Kheep (Leptadenia pyrotechnica): Potential Rangeland Shrub of Western Rajasthan, India
Abstract
Kheep (Leptadenia pyrotechnica [Forsk.] Decne) is a widely distributed shrub in western Rajasthan, India. Having xerophytic characters, it is well adapted to harsh edapho-climatic conditions of hot arid region. It is one of most important fibre yielding plants of Thar Desert. It is also traditionally used as food, medicine and thatching purpose by the desert dwellers. As a drought hardy shrub, it plays an important role in arid ecosystem as a greening vegetation in the time of less and erratic rainfall. This paper presents the state of available information on ethnic uses, potential and future research needs of the species.
Keywords
Hot arid regions of India, Fibre, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Kheep, Sand dune, Western Rajasthan
