ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDIES IN ABUJHMARH (BASTAR), INDIA

Abstract

The maria and muria tribal communities living in Abujhmarh
area in Narayanpur taluka of Bastar, Madhya Pradesh (India) mostly
depend on the natural resources of their neighbouring forests for food,
medicine and for other material culture and local rural technology. They
use many plants in their religious ceremonies also. The Abujhmarh area
is ethnobotanically under-explored. This paper deals with the ethnobotany
of 35 plants from there. The information was derived from the
specimens of pltmts and plant parts collected by the author during
several explorations in the area (1986-1990) and by having interviews
and discussions with the tribals. Vernacular names are also mentioned.
A survey was conducted among medicinal plant sellers and local people
of the area and 5 recipes and their use in fertility cult, menstural
problems, birth control and in deriving stimulation etc. were discussed.