Ethnobotany of medicinal trees from sacred groves of the Imphal valley, Manipur, India

Abstract

The expanding urban areas in the Imphal valley have put the fate of the sacred groves or “Umang Lai” managed by the Meitei ethnic group in an uncertain state. In the present field study, the indigenous oral knowledge of ethnomedicinal trees from 10 sacred groves in the valley was documented. In total, 35 ethnomedicinal trees from 29 genera and 20 families were reported. It was observed that the local healers have used the ethnomedicinal trees to treat 37 different ailments from 11 ailment categories. During the field visits, it was observed that most of the sacred groves required immediate intervention measures for restoration so that the biodiversity pockets are preserved and the socio-cultural linkages are safeguarded for future generations.