Abstract

Sacred groves are traditionally protected forest or forest patches, with the rich repository of diverse flora with the medicinal plants. Ethno-medicinal knowledge on sacred grove plants have enormous prospects either in the form of natural resources and bio-prospecting. Now a days these small patches suffers from multiple disturbances grazing, encroachment, changing social perspective and hence medicinal plant resources. This study reviews medicinal plant resources in the sacred groves on distribution and usage pattern in five zones of Northern part of India. The study reported 827 medicinal plants where Leguminosae are the dominant family. Dominants plants include herbs with leaves having major use values. The endeavour emphasise the need to RET species of medicinal values.

Keywords Medicinal plants, informant consensus factor (FIC), Fidelity level (FL). Threat, Conservation