Ethnobotanical Studies on Some Rare and Endemic Floristic Elements of Eastern Ghats-Hill Ranges of South East Asia, India

The Eastern Ghats, one of the nine Floristic Zones in India. Eastern Ghats are spread over three States of India, namely Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The hilly areas of Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh are mainly inhabited by 33 aboriginal/tribal communities, who still practice the age old traditional medicines and their application. There are 62 different tribes, inhabited in Orissa. The inhabitants of the aboriginal tribal communities, who still practice the age old traditional medicines and their applications. The author undertook ethno medicobotanical studies in Eastern Ghats along with systematic survey. Many tribal people depending on naturally growing or wild plants for their food and medicine in this region. The study during 1997-2005 brought to light, many unknown uses of plants which are interesting has been collected by the author. The present paper deals with some rare and endemic plant ethnobotanical uses of Eastern Ghats

EUPHORBIACEAE - A CRITICAL REVIEW ON PLANT TISSUE CULTURE

The members of Euphorbiaceae are valuable source of different kinds of useful products like dyes, edible tubers, oil crops, furniture, agricultural implements, ornamental plants, pharmacological products, rubber, timber and aesthetic items. Micropropagation is an alternative mean of propagation that can be employed in conservation of the flora in relatively shorter time. Tissue culture is useful for multiplying and conserving the species, which are difficult to regenerate by conservation methods and save them from extinction. Cryopreservation of germplasm would help in maintaining the genetic diversity of the endangered population. Improved cell and tissue culture technologies would help in producing the active compounds in vitro with better productivities without cutting down the natural resources. There is sufficient progress at research level to suggest that the tissue culture of Euphorbiaceae can and should be further developed. This review emphasizes the in vitro manipulation and remarkable achievements with biotechnology in this family made during the last six decades