Study of medicinal plants in a flood plain wetland in Barpeta district, Assam, India

This paper presents the medicinally important macrophytes of Kapla beel a freshwater flood plain wetland. The Kapla beel is located in Barpeta district of lower Assam. The macrophyte community comprised of 36 species belong to 24 families. The study showed 13 plant species have medicinal properties namely Acorus calamus L, Sagittaria sagittifolia L, Typha latifolia L, Sparganium erectum L, Lemna minor L, Spirodella polyrrhiza (L) Schleid, Vallisneria spiralis L, Hydrilla verticellata (L.F.) Royle., Mentha aquatica L, Polygonum amphibium L, Trapa bispinosa L, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) solms and Nelumbo nucifera. Gartner. The study indicates the importance of conservation of aquatic vegetation of flood plain wetland in Assam. The conservation efforts of aquatic vegetation will facilitate the conservation of medicinal plants too.