Much of Adilabad district's fabled greenery belongs to the rapidly spreading species of alien-invasive plants or weeds like Senna uniflora, Parthenium hysterophorus, Hyptis suaveolens and Lantana camara, the deadliest of them all.
Parthenium hysterophorus
It is these plants that are causing the destruction of many local wild species which are important constituents of biodiversity here.
While the kashe budda (Solanum nigrum), of great medicinal value, is almost extinct, the morri (Buchanania latifolia), chedu dosakaya, tendu fruit and other species are under grave danger by the invasive varieties that do not allow germination of seeds of native species through release of allelochemicals.
Buchanania latifolia
Severe decline
Over the last few years, there has been a severe decline in the collection of non-timber forest produce by tribal people who are also moving away from traditional medicine owing to the scarcity of plants like kashe budda, a plant that was accidentally found in a deserted place in Adilabad.
"The black colour kashe budda pandlu (fruit) resembles small berries which was used as traditional medicine in tribal areas for hundreds of years. The extract of these fruits was used to cure dysentery, stomach complaints and fever," says Botanist Dr. E. Narasimha Murthy of Department of Plant Sciences, University of Hyderabad.
Medicinal plants like the Solanum nigrum assume more importance in places like the agency tracts in this backward district where these diseases usually occur.
Solanum nigrum
Local medicine men used to cure these ailments in the village itself until a few years back.
Medicinal plants
"The plant was also in great demand in urban centres like Adilabad where traditional medicine was practiced. The juice of the plant was used on ulcers and other skin diseases while the fruits were consumed as a tonic, laxative, appetite stimulant and treating asthma etc," says Parameshwar, son of late Koneru, a famous Ayurvedic doctor in Adilabad.
"Loss of biodiversity caused by invasive species in Adilabad will soon surpass the loss caused by destruction and fragmentation of habitats. The most damning thing about the issue is the difficulty in eradication of these weeds," rues Dr. Murthy who has studied the phenomenon in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in this district, now popular as a tiger reserve.
Texto: S. Harpal Singh
Data: 18.10.2012
Data: 18.10.2012
Link:
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário