Author(s):

Thanuja Sivaram G, K Giridhar, Sivarama Krishna VNP, Yuvaraj KM and Ramakrishna M

Abstract: The state of Andhra Pradesh has a rich variety of habitats including agricultural areas (60%), forests (20%), wastelands (10%), water bodies and wetlands (7%). Out of the 32 medicinal plants prioritised by AYUSH, 21 medicinal plants growing in the state. However, 318 plants were reported to be in common use in various ethnomedicinal systems. <em>Aegle marmelos, Andrographispaniculata, Asparagus racemosus, Bacopa monnieri, Coleus barbatus, Commiphora wightii, Embeliaribes, Emblica officinalis, Garcinia indica, Gloriosa superba, Gymnema sylvestre, Ocimum sanctum,Phyllanthus amarus, Piper longum, Plantago ovata, Rauwolfia serpentina, Santalum album, Saracaasoca, Solanum nigrum, Tinospora cordifolia </em>and <em>Withania somnifera</em>are important medicinal plants that are grown in the state<em>.</em> Out of the 586 medicinal plants surveyed in Andhra Pradesh by FRLHT, 110 species are identified as threatened (19 % of the surveyed plants) and needs immediate measures for conservation and protection. Though, there is no comphrensive idea of the total medicinal flora of Andhra Pradesh and the information regarding species becoming extinct or on the verge extinction in the state. Most of the medicinal plants raw material collection (nearly 90%) is through the practice of wild collection. The foremost strategy is to develop a comprehensive database of the medicinal species of the state with appropriate habitat, past and present distribution, climatic and soil requirements, ecology, taxonomy, botany and herbarium, commercial importance, window of collection and method of collection, practices of exploitation in the wild, phytosociology, conservation need and ethnomedicinal importance of the plant.

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