Introduction

Biodiversity conservation is a demanding task that includes scientific, social, and political challenges (Pelletier et al. 2018). Given the enormous diversity of species and limited resources available to undertake these conservation programs, prioritization of species for conservation, assessment of threat status and the most suitable strategy to be adopted become the basic pre-requisites. To serve this objective, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a membership union composed of both government and civil society organizations, was established. An IUCN ‘Red List of Threatened Species’ was developed, which provides extinction risk and species distribution (Pollock et al. 2003; Brooks et al. 2004). As per IUCN classification, species are assigned a ranked threat category, such as extinct (EX), extinct in wild (EW), critically endangered (CR), endangered (EN), vulnerable (VU), near threatened (NT), least concern (LC) and data deficient (DD) (Fig. 1) through assessment against quantitative criteria based on indicators of extinction risk (Collen et al. 2016; Hammer and Khoshbakht 2005). As the threat categories itself are basic keys to prioritize conservation this list is the globally accepted method of assessing species extinction risk (Collar 1996). Countries around the world are adapting these criteria to prioritize species for conservation, to determine the conservation approaches and to frame regulatory and policy decisions for conservation, and multilateral agreements (Maxted et al. 1997; Rodrigues et al. 2006). Figure 2 depicts the estimated number of threatened species (till date) in Kingdom Animalia, Plantae, Chromista and Fungi, globally and in India as per the IUCN assessment (IUCN 2020). Because of ever increasing human population and anthropogenic activities, species extinction rate has increased to hundred or thousand-fold compared to background extinctions, bringing to forefront the ‘sixth mass extinction’ crisis (Shivanna 2020).

Fig. 1
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IUCN Red List threat categories and their risk level

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Fig. 2
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(Source: IUCN 2020)

Total number of threatened species of Kingdom Plantae, Animalia, Chromista and Fungi at global and national level as per IUCN estimation. Numerical values mentioned on the arrows indicate the number of threatened species

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India has 2.4% of world’s area with 8% of global biodiversity and is one of the 12 mega diversity countries of the world (Myers et al. 2000; Bapat et al. 2008). Among the world’s 35 global biodiversity hotspots (GBH), four (Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundaland and Western Ghats) fall in the Indian geo-political territory (Jaisankar et al. 2018). This richness of phyto-diversity in India is owing to existence of 15 agro-climatic zones with varied ecological habitats. India has ~ 10.45% of global floral diversity. More than 50% of the world’s plant species are endemic to 35 GBH, which once covered 15.9% of the earth’s land surface and are now reduced to 2.3% (Mittermeier et al. 2011). These hotspots harbor a large number of endemic species, which are facing an increasing threat of extinction (Hazarika et al. 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants, first published in 1998, lists more than 8,000 species under threat (Walter and Gillett 1998).

On a global basis, IUCN has estimated that about 13.49% of the world’s vascular plants (3,00,000 species), totaling about 40,468 species are under varying degrees of threat. Many plant species are becoming extinct (123 are extinct and 37 are extinct in wild) and under threatened categories CR (3,325), EN (6,063), VU (7,072) (Fig. 3) or vulnerable to extinction due to various reasons like population loss, loss of pollinators, loss of reproduction and/or seed germination capacity, habitat destruction (both natural and human-induced), over exploitation and loss of genetic variability (IUCN, 2020; Kala 2000, 2005). In India about 11.53% of vascular plants (18,532), totaling about 2,142 species are red listed. Out of these 8 are extinct, 432 species are threatened (CR, EN and VU) and nearly 54 species are grouped under near threatened (Fig. 3) (IUCN 2020).

Fig. 3
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(Source: IUCN 2020)

Number of plant species threatened at (a) global (b) national level as per IUCN estimation (EX: Extinct; EW- Extinct in the Wild; CR-Critically Endangered; EN: Endangered; VU: Vulnerable; LR/cd: Lower Risk-Conservation Dependent; NT: Near threatened; LC: Least concern; DD; Data deficient

