Ethnobotany of Buldhana District Maharashtra

Contents: Preface. I. Introduction: 1. Introduction. 2. Geography. 3. Geology and soils. 4. Rivers and lakes. 5. Forests. 6. Climate and seasons. 7. Plant based industries. 8. Crop plants. 9. History. 10. The people. 11. Methodology adapted. 12. Earlier botanisation in Vidarbha. II. Ethnobotanical enumeration. III. Discussion and conclusions. Summary.

Ethnobotany, being interdisciplinary, has emerged recently as one of the most important branch of natural science. It has great relevance to the urgent needs of modern man. Ethnobotanists have an important role to play in man’s betterment. Many of our traditional and national resources are in short supply or running out. At this backdrop, studies on indigenous wisdom is an important stride. Present authors paid serious attention to ethnobotanically much neglected Buldhana District of Maharashtra.

This first introductory chapter includes information about the district with respect to geography, topography, geology, soils, forests, climate, rainfall, temperature, plants under cultivation, earlier botanical research, miscellaneous information, etc, to back up the data on plantlore adduced, apart from methodology employed. The main body of the book contains information on ethnomedicines used for mankind and his pet animals, food, fodder, fuel, timber, agricultural tools and implements, and other miscellaneous domestic purposes. The results are comprehensively discussed. Photographs depicting uses in the region, maps and relevant bibliography are provided.

This book will be of particular use to the research workers in botany, agriculture and medicine. It will be of interest to naturalists, foresters, conservationalists, sociologists, anthropologists, biodiversity planners and administrators in the country, apart from teachers and students in natural science.