ndian cold deserts come under the trans Himalayan zone of Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) and Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) which are rich in ethnobotanical wealth and known for their characteristic environment. This book includes 704 plant species belonging to 298 genera and 63 families of ethnobotanical importance have been described alongwith their brief botany, families, habit, habitat and ethnobotanical utility under different chapters viz. medicinal plants, aromatic plants, edible wild plants, fodder plants, ornamental plants, magico-religious plants, fuel plants and forest plants. Besides some general chapters viz. physiography, plant survival in cold desert, ethnobotanical exploration, endangered plants, conservation and sustainable utilization and propagation and cultivation of important plants have also been discussed in the present compilation. In addition, all the listed plant species have been summarized in tabular form. The book also includes 438 photographs related to physiography, vegetation and different plant species of ethnobotanical importance, taken by the authors during the botanical exploration. The present compilation will be extremely useful to researchers and scientists associated with ethnobotany, traditional medical systems, natural products, horticulture, environment and allied fields of plant sciences for scientific based sustainable and commercial utilization for the benefit of society in general and defence forces deployed in these sector in particular.
Om Prakash Chaurasia (DOB 23 Dec 1966) did M Sc and Ph.D degree in Botany from Magadh University Bodh Gaya in 1992. He has joined DRDO in 1993 and posted in Field Research Lab (DRDO) Leh. Before he also worked on flora of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has extensively surveyed trans Himalayan belts of Ladakh and Lahaul –Spiti and documented the fragile plant biodiversity and its ethnobotanical wealth. He published 40 research papers in various national and international journals and authored a book on Cold desert plants in five volumes. Presently he is working as Scientist ‘D’ and is actively engaged in R&D on various aspects of medicinal and aromatic plants of trans Himalayan region for its scientific based sustainable utilization. Zakwan Ahmed (DOB 28 Jun 1959) has joined as Director, Filed Research Laboratory (DRDO) –Leh on 01 Sep 2004.
Dr.Z Ahmed did M. Sc. (Agriculture) and Ph. D (major –Plant Breeding & minor –Plant Pathology) from GBPUA&T, Pantnagar (Uttranchal) and secured first position in University (Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar) in Graduation. He is serving in Defence Research and Development Organisation since last 20 years. Dr Z Ahmed contributed significantly towards varietal / hybrid development in vegetables for Himalayan region. He has 50 publications to his credit in national, international journals, seminar /symposium and authored 02 books. Recently he visited China and presented research findings on Seabuckthorn in 2nd International Seabuckthorn Association Conference.