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Nature has bestowed India with an enormous wealth of medicinal plants, due to which the country is often referred as ‘Medicinal Garden’ or ‘Botanical Garden’ of the world (Ahmadullah and Nayar 1999). Of 48,655 plant species documented (including virus, bacteria, algae, fungi and lichens) 9,500 species have ethno-botanical importance and 7,500 species are in medicinal use for indigenous health practices as well as modern system of medicines (Kumar et al. 2013; Sharma and Pandey 2013). From ancient period medicinal plants have been used in all cultures as a source of medicine and its use as herbal medicine is described in numerous ancient texts. Besides being a major source of raw material for the traditional healthcare practices (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Sowa-Rigpa and diverse area- and community-specific folk medicine) and pharmaceutical industry, also provide livelihood to a large Indian population (Kumar et al. 2015). Indigenous and traditional systems of medicine using plants have shown potential (direct or indirect as immune-boosters) against many dreaded ailments including the recent global pandemic of COVID-19. For example Ayurveda preparations (‘rasayana’) with ‘Ashwagandha’ (Withania somnifera Dunal) can be a potential candidate for management of COVID-19, as also ‘Shatavari’ (Asparagus racemosus Willd.), ‘Amala’ (Phyllanthus emblica L. syn Embelica officinalis), ‘Guduchi’ [Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers], as these have immunomodulatory properties, and may have the potential to boost health and immunity to fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection (Patwardhan et al. 2020).

In India more than 90% of medicinal plants are facing threat due to excessive and unsustainable collection, utilization, overexploitation or un-skilled harvesting (Kumari et al. 2011). Based on global rates of plant species threatened with extinction, it is estimated that around 1,000 medicinal plant species may be under threat in different eco-systems across India (FRLHTENVIS 2016a). As per the IUCN Red List, a total of 457 species out of 2,143 species are listed under medicine for human and veterinary group (Table 1). Of these, 73 are threatened (CR, EN, VU), 8 (NT), 1 (DD) and 366 (LC). Although there are publications enlisting threatened plants of medicinal value at state, region, national and global levels prepared by Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritization (CAMP), Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and IUCN, etc., there is no consolidated compilation at one place, to get an accurate assessment. Therefore, in this paper an attempt has been made to review the existing information and compile an exhaustive list of threatened medicinal plants of India. This easy, one-stop-shop ready reckoner for information related to Indian threatened medicinal plant species will be beneficial especially for young researchers to strategize conservation, repatriation and use of such species. It will help not only the researchers but also policy makers in developing strategies for efficient conservation/cultivation to ensure availability of these precious resources for utilization by future generations.

Table 1 Updated list of medicinal plants under the category (medicine: plants and animals) in different threat categories as per IUCN (
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Threat assessment

At national level several institutes have assessed the threat status of medicinal plants in India (Jain and Rao 1983; Nayar and Shastry 1987–1990). During 1987–1990, a total of 602 vascular plants were listed as threatened in Red Data Book of Indian Plants, which increased to 1,255 in 2003 (Rao et al. 2003), and 2,152 in 2020 (IUCN 2020). Over the past two decades, 14 CAMP workshops covering 17 states of India were conducted for rapid assessment of prioritized medicinal plant species of conservation concern in different states/regions of India by the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), India, in collaboration with Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) (Fig. 4). CAMP workshop also uses IUCN threat categories of the respective period for assigning threat status. State-wise CAMP list of threatened medicinal plants is presented in Fig. 5a-c. We compared IUCN and CAMP list of medicinal plants and observed inconsistencies in threat status reported, and also few species missing (Table 2).

Fig. 4
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Source: Ved and Tandon 1998; Jadhav et al. 2001; Ved et al. 2003a, b; Ved et al. 2005; Goraya et al. 2013; Ved et al. 2016a, b)

State-wise proportion of medicinal plants of India in different threat categories (except LC and DD) based on CAMP exercise (EX: Extinct; CR-Critically endangered; EN: Endangered; VU: Vulnerable; NT: Near threatened) (

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Fig. 5
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Source: Ved and Tandon 1998; Jadhav et al. 2001; Ved et al. 2003a, b; Ved et al. 2005; Goraya et al. 2013; Ved et al. 2016a, b)

State-wise list of threatened medicinal plants of India based on CAMP exercise represented from state with highest number of species to state with lowest number of species under different threat categories (a) Critically endangered (b) Endangered (c) Vulnerable. Same colour represents the state on the map. (

