EVALUATION OF ETHNOBOTANICAL PLANTS USED BY THE MALAMUTHANS TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN THE MEDAPPARA FOREST, WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA

Abstract

Medappara forest of Kerala was surveyed to list out the ethnobotanical plants used by Malamuthans tribal community. Totally 250 plants belonging to 86 families were reported to be present in the study area, in which Fabaceae family was the dominant one contributed 25 species followed by the families, Euphorbiaceae (16 species), Asteraceae (13 species) and Acanthaceae with 12 species and the distribution of species in the study area includes various life-forms viz., trees (81 species), shrubs (53 species), herbs (78 species), climbers (35 species) and epiphytics (3 species) habits respectively. Of the 250 plant species, 237 (95%) were recognized as medicinally important and also cures 127 types of ailments. Of the 250 plant species encounted at all life-form levels. Sixteen ailment categories were classified, among them a higher number of 110 species were prescribed by the Malamuthan ethnic community for Gastro Intestinal Ailment (GIA).