Ethnobotany of some weeds of Khasi and Garo hills, Meghalaya, Northeastern India

Abstract

Meghalaya, one of the seven states of northeastern India, is inhabited by three distinct tribes, viz., Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia, each occupying respective districts. These tribes live in remote places and depend mostly on surrounding plant resources for their food, shelter, fodder, medicare, and other cultural purposes. Local hill agricultural practice-"slash-and-burn"-and encroaching civilization are responsible for diminishing the local uses of the plants. Hence, it was felt worthwhile to record the native uses of these weeds before the information is buried. The present paper deals with the ethnobotany of 65 taxa belonging to 26 families of angiosperms. A generic index is included.