Ehhno-boatany accounts for the study of relationship between people and plants for their use as medicines, food, fodder and other household purposes or other words it deals with the acquired knowledge system about the use of the useful biological resources among various human communities. It is based on the natural and direct relationship of people and plants including both the fundamental and cultural aspects.

1. An Ethino-botanical Survey on Kashijora Gram Panchayet of Paschim
Medinipur, west Bengal, india, With Special Emphasis On Medicinal
Plant Used By Ethnic People
Presented By: Soma Sinhamahapatra (Roll- MC/UG/S-VI/19 No- 3708)
(6th sem.)
Guided by: Dr. Subrata Giri (Assistant Prof. , Dept. of Botany)

2. SUMMARY
 Ehhno-boatany accounts for the study of relationship between people and plants
for their use as medicines, food, fodder and other household purposes or other
words it deals with the acquired knowledge system about the use of the useful
biological resources among various human communities.
 It is based on the natural and direct relationship of people and plants including
both the fundamental and cultural aspects.
 In the present project work, Ethno-botanical study on traditional medicinal plants
was conducted during the months of January, February and March of 2019 in 9
no. Gram Panchayats at Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal, India.
 We also documented different types of traditional medicinal plants. Used by
Indigenous people like sandals, Mundas , Bhumij and Lodhas. A total of 20
medicinal plants belonging to 14 families used by the tribals living in Paschim
Medinipur ,India. Botanical names, families, vernacular names , short description
of plants as well as purpose of use etc. Are incorporated in brief in this project
work.

3. INTRODUCTION
Ethnobotany is aninter-disciplinary science including ethnology ,
linguistics, archaeology, pharmacology, medicine, ecology etc. The pre-
historic work on Ethnobotany was done by Francisco Hernandez,
personal physician of King Phillip II of Spain in between 1570-1575,
wrote a 16 volumes official record. In 1874, Powers used the term
“Aboriginal Botany’’ to refer to a “study of all the plants which the
aborigin used for medicine, food, textiles, ornaments etc.”. In 1895 the
term “Ethno-botany” was first used by J. W. Harshberger (One of the
fathers of American Economic Botany) to indicate plants used by the
aboriginals.

4. The relationship between plant and man can be
divided into four categories:-
1. Relationships useful both to man and plant.
2. Relationships useful to man but harmful to
plants
3. Relationships useful to plants but harmful to
man.
4. Relationships harmful both to plants and man.

5. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
i. To find out the procedure that how they used it for
physiological satisfaction.
ii. To provide much more information about IK (Indigenous
Knowledge system).
iii. To create public awareness.
iv. To document the ethno-botanical data from existing literature
and form actual field work.
v. To describe the basis ,etymology or folk concept of
vernacular names of plants.
vi. To record a biotic variables of the area.
vii. To develop scientific approach among people towards their
medico-religious belief.
viii. Unknown ethno-botanical uses of tribes bring into for of
literature.
ix. To compare and evaluate the ethno-botanical

6. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area (Geographic Location):
District Paschim
Medinipur
Gram
panchayat
Kashijora
Longitude-
Latitude
22.2898˚N
87.3451˚E
Village Kashijora
Belonging Tribes
Santal
Bhumij
Lodha
Munda
Total no of houses(Santal) 100
Total no of houses(Lodha) 30
Total no of houses(Munda) 20
Total no of houses(Bhumij) 80
Satellite view

8. Tribes Sl
n
o
Medicinal Plant
species
Family Local
Name
Habitat Traditional Use
Parts
used
Aliments
Santal
01 Litsea glutinosa
(Lour.) C.B.Rob
Lauraceae Leda Tree Leaves
Baek
Cure stom-ach
problems by cooling
it.
02 Justicia adhatoda Acanthaceae Basak Shrub Leaves
Bark
Root.
Cold and Cough
Bronchitis.
03 Alstonia scholaris Apocynaceae Chhatim Tree Bark,
Leaves,
Roots.
Snake-bite, Chronic
Diarrhoea
04 Achyranthes aspera Amaranthaceae Apang Herb Root
Seed.
Dysentery, to stop
bleeding
hydrophobia
05 Barleria lupulina Acanthaceae Kanta bisha
Lya karani
Shurb Leaves Cuts& Wounds
06 Euphorbia
antiquorum (L.)
Moench
Euphorbiaceae Bajbaran Cactus Latex Reduce pain
07 Andrographis
paniculata
Acanthaceae Kalmegh Herb Leaves &
Whole
plant
Skin infection Cold &
Cough
08 Calotropis gigantea Apocynaceae Akanda Large
Shrub
Leaves
Latex
Leaf paste use To
cure swelling On
chick, Latex Cure pain
in gum

