Diversity, distribution pattern and indigenous uses of medicinal plants in Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is the storehouse of wide variety of medicinal plants. However, protected areas in Himachal Pradesh are less explored for medicinal plants. As such, Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh has not been explored for the medicinal plants diversity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the medicinal plants diversity of the sanctuary during 2016-2023. The study recorded 377 medicinal plants belonging to 264 genera and 87 families. Of the recorded medicinal plants, 177 were natives, 83 near endemics and 06 endemics. Different parts of the medicinal plants were used by the inhabitants for curing cough, cold, fever, cuts, wound, blood purification, tonic, liver and kidney complaints, antidote to snake, insect bite, etc. But, due to over exploitation, habitat degradation and changing environmental conditions, the populations of most of the species are declining rapidly in the sanctuary. Therefore, there is an urgent need to monitor the populations of these medicinal plants frequently by using ecological (quardrat) method, and create awareness among the inhabitants and Forest Department officials about the sustainable utilization.