Ethnomedicinal study of wild plants used by fringe communities in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, India

The study represents ethnomedicinal information regarding the traditional use of wild plant species and their utilization to cure different ailments by forest fringe communities in the Langate Forest Division of Jammu and Kashmir. This study was based on survey, interviews and with the help of well structured questionnaires, data on the local (Kashmiri) names of the wild medicinal plants, plant parts used, their therapeutic uses, method of preparation and mode of administration to patients were obtained. The wild edible plants that are used as food by fringe communities were also obtained during 2020–2021. A total of 36 medicinal plant species and 25 wild edible plant species belonging to 22 and 20 families respectively were used by fringe communities as food and also to treat different ailments. The highest percent of wild edible plants were herbs 55.5%, followed by shrubs, ferns, fungi and trees with 12%, 12%, 8% and 8% respectively.