Herbal medicine is widely practiced from ancient period throughout the
world.These medicines are safe and environment friendly. According to
WHO about 80% of the world’s population relies on traditional
medicine for their primary health care. India, being one of the
world’s 12 mega biodiversity countries, enjoys export of herbal
raw material worth of U.S. $100-114 million per year approximately.
Currently the Government of India, realizing the value of the
country’s vast range of medicinal plants, has embarked on a
mission of documenting the traditional knowledge about medicinal plants
and herbs. This investigation, in a small way, takes up the
enumerationof plants with medicinal value, which are used by the
Valaiyans , an ethnic group, residing in and around Piranmalai Hills,
Tamilnadu, South India. This report elucidates a rich and unique
profile of phytodiversity of the area surveyed, with 63 species of
medicinal plants belonging to 59 genera and 38 families