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Table 2 Consolidated list of threatened medicinal plants represented in both IUCN (India region) and CAMP exercise (India region)
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It is estimated that about 7,500 plants are used in local health traditions in most rural and tribal villages in India (Shakya 2016). Herbal treatments are the most popular form of traditional medical system (Sarker and Nahar 2007). The various codified Indian systems of medicine are complemented by a strong inheritance of non-codified and non-commercial living folk healthcare traditions. These folk healthcare traditions, carried from generation to generation and practiced by around one million folk practitioners are spread across 29 states, 7 union territories, 497 cities, 7,935 towns and 6,49,481 villages and nearly 140 million rural households in the country. The first effort to assess the demand and supply of medicinal plants of selected 162 species in the country was made by the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) during 2001–02, through Centre for Research, Planning and Action (CERPA) (Goraya and Ved 2017). In 2003, export potential of medicinal plants was assessed by the FRLHT through Export Import (EXIM) Bank (Goraya and Ved 2017). Under this study, a total of 880 medicinal plant species were found traded. NMPB also assigned to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) with FRLHT to re-assess the demand and supply of medicinal plants in the country and developed a comprehensive database pertaining to the medicinal plants (NMPB 2020a). Thereafter in 2006–07 and 2015, NMPB commissioned the nation-wide study through the ICFRE in strategic partnership with FRLHT with the major objective to assess the status of demand and supply of medicinal plants in India for the said period (Goraya and Ved 2017).

In a span of ten years (2005–14) tremendous increase in demand and supply of the medicinal plants is recorded (Goraya and Ved 2017). A 62% increase in annual demand of herbal raw drugs was observed for the year 2014–15 over the demand estimated for the year 2005–06 (Ved and Goraya 2008). The volume of botanical drugs exported increased from 56,500 Metric Tonne (MT) in 2005–06 to 1,34,500 MT in 2014–15. About seven times higher (10,680 million in 2005–06 to 70,000 million in 2014–15) estimated trade value of herbal drugs was registered in 10 years. The trade value of herbal raw drugs consumed by the domestic herbal industry has also registered more than two fold increase as per the latest estimates during 2014–15. A total of 242 species are enlisted as high commercial demand (> 100 MT/year) during 2014–15 (Table 3) in contrast to 178 species in 2005–06 (Ved and Goraya 2008). Out of 242 species 114 (47%) are collected from forests, 59 species (25%) are wild and collected from landscapes outside forests, 54 species (22%) are obtained from cultivation and 15 species (6%) are imported. A total of 1,389 botanical entities corresponding to 960 plant species were enlisted under trade in the study conducted by NMPB (Goraya and Ved 2017). India’s domestic herbal industry is represented by 8,610 licensed herbal units (Ayurveda-7,494, Unani-421, Siddha-328 and Homeopathy-367) spread across different states in the country. Uttar Pradesh has the highest units of 2,247 followed by Kerala (905), Maharashtra (705), Tamil Nadu (662), Madhya Pradesh (633), Andhra Pradesh (610), Gujarat (495), Haryana (300), Punjab (284), Bihar (281), West Bengal (277), Rajasthan (268), Uttarakhand (240), Karnataka (177), Orissa (160), Himachal Pradesh (138), Delhi (63), Assam (53), Pondicherry (41), Nagaland (34), Chhattisgarh (31), Jammu and Kashmir (15), Daman and Diu (10), Goa (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (5), Chandigarh (1), Meghalaya (1) and Sikkim (1) (Goraya and Ved 2017).

Table 3 Threat status of 242 plant species with high commercial demand (> 100 MT/year) in India
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National efforts towards conservation of medicinal plants

The Government of India (GoI) took due cognizance for medicinal plants since early 1990s and several activities have been undertaken to protect and conserve these species both in situ (biosphere reserves, national parks, wild life sanctuaries, sacred groves etc.) and ex situ (botanical gardens, field gene banks, seed gene banks, in vitro gene banks and cryogenebanks). For in situ conservation, of the total geographical area of India about 16.5 million ha (5.02%) is under protected areas and 70.8 million ha (21.54%) is under forests. In India, a total of 870 protected areas are earmarked which include 104 national parks, 551 wildlife sanctuaries, 127 community reserves, 88 conservation reserves (WIIENVIS 2019). Further, an estimated 100,000 – 150,000 sacred groves are present in India (Kandari et al. 2014). For ex situ conservation several institutes/organizations have been established by GoI, especially to undertake research on medicinal plants viz., Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) under Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and its regional circles and experimental gardens at different geographic regions of India, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)-Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (KSCSTE – JNTBGRI, formerly TBGRI), Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) institutes i.e., Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and the Regional Research Laboratories (RRLs), Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology; Institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) namely ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Research (ICAR-NBPGR), ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ICAR-DMAPR) and ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), ICAR-All India Network Research Project on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (AINRP MAPs). In addition, several other government and non-government organizations, industries, ayurvedic practitioners are also involved in conservation and cultivation of these medicinal plants (Bhattacharyya et al. 2006).

