Wild and Naturalized Medicinal Plant Diversity and Conservation in Sri Krishnadevaraya University Campus, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India

INTRODUCTION

The usage and documentation of plants for the treatment of various ailments have been practiced for centuries in India, dated back to the reign of Acharya Charaka Ca. first millennium. According to World Health OrganizationOrganisation, 25 % of the drugs have been extracted from plants and of the 252 basic drugs which are considered essential, 11% of them are exclusively of plant origin and natural extracts are the precursors for most of the synthetic drugs [1]. Due to over over-exploitation of wild plant resources many natural habitats are facing threats; and about 90 % of medicinal plants are facing threat due to excessive, unsustainable collection, utilisation, and over exploitation [2]. About 1000 medicinal plant species are under threat in different ecosystems in India [3] and in the context of climate change this number is more pronounced.  

In Andhra Pradesh, among 2880 plant species [4], 1800 are having medicinal value [5]. FRLHT recorded 586 medicinal plants in Andhra Pradesh and identified 110 species are under threat [3]. In Andhra Pradesh, 10% of the medicinal plants are Critically Endangered, 50% are Endangered, 20% are Vulnerable, and 20% are Near Threatened [6]. Medicinal plant information at microlevel is necessary to spread awareness for the researchers and students and it forms a baseline for conservationists to monitor the diversity and assess threats and develop strategies for the conservation of medicinal plants.

The objective of the present study is to document the medicinal plant diversity and significant plant conservation in Sri Krishnadevaraya University campus.

STUDY AREA AND PAST WORK

Sri Krishnadevaraya University was established in 1981, and the campus is located 10 km away from Ananthapuramu city (Fig. 1). The university campus lies at about 14^˚38’ NL and 77^˚42’ EL and spread over 500 acres. The campus lies at an elevation of 350 meters above MSL. The soil is red sandy throughout the campus, and rocky area predominates in the western part of the campus. The sub-soil is gravelly. The climate is warm tropical. Average annual rain fall is about 542 mm. The number of rainy days is less than 30 in a year and long spells between two showers are common. The maximum temperature 42ºC is recorded in the month of April-May.

In the past two decades, the campus area was intensively explored by the senior author [7] and other researchers of the Biodiversity Conservation Division [8,9,10] and all the plants were collected, processed and made into herbarium time to time using standard techniques [11] and preserved in Sri Krishnadevaraya University Herbarium (SKU) for future reference.

METHODOLOGY

Field study, documentation and analysis

For purpose of the present paper, the authors made fresh collections as well field observations over the past two years and the collected samples were made into herbarium as well photographend all the species were photographed. The species were identified using standard floras [4,12]. The plant species were enumerated following [13] and the nomenclature was updated following [14]. Floristic analysis is done and the medicinal uses of the taxa along with part of the plant used, are obtained from secondary data sources following relevant literature [15-23]. Significant plants with medicinal value were analyzed based on literature [24] and discussed pertaining to protection, propagation and conservation in the university campus.

RESULTS

Medicