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Ecological status of medicinal plants in Oak and mixed Oak forests of Nainital Catchment, Uttarakhand

The present study was conducted in Oak dominated forests of Nainital in the Uttarakhand Himalaya, to assess the phytosociological attributes of medicinal plant species by randomly laying 10 quadrats of 10×10 m2 for trees, 5×5 m2 for shrubs and 1×1 m2 for herbs across study area. The vegetation data recorded was quantitatively analysed for density, frequency, abundance to frequency ratio and Importance Value Index (IVI). Overall the density of trees ranged between 1.60 to 6.60 individuals/100m2. Shrub density varied between 18.10 to 23.20 individuals/25m2 while herb layer had a density ranging between 4.60 to 14.60 individuals/m2. Among trees Quercus leucotrichophora was the most frequently distributed. Among shrubs, Berberis spp. and Daphne papyracea were the most frequent while most of the medicinal herbs were rare. Litsea umbrosa among trees while Daphne papyracea among shrubs were dominant in two of the selected sites, as evident from their higher IVI values. Among medicinal herbs Ocimum basilicum in Oak forest, Smilax aspera in Oak conifer forest and Valeriana wallichii in Oak mixed forest had maximum IVI. Most of the species were contagiously distributed in all the study sites while random and regular distribution was less common.