Introduction

Ethnobotany is a scientific discipline that comprises the study of human interaction with plants. It mainly focuses on the study of a region’s plants along with the practical knowledge of those plants with the help of the traditional knowledge of local people and their culture. It is a branch of botany which dates to ancient times. 

The term ethnobotany was coined by John William Harshberger in 1895, to describe the study of plants used by local people belonging to a particular area. Ethnobotany can be defined as the systematic study of the relationship between people and plants. 

Ethnobotany can be defined as the study of the relationship between plants and the people of a particular society. Or, we can say that ethnobotany is the study of the contextualised use of plants.

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Importance of Ethnobotany 

• The importance of ethnobotany is manifold
• Ethnobotany provides knowledge on the traditional uses of plants; this knowledge can be used towards the development of societies
• The study of ethnobotany tells us about unknown but useful plants and also helps in understanding the new uses of many plants that are already known to us
• Ethnobotany is essential for tribal groups of people
• Tribal people mostly depend on forest products for their daily needs and primary health care
• Tribal people collect food oils, medicines, gums, dyes and tannins from the forests, and these groups of people in the Northeast region of India depend on the forest and its products for their basic needs, even today
• Many tribes practise shifting cultivation, which is also known locally as “jhum cultivation”. In this type of cultivation, a patch of land is cleared, crops are grown on that land, and when the soil loses its fertility after growing one or two crops, the people leave the land, move towards other parts of the forest, and continue this process
• Medicinal plants also provide a source of drugs for the majority of the global population today. This is referred to as medico-ethno botany. This aspect also shows us the importance of ethnobotany
• During the last few decades, some drugs such as quinine, cocaine, digoxin, and taxol have been discovered from plants, due to the knowledge of ethnobotany
• Some of the bioactive compounds such as artemisinin, gossypol, hypericin, etc. have also been recently discovered due to the understanding of the relationship between plants and society
• Ethnobotany also encourages awareness for establishing a link between biodiversity and cultural diversity as well as the mutual influence of plants and humans
• Therefore it is necessary for people in our country to understand the different aspects of ethnobotany

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Importance of Ethnobotany in the Indian Context

• Plant resources have always served the primary needs of humans (including healthcare) since time immemorial. Indigenous knowledge of plants is recognised worldwide owing to their intrinsic value, as well as in the field of modern drug development
• Plants are used as traditional herbal medicines in many parts of India by local ethnic people, especially in the Himalayan region
• In fact, all traditional systems of medicine in India and around the world have their roots and origin in ethnomedicines
• Due to the lack of research support, educational opportunities and understanding the dialects of tribal people, India is still unable to fully recognise the importance of ethnobotany
• The study of ethnobotany helps in relaying information to administrators and scientists to prepare action plans for the economic growth and development of tribal areas

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Importance of Ethnobotany in Environmental Conservation

• Ethnobotany plays a significant role in understanding natural resources, which provide raw materials for agroforestry
• Some crops are cultivated for generations and hence, they represent a distinct genetic stock adapted to local conditions. An example of this is the Moghania vestita which is a tuber crop of Khasi and Jaintia Hills
• In India, various plants are included in nature-worship traditions. Some areas of forest are called sacred groves which play an important role in environmental conservation. Many sacred groves are seen in various parts of Meghalaya and Sikkim. In Meghalaya, these sacred groves are locally known as Lawkyntang and in Sikkim, they are known to the locals as Lungchuk

Conclusion

Ethnobotany studies the relationship between plants and the people of various societies; an important relationship for many tribal groups. Forest products provide tribal people with the materials they need for their daily living, including material required for their physical and health-related needs. 

Traditional systems of medicine in India, and around the world, originate from ethnomedicines. Conducting research into the relationship between plants and societies may help us in related areas such as drug discovery and environmental conservation.