9. Tribes Sl no Medicinal
Plant species
Family Local
Name
Habitat Traditional Use
Parts
used
Aliments
Munda
09 Cocculus
hirsutus
(L.) Diels
Menispermaceae Patalgurur Creeper Bark Cure pain in
Stomach
10 Lantana
camara
Verbenacece Bhabri Shrub Whole
plant
Cuts, wounds
And swelling
11 Holarrhena
pubescens
Wall.exG.Don
1837
Apocynaceae Kurchi Tree Bark
,Root
Used in blood
dysentery,
Piles,
Diarrhoea
12 Strychnos
nux-vomica
Loganiaceae Kuchila Tree Leaves
Root,
Bark
Relief pain
Fever, diarrho
-ea,vomiting

10. Tribes Sl no Medicinal
Plant
species
Family Local
Name
Habitat Traditional Use
Parts
used
Aliments
Bhumij
13 Asparagus
racemosus
Asparogace
ae
Satmuli Under
shurb
Tuber
roots
Boody urine
Blood
desentery
14 Mimosa
pudica Lam.
Mimosacea
e
Lojjaboti Shrub Root,
Leaves
Diarrhoea
Indigestion
Fever
15 Euphorbia
neriifoliaL.
Euphorbiac
eae
Sidh
-manasa
Shrub Leaf Cure cold,
cough of
children
16 Ocimum
tenuiflorum
Lamiaceae Krishna
tulsi
Shrub Leave
Whole
plant

11. Tribes Sl no Medicinal Plant
species
Family Local
Name
Habitat Traditional Use
Parts
used
Aliments
Lodha
17 Jatropha
gossypifolia
Euphorbiac
eae
Samri Shrub Bark Use to treat
Pain teeth
And gum
problems
18 Datura
innoxia.
Solanaceae Krishna
dhutra
Under
shrub
Whole
plant
Asthma
Ehronic
cough
dysentery
19 Aristolochia
indica
L.
Aristolochia
ceae
Iswarmul Creepy
plant
Root Used to
cure
Cold
,cough
of children
20 Hemidesmus
Indicus
Asclepiadce
ae
Anantamul Shrub Root
Leaves
Fever,skin
care
Store on
kidney

12. Justicia adhatoda Linn.Achyrarthes aspera Linn.
Litseag lutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Robins. Alstonia scholaris R.Br

13. Andrographis paniculata(Burm. f.). Euphorbia anitquorum Linn.
Jatropha gossypifolia
Lantana camara Linn.

14. Cocculus hirsustus Datura innoxia Mill.
Holarrhena pubescens Barleria lupulina

15. Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. Euphorbia neriifolia Linn.
Calotropis gigantea(Linn.) R.Br. ex Ait.
Mimosa pudica Linn.

16. Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn.
Strychnos nux-vomicaL inn.
Asparagus racemosus Willd.
Aristolochia indica Linn.

17. Conclusion
Based on initial survey and group discussion with ethnic people of
the study area, it was found that information about the medicinal
plant, is mostly confined to elder people. Younger generation is
ignorant about this vast medicinal resources available in their
surroundings and commercialization of the narcotic plant . The
indigenous knowledge system of herbal practice is still very rich and
available among tribal community of this Gram Panchayats under
Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal. Hence it is necessary to
document the traditional knowledge of useful plants and their
therapeutic and other commercial uses before being lost forever
from the community.

18. References
1. Harshberger,J.W. 1895. Some new idea ,EveningTelegraph,Philadelphia.
2. Goel,A.K.Sahoo,A.K. & Mudgal,V.1984. A contribution totheEthnobotany of
Santalpargana(Botanical survey of India:Calcutta,India)
3. Jones ,V.H. 1941. The nature status of ethnobotany.Chronischer
Botulismus,6(10):219-221.
4. Faulks,P.J. 1958.An introduction to Ethnobotany: Moredale publications
Ltd.London,England.
5. Janaki Ammal,E.K.1954. The scope and functions of the recognised
Botanical survey of India.Sci&cult.20:275-800.
6. Jain,S.K. 1967.Ethnobotany:Its scope and study in Indian,Museum
Bull.2(1):39-43.
7. Jain, S.K.1963. Magico-religious beliefs about plants among the adivasis of
Bastar. Journal of mathematical society of japan.54:73-94.