Ethnobotany and Ethnomedicinal Uses, Chromosomal Status and Natural Propagation of Some Plants of Lahaul-Spiti and Adjoining Hills

Table 1

Family, species and its vernacular name, meiotic chromosome number, ploidy level, locality and altitude, habit and habitat, natural regeneration, flowering and fruiting period, plant part used and ethnobotanical uses in the wild plants of Lahaul-Spiti, and adjoining high altitude hills.

Family/species (vernacular name)/meiotic chromosome number “𝑛”/ploidy level	Locality and altitude in meters (m)	Voucher specimen number (PUN)	Habit and habitat	Natural regeneration	Flowering and fruiting period	Plant part used	Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal uses
Apiaceae
(1) Angelica glauca Edgew.; (Choru, Chora); 𝑛=11 (2x)	Dhancho, 3,030 m	51529 PUN	Tall perennial herb; shady moist places	Seeds, rootstock	July–September	Whole plant, roots	Stomach troubles and stimulant; Spices and condiments; Bronchitis
(2) Bupleurum falcatum L.; 𝑛=8 (2x)	Bharmour, 2,130 m	51524 PUN	Perennial herb; dry slopes	Seeds, rootstock	June–September	Roots	Liver troubles
(3)  Chaerophyllum aromaticum L.; 𝑛=11 (2x)	Koksar, 3,140 m	51546 PUN	Herb; moist slopes	Seeds, rootstock	June–September	Roots	Plant eaten raw or used as pot herb; Along with mint is used as flavouring agent
(4) Heracleum lanatum Michx. (Raswal); 𝑛=11 (2x)	Trilokinath, 3,020 m	51542 PUN	Perennial herb; along water courses and amongst stones and open slopes	Seeds, rootstock	June–September	Leaves, tender shoots, and fruits	Check the excessive menses and bleeding, abdominal pain and gastric disorders; Fodder; Aphrodisiac
Balsaminaceae
(5) Impatiens sulcata Wall.; (Don); 𝑛=9 (2x)	Sissu, 3,170 m	51627 PUN	Annual herb; along streams	Seeds	June–August	Whole plant	Paste made by mixing it with lichens and Rumex sp. is used as nail polish
(6) I. brachycentra Royle; 𝑛=7 (2x)	Jhalama, 3,070 m	51632 PUN	Annual herb; glacial streams and moist shady places	Seeds	July–August	Leaves	Red dye obtained is used as nail paint
Biebersteiniaceae
(7) Biebersteinia odora Steph. ex Fish. (Figure 3(a)); 𝑛=5 (2x)	Baralacha Pass,; 5,030 m	51587 PUN	Perennial herb; alpine meadows and dry rocky and scree slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–October	Rootstocks	Antiseptic and blood purifier
Brassicaceae
(8) Lepidium latifolium L.; (Tharag-Thokpa); 𝑛=12 (2x)	Bahu, 2,830 m	51618 PUN	Perennial herb; open slopes and around cultivated fields	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Aerial parts	Rheumatic pain
Caryophyllaceae
(9) Cerastium cerastoides (L.); Britt.; 𝑛=18 (2x)	Batal, 3,960 m	51479 PUN	Perennial herb; moist slopes and meadows	Seeds, stolon	June–September	Whole plant	Decoction for cough
(10) Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke; (Ghandoli); 𝑛=12 (2x)	Udaipur, 2,740 m	51713 PUN	Perennial herb; grassy slopes and meadows	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Fresh young leaves and twigs	Vegetable
Crassulaceae
(11) Rosularia alpestris (Kar; & Kir) Boriss.; (Pyau Chakti); 𝑛=14 (2x)	Kukumsheri, 2800 m	51163 PUN	Perennial herb; rock crevices and dry sandy slopes	Seed, offsets	June–September	Whole plant	Juice—considered good for health
Datiscaceae
(12) Datisca cannabina L.; 𝑛=11 (2x)	Jahlama, 3,070 m	49418 PUN	Perennial robust herb; dry sandy slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Roots	Yellow dye
Fumariaceae
(13)  Corydalis govaniana Wall.; 𝑛=8 (2x)	Gauri Kund, 3,930 m	51673 PUN	Perennial herb; rock crevices and glacial moraines	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Whole plant	Leprosy and rheumatism
Geraniaceae
(14) Geranium pratense L.; (Porlo, Likatur); 𝑛=28 (4x)	Lossar, 3,900 m	51573 PUN	Perennial herb; moist places	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Whole plant,; roots; flowers	Cough, jaundice, and gastric disorders; Poultice to bruises. Black dye obtained by boiling roots along with Naktsur (sulfurous raw mineral); Offered to deities
(15) G. wallichianum D. Don; ex Sweet; 𝑛=14  (2x)	Rohtang Pass, 3,980 m	51190 PUN	Perennial herb; moist slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Whole plant	Stomachaches, cough, cold, and throat infections
Leguminosae
(16)  Astragalus bicuspis Fischer; 𝑛=8 (2x)	Gondhla, 3,160 m	51179 PUN	Under shrub: open, dry, and sandy slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–August	Whole plant	Soil binder
(17) A. himalayanus Klotzsch; (Kayabachhutup); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Zingzingbar, 4,350 m	51288 PUN	Herb; meadows, dry slopes, and around cultivated areas	Seeds	July–September	Seeds, flowers	Strangury
(18) A. rhizanthus Royle ex; Benth. (Figure 6(a)); (Zomoshing); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Chandartal Lake, 4,300 m	51276 PUN	Perennial herb; dry slopes, riverbeds, and among stones	Seeds, rootstock	June–September	Roots	Fodder
(19)  Cicer microphyllum Benth. (Figure 3(b)); (Nayarcha, Chiri); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Chandartal Lake, 4,300 m	51219 PUN	Perennial herb; sandy and dry slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Aerial parts, seeds	Treatment of sore mouth in cattle; “Khur” disease of sheep and goats; Dry as well as fresh leaves are used as vegetable or eaten raw
(20) Indigofera gerardiana Wall. ex Baker; 𝑛=24 (6x)	Tindi, 2,600 m	51312 PUN	Shrub: shady and sometimes also on open moist sloes	Seeds, new sprouts, and suckers begin from dormant buds on stems, rootstocks	May–August	Leaves and young shoots	Fodder and fuel
(21) Medicago falcata L.; (Kathoama); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Keylong, 3,340 m	51328 PUN	Perennial herb; moist shady places	Seeds	July–September	Aerial parts	Used as a good fodder; Cuts and wounds
(22) Trigonella emodi Benth.; (Kuchona, Buksup); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Sundrasi, 3,370 m	51160 PUN	Herb; moist places, riverbeds, and around cultivated fields	Seeds	June–August	Young leaves, shoots, and flowers	Vegetable; Plant considered being poisonous; if fed before flowering; Insect repellent; Dried plants as perfume and fresh flowers worn as garland
Malvaceae
(23) Malva neglecta Wall.; 𝑛=21 (2x)	Keylong, 3,340 m	51696 PUN	Perennial herb; moist places and roadsides	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Whole plant	Decoction for malaria; Dried plants for kidney and bladder disorders
(24) M. verticillata L.; (Mikanchi); 𝑛=52 (polyploid)	Kaza, 3,800 m	51492 PUN	Perennial herb; moist places	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Seeds	Kidney and bladder disorders
Onagraceae
(25)  Epilobium angustifolium L.; (Dharshak); 𝑛=18 (4x)	Miyar, 3,000 m	51665 PUN	Perennial herb; moist places, amidst stones, and boulders	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Roots	Crushed roots used as a detergent
(26)  E. latifolium ssp.; Speciosum (Decne.) Raven; 𝑛=18 (4x)	Batal, 3,960 m	51654 PUN	Perennial herb; dry slopes and on rocks	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Flowers	Ornamental
Papaveraceae
(27)  Meconopsis aculeata Royle (Figure 3(c)); (Chharbongcha Chharmen); 𝑛=28 (4x)	Gauri Kund, 3,930 m	49361 PUN	Herb; among boulders in alpine rocky areas	Seeds	June–September	Aerial parts roots	Swelling of legs after long distance walking; Narcotic and poisonous
Podophyllaceae
(28)  Podophyllum hexandrum Royle (Figure 3(d)); (Omo-Shey); 𝑛=6 (2x)	Gulaba 3,400 m	51708 PUN	Perennial herb; moist slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Roots, fruits	Purgative; Tuberculosis and cough
Ranunculaceae
(29)  Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle (Figure 3(e)); (Boa); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Manimahesh Lake, 4,300 m	51398 PUN	Herb; subalpine and alpine grassy meadows and moist slopes	Seeds	June–September	Roots	Diarrhoea, coughs, astringent, and aphrodisiac
(30)  A. violaceum Jacq. Ex; Stapf.; (Yangtso); 𝑛=8 (2x)	Manimahesh Lake, 4,300 m	51402 PUN	Small herb; alpine Himalayan regions	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Roots	Cough, high fever stomach problems, snake and scorpion bites, contagious infections, and intestine inflammation
(31) Aquilegia fragrans Benth.; (Lande, Kumuk); 𝑛=7	Chhatru, 3,360 m	51377 PUN	Perennial herb; moist slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Flowers	Hair follicle infection
(32) Caltha palustris L.; 𝑛=16 (4x) (Figure 3(f))	Trilokinath, 3,020 m	51333 PUN	Perennial herb; marshy areas along water streams and glacial moraines	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Leaves; Roots	To keep maggots out of cattle wounds. To clean the hands; Gonorrhoea
(33) Delphinium denudatum Wall. ex Hook. f. & Thomson; 𝑛=8 (2x)	Dibri, 2,300 m	51384 PUN	Perennial herb; margins of Cedrus and Pine forest, dry scrubby slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	July–September	Roots	Toothache
(34)  Ranunculus hirtellus Royle; 𝑛=8 (2x), 16 (4x)	Keylong, 3,340 m	51374 PUN	Perennial herb; moist places and alpine meadows	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Whole plant	Counter irritant; Swelling in testes
(35) Thalictrum foetidum L.; 𝑛=21 (6x)	Trilokinath, 3,020 m	51335 PUN	Perennial herb; dry slopes, among stones and boulders	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Flowers	Religious ceremonies
Rosaceae
(36) Cotoneaster microphyllus Wall. ex Lindl.; (Rogthali); 𝑛=17 (2x)	Kothi, 2,400 m	49218 PUN	Trailing evergreen shrub on rocky slopes, rocky mountain areas, thickets, and river valleys	Seeds, new shoots from dormant bud on old stem	June–September	Whole plant, fruits	Eaten raw; Walking sticks and baskets; Used for fuel
(37)  Potentilla atrosanguinea Lodd. var. argyrophylla (Wall. ex Lehm.) Griers. & Long; 𝑛=21 (6x), 42 (12x)	Kilingsarai, 4,500 m	51101 PUN	Perennial herb; alpine meadows and glacial moraines	Seeds, rootstock	June–October	Roots	Toothache and gingivitis
(38)  Rosa webbiana Wall. ex; Royle (Figures 3(g), 4(a), and 4(b)); (Shaybala); 𝑛=7 (2x)	Kaza, 3,800 m	51450 PUN	Deciduous prickly shrub; open sandy and rocky slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Fruits, stems, and flowers	Eaten; Used as biofence; Brooms made—used to remove stones and debris from roads; Used as fuel; Offered in gompas, stomach ache
(39) Spiraea canescens D. Don; 𝑛=9 (2x)	Kothi, 2,400 m	51421 PUN	Shrub: dry slopes	Seeds, rootstocks	June–September	Slender branches	Rim of baskets
Saxifragaceae
(40) Bergenia stracheyi Engl.; (Figures 6(b), 6(c), and 6(d)); (Shilpada); 𝑛=17 (2x)	Gramphoo, 3,160 m	51682 PUN	Perennial herb; moist rocky slopes, among boulders	Seeds, rootstocks	May–September	Leaves, rootstocks, and roots	Used as fuel wood; Diuretic