A network of four National Gene Banks for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (GEBMAP) were set up in 1993 at (1) ICAR-NBPGR (2) KSCSTE – JNTBGRI, (3) CSIR-CIMAP, and (4) Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) Jammu (added later) under the G-15 GEBMAP program with Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, GoI, as nodal agency. This has not only given better focus and thrust especially on collection and conservation of medicinally important threatened species but also helped in consolidating the ongoing efforts in the country (Sharma and Pandey 2013; Sharma et al. 2019, 2020). JNTBGRI herbal garden has a collection of 1,200 taxa herbals in an area of 10 acres (KSCSTE-JNTBGRI 2019). At CSIR-CIMAP, a total of 3,334 accessions in seed bank (2,476 accessions) and field genebank (868 accessions) are being maintained (Rajpurohit and Jhang 2015).

ICAR-NBPGR is the nodal agency for all the activities introduction, collection, conservation, documentation, evaluation and distribution of plant genetic resources (PGR) in the country. It has 10 regional stations located in different agro-climatic zones of the country and the 59 National Active Germplasm Sites (NAGS) which are based at ICAR institutes (specific crops groups) and are assigned with multiplication, evaluation, conservation of active collections of germplasm and their distribution to users both at the national and international levels. In addition, several ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities and other stakeholders are also linked to the network (Singh et al. 2016). The National Gene Bank of ICAR-NBPGR has four types of conservation facilities i.e., seed gene bank, cryogenebank, in vitro gene bank and field genebank. At ICAR-NBPGR, 8,071 accessions of MAPs in seed genebank, 178 accessions in in vitro genebank and 1,041 accessions in cryogenebank are being conserved (Singh and Pandey 2019; Sharma et al. 2020).

The GoI has also established NMPB in 2000 under Ministry of AYUSH, and provided funds for research on medicinal plants. In addition to NMPB, DBT and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have also supported researchers to undertake research on medicinal plants. Recently (2019) NMPB prioritized 32 medicinal plants for conservation (Aconitum ferox Wall ex Ser., Aconitum heterophyllum Wall., Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr., Andrographis paniculata, Asparagus racemosus (Burm.) Nees, Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Berberis aristata DC., Cassia angustifolia M Vahl. = Senna alexandrina Mill., Chlorophytum borivillianum Sant., Coleus barbatus Benth., Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, Crocus sativus L., Embelia ribes Burm.f., Emblica officinalis Gaertn. = Phyllanthus emblica L, Garcinia indica Choisy, Gloriosa superb L., Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br., Nardostachys jatamansi (Retz.) R. Br., Ocimum sanctum L., Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn., Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth., Piper longum L, Plantago ovate Forsk., Rauvolfia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz., Santalum album L., Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde, Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch, Solanum nigrum L., Swertia chirata Roxb. ex Flem., Tinospora cordifolia Miers., Withania somnifera Dunal (NMPB 2020b). NMPB has also taken initiatives for in situ conservation of medicinal plants through establishment of 72 Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs) across 13 states of the country, covering an area of 10,935 ha in forest areas (Biswas et al. 2017) and 36 State Medicinal Plant Boards in State/UT. FRLHT in collaboration with the State Forest Departments and with financial support of Danish International Development Aid (DANIDA), Netherlands, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has established 108 Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas (MPCAs) across 13 states and 18 Medicinal Plants Conservation Parks (MPCPs) in southern India for focusing on conservation of prioritized wild medicinal plants occurring in different regions of the country (FRLHTENVIS 2016b). In 2012, DBT initiated a mega-network programme on ‘Preventing extinction and improving the conservation status of threatened plants through application of biotechnological tools and conserved 100 threatened species of India (Barik et al. 2018). Under this project 115 species were reintroduced, macropropagation protocols were standardized for 106 species and micropropagation protocols were standardized for 76 species (Barik et al. 2018).

Regulatory and policy framework in India

The medicinal plant species in trade (both domestic and international) are sourced from many different agro-climatic zones in the country from the wild, and only a very small number of species are cultivated (Pareek et al. 2005; Sharma and Pandey 2013). Besides these, there is no data documented regarding the consumption levels of botanicals by the non-codified and non-commercial folk healthcare traditions, based primarily on ecosystem and region-specific plant material practiced by around one million folk practitioners and ~ 140 millions of rural households in the country. It is important to note that of 242 species in high commercial demand (> 100 MT per year), 72% of these species is sourced largely from wild plants as roots, bark, wood stem or the whole plant. This poses a major concern as it affects the survival of these species. Unsustainable collecting activities coupled with limited or no efforts of replenishment/cultivation, long duration life cycle of plants, climate change and developmental activities have led to rapid decline in the availability of many medicinal plant species in the country during the last three decades. This has culminated into a large number of species falling in to threatened group at country as well as global level. In order to minimize this, the GoI has developed few regulatory frameworks and policies viz.,

  • Indian Forest Act, 1927;

  • Panchayat Raj Act, 1933;

  • The West Bengal Forest Produce Transit Rules, 1955;

  • Andaman and Nicobar Island Forest Produce Transit Rules, 1966;

  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Amended 2003) Also 2006;

  • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1975;

  • Kerala Forest Produce Transit Rules, 1975;

  • The Forest (Conservation) Act (Amended), 1980;

  • Environment Protection Act, 1986;

  • National Forest Policy, 1988;

  • Negative list of Plants for Exports and Imports (Revised), 1994;

  • Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas)(PESA) Act, 1996;

  • National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, 2002;

  • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002;

  • Biological Diversity Rules, 2004;

  • Negative list of MAP Collection from Wild, 2004;

  • Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act (FRA), 2006;

  • Maharashtra Forests Rules, 2014, The HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Route) Rules, 2013;

  • Export Import Policy, 2015–20;

  • National Wildlife Action Plan 2017–31;

As per Sect. 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Central Government, in consultation with the Government of states, notifies the plants which are on the verge of extinction (Table 4). The NMPB has developed several policies, strategies and programs for conservation, proper harvesting, cost-effective cultivation, research and development, processing, marketing of raw material to promote and develop medicinal plants sector. Recently a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between ICAR-NBPGR and NMPB on July 6, 2020 for safe conservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Genetic Resources for long-term storage at the National Gene Bank of ICAR-NBPGR (ICAR-NBPGR 2020).

Table 4 List of plants notified by the Central Government, in consultation with the State Government under Sect. 38 of India’s Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (
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In addition to national policy framework, India has also signed few international agreements:

(i) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement between governments which aims to ensure that international trade of wild animals and plants does not lead to any threat on their survival. There are about 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants that are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI, has notified a list of 113 species (CITES 2017), the export of which requires 'Certificate of Cultivation' or 'Legal Procurement Certificate' from the designated authorities of the Forest Departments. At present twelve of the Indian medicinal plants are included in the appendices of CITES viz., Appendix I (Saussurea costus), Appendix II (Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. = A. agalocha Roxb.ex DC., Cycas bedomii Dyer., Dioscorea deltoidea Wall. Ex Kunth, Rauvolfia serpentina, Cibotium barometz Link., Podophyllum hexandrum Royle, Pterocarpus santalinus L.F., Nardostachys grandiflora DC., Nepenthes khasiana Hook. f., Picrorhiza kurrooa, Taxus wallichiana Zucc.).

(ii) The EXIM Policy—Plants Prohibited for Exports. Under this export of 29 plants (Aconitum species, Aquilaria malaccensis, Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn.) Coleb., Coptis teeta Wall., Cyatheaceae species, Cycas beddomei, Cycadaceae species, Dioscorea deltoidea, Dactylorhiza hatagirea (DON.) SOO, Euphorbia species, Frerea indica Dalz, Gentiana kurroo Royle., Gnetum species, Podophyllum hexandrum, Kaempferia galanga L., Nardostachys grandiflora, Nepenthes khasiana, Orchidaceae species, Panax pseudoginseng Wall., Paphiopedilium species, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Pterocarpus santalinus, Rauvolfia serpentina, Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe., Saussurea costus, Swertia chirata, Taxus wallichiana, Vanda coerulea Griff. Ex Lindl.), plant portions and their derivatives and extracts as such obtained from the wild except the formulations made there from, is prohibited.

(iii) Foreign Trade under ITC (HS) Codes and its Limitations.

Reintroduction of threatened plants in natural habitat

Reintroduction of threatened plants is the approach of re-establishment into an area suitable for its growth or from where it has become threatened. Through micro- or macropropagation, such plants have to be produced in large numbers to reintroduce in nature especially. The basic idea of this approach is to establish a self-sustaining population for conservation purposes. A species is said to be ‘recovered’, once the factors that initially led to its listing in threatened species are remedied and protection is no longer required. This approach has been successfully applied in India as a part of conservation efforts of threatened plants i.e., Vanda coerulea Griff ex. Lindl. (Seeni and Latha 2000), Syzygium travancorium Gamble (Anand 2003), Decalpis arayalpathra J. Joseph & V. Chandrasekaran, Mahonia leschenaultia (Wallich ex Wight & Arnott) Takeda = Berberis napaulensis, Heracleum candolleanum (WT. & ARN.) GAMBLE, Calophyllum apetalum Willd. and Blepharistemma serratum (Densst.) Suresh = Blepharistemma membranifolia (Krishnan et al. 2011), Ceropegia fantastica Sedgtvick (Ravikanth et al. 2018). In recent years, the DBT has initiated a several species-specific recovery programmes targeting 156 highly threatened species of the country during the past three decades. These species belong to 101 genera and 64 families, and comprise herbs (50), trees (42), orchids (24), shrubs (14), climbers (14), bamboos (3), palms (3), rattans (3), cycads (2), and tree fern (1) (DBT 2019).

Way Forward

  • Every plant on this planet is known to possess one or the medicinal properties, but all these plants can’t be classified as medicinal plants. For example, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench., Allium cepa L., A. sativum L., Amaranthus spinosus L., A. tricolor L., Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., Carica papaya L., Citrus acida Roxb., C. limon (L.) Burm. etc. are listed in Indian traded medicinal plants list, Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. in CAMP, Psidium guajava L. and Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H. Ohashi in IUCN. Hence, it is urgently required to regroup and clearly demarcate the medicinal plants.

  • As many projects have been completed in the past two decades, a database should be prepared at national level, with significant outcomes of the projects. Duplication of work may be avoided and it would help to identify research gap.

  • Instead of several projects in parts, a mega-network project needs to be carried out for ex situ conservation of medicinal plants. As many botanical gardens are being established, but maintaining in botanical gardens/field gene banks is a risky approach, costly affair and more chances of loss of crops due to climate change, pests, diseases and natural calamities. Hence, seed conservation/ in vitro conservation/ cryopreservation may be used for long-term safe conservation.

  • Large diversity of any crop is essential for crop improvement, so emphasis may be given that entire genetic diversity of priority medicinal plants are conserved.

  • Though India has taken extensive activities to conserve medicinal plants, the collections remain fragmented. There is need for establishment of long-term conservation strategies which are both sustainable and accessible. The ICAR- NBPGR has been conserving all diversity in agri-horticultural crops, where it is mandatory to obtain a national identity- indigenous collection (IC) number before release of any varieties. Similarly for medicinal plants, there is need to follow similar system by all Institutes across India. Recent MOU between ICAR-NBPGR is one such step to enhance focus on conservation of this important group of plants.

  • All germplasm with relevant passport information must be conserved in National Gene Bank (seed genebank/in vitro/field genebanks) with a back up duplicate set at regional/Institute level, to not only ensure sustainable availability of diversity for use but also safeguarding threatened medicinal plants for future generations and future unforeseeable diseases/pandemics.

Conclusion

This paper provides, an easy, updated, ready-to-use guide for information for Indian threatened medicinal plant species, as designated by Indian and global agencies and conservation efforts. Further, online access to data is subject to availability of internet access. Consolidated offline information, as provided in this paper, is often required by students, teachers, policy makers etc., as a ready reckoner. This will help not only the researchers but also policy makers in developing strategies for efficient conservation/cultivation to ensure availability of these precious resources for utilization by future generations.