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Pteridophytes Used by Peoples of Indian Himalayan Region and Northern India: An Overview

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Ferns

Abstract

Pteridophytes are being used by human beings from time immemorial, but compared to flowering plants, their uses and economic potential are still neglected; therefore, they need to be highlighted and popularised. Out of ca. 1200 taxa of Indian pteridophytes, nearly 800 occur in the Himalayan region. Traditionally different ethnic groups of the Himalayas are using various species of pteridophytes as vegetable, food, fodder and folk medicine and in making yeast cakes as a starter and flavouring in country-made beer and wine, in construction of hill houses and cattle sheds, etc. Besides its traditional uses, in modern societies, pteridophytes are also used by the Himalayan peoples for decoration, in making flower bouquet and as stuffing material; further they are also introduced in horticulture, as stock in orchid culture, in mulching and in other nursery practices. However, recent development and modernisation of societies completely changed the social status and way of life of the Himalayan people, and this traditional knowledge is being diminished generation by generation; therefore it needs to be documented correctly. Keeping this in view, the socioeconomically useful pteridophytes of the Indian Himalayan regions are highlighted here.

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Acknowledgements

For the facilities and encouragements, the senior author is thankful to various directors of Botanical Survey of India (BSI), viz. Dr. M. Sanjappa, Dr. P. Singh and Dr. A. A. Mao, and those in charge of different regional centres of BSI where he worked during this study. The second author (AB) is thankful to Yog Guru Baba Ramdev and his research scientist Dr. Bhaskar Joshi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botanical Survey of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    B. S. Kholia

  2. Patanjali Herbal Research Department, Patanjali Research Foundation Trust, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India

    Acharya Balkrishna

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  1. B. S. Kholia
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  2. Acharya Balkrishna
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Centre for Plant Biotechnology, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai, India

    Johnson Marimuthu

  2. Dept. of Organisms and Systems Biology, Area of Plant Physiology, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

    Helena Fernández

  3. Department of Botany and Biotechnology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

    Ashwani Kumar

  4. Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Excellence in Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi, Tamil Nadu, India

    Shibila Thangaiah

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Kholia, B.S., Balkrishna, A. (2022). Pteridophytes Used by Peoples of Indian Himalayan Region and Northern India: An Overview. In: Marimuthu, J., Fernández, H., Kumar, A., Thangaiah, S. (eds) Ferns. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6170-9_17

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