 7,500 medicinal plants, 3,900 edible plant, 525 fiber and cordage yielding plants, 400 fodder plants, 300 pisci-cides and pesticides were reported by all 24 research centers including BSI.

• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in East Godavari, Karim Nagar, Kurnool, Mahboob Nagar, Prakasham, Srikakulam, Visakhapatanam, Vizianagaram and Warangal district s of Andhra Pradesh among Bagatas, Chenchus, Jatapus, Khonds, KondaReddies, Koyas, Nukha, Doras, Porjas, Savaras, Sugalis and valmikies.
• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in Lower Subansiri, Upper Subansiri, Part of Dibang valley, Lohit and Tirap districts of Arunchal Pradesh amongst Adi, Khamti, Mizu, Chlikatta, Nocte, Singphos, Wanchos etc.
• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in Amdman, Nicobar , Little Andman Islands of Andman & Nicobar Islands among Jarwas, Sentinelese, Great Andmanes, Onge, Nicobares and Shompens.
• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in Allahabad, Banda, Bijnor, Bulandshahar, Gorakhpur, Garhwal, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Kheri, Lalitpur, Mirzapur, Nainital, Saharanpur, Varanasi districts of undivided UttarPradesh amongst Agaria, Baiga, Bhuinya, Bhoxa, Gond, Kharwar, Kol,Korwa, Oraon, Panika, Parahia, Pathari, Saharia, Tharu, Jaunsari etc.
• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in Santal Pargana and Chhota Nagpur of undivided Bihar.
• Conducted Ethnobotanical survey in Koraput, Malkangiri and Phulbani districts of Odisha.

2. Under In-House projects Assam, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Daman (A Union Territories), Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and West Bengal have also been surveyed by BSI.

RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS:

1. Ethnobotanical Study of Odisha (2006-2017): A total of 1,158 plant species under 615 genera belonging to 142 families have been collected along with 8,718 ethnobotanical information for food, medicine, veterinary, fodder, fuel, rope, gum, resin, tannin, dye, oil, insect repellent, insecticide, snake repellent, detergent, beverage, condiment, spice, fragrance, fish poison, fish catching instrument, household article, agricultural implement, building/thatching hut material, magico-beliefs, religious, bio-fencing, and other purposes from 23 districts of Odisha.

PLANT SPECIES WISE ETHNOBOTANICAL USES COLLECTED FROM ODISHA

2. Ethnobotanical Study of Kaimur and Rohtas districts of Bihar (2018-19): A total of 173 plant species belonging to 61 families under 147 genera comprising 405 ethnobotanical informations were collected for various purposes from Kaimur and Rohtas districts of Bihar.

3. Ethnobotanical Study of West Champaran district of Bihar (2018-19): A total of 185 plant species belonging to 62 families under 158 genera comprising 417 ethnobotanical informations were collected from West Champaran district of Bihar.

ONGOING ETHNOBOTANICAL PROJECT :

1. Ethnobotanical study of some tribal populated districts of Bihar, India (2018-2022)

A. IMPORTANT ETHNOBOTANICAL BOOKS PUBLISHED BY BSI SCIENTISTS:
Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany (1981); Ethnobotany in India (1983); Bibliography of Ethnobotany (1984); A contribution to the Ethnobotany of Santal Pargana (1984); Selected Poisonous Plants from the Tribal Areas of India (1985); Economic Plants of India Vol. I (1989) and Vol. II (1994); Ethnobotany of Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, India (1996); Ethnobotany of Rajasthan (1998); Tribal Medicine (1998); Plants for Human Consumption in India (1999); A Handbook of Ethnobotany (1999);Ethnobotany of Totopara (1999); Ethnobotany of Dadra, Nagar-Haveli and Daman (U.T.)(2001); Madhya Himalaya ki Paramparaen evam paramparik gyan (2004); Ethnobotany of Mysore and Coorg, Karnataka State (2007); Ethnobotany of India with special reference to West Bengal (2009) etc.

B. RESEARCH PAPERS PUBLISHED BY BSI SCIENTISTS: Around 266 research papers on in various journals, edited books and magazines Published by BSI scientists.