Ethnobotany of valuable medicinal plants available in Chhattisgarh plain region of Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh

Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest tribal dominated district in Central India. Baiga and Gond are the main two tribes of the Baihar, Birsa, Paraswada, Langi, Kirnapur, Katangi, Balaghat, Waraseoni and Lalbarra tehsils of Balaghat district. These tribes have enormous knowledge about medicinal properties of the plant species available in natural ecosystems (forests and grasslands). Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the plants used by these tribes for seminal debility and other diseases.

Survey was carried out during 2019-20 in Biahar, Birsa, Paraswada, Langi, Kirnapur, Katangi, Lalburra and Waraseoni tehsils of the district Balaghat. Judgmental/purposive sampling method used to collect the required information from the tribes of the locality.

Total 35 most important plants were used for curing various diseases and injuries. Along with their botanical description, we explained the method of intake of the plant medicines to cure the diseases. Around 39% of the plants used to cure seminal debility comes under herb category whereas shrub (28%), climber (11%), grass (6%), twiner (6%), small tree (5%) and big tree (5%). Whereas, 76% herbs utilized for curing other diseases, followed by shrub (18%) and twiner (6%).