Diversity and Quantitative Ethnobotanical Assessment of Tree Species in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India
Devanand Maurya
*
Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India and B.T. Institute of Excellence, Makronia, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470004, India.
Chayan Adhikari
Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India.
Abhay Pratap Singh
Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India.
Amit Jugnu Bishwas
Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Ethnobotany explores the relationship between humans and plants, emphasising the traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use among indigenous and rural communities. In the Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh, forest-dependent communities rely heavily on ethnomedicinal tree species for healthcare and livelihoods, highlighting the need for quantitative assessment and conservation of this valuable traditional knowledge. This study provides a comprehensive ethnobotanical assessment of floristic diversity and traditional medicinal knowledge within a forest-dependent community. A socio-demographic survey of 130 participants (56.92% male, 43.08% female) revealed a population deeply integrated with natural resources, dominated by married individuals (62.31%) and those in the 40–59 age bracket (48.47%). Occupations were primarily centred on farming (40.00%) and labor (30.77%), with a significant reliance on traditional health practitioners (4.62%). The floristic inventory documented 110 plant species belonging to 36 families. The family Mimosaceae emerged as the most diverse (9 species), followed by Fabaceae and Moraceae (8 species each). Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Frequency of Citation (FC), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Use Value (UV), were employed to determine species importance. Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. exhibited the highest cultural significance, recording the maximum values across all indices (FC = 188, RFC = 0.794, and UV = 2.67). Analysis of plant part utilization indicated that stems (35%) and fruits (21%) are the most frequently exploited components, followed by bark (13%) and leaves (12%). These findings highlight a sophisticated local knowledge system that prioritizes woody tissues and reproductive parts for therapeutic applications. The high RFC and UV for specific taxa provide a robust baseline for future pharmacological screening and emphasize the need for sustainable harvesting strategies to preserve both biodiversity and indigenous heritage.
Keywords: Ethnobotany, floristic diversity, use value, medicinal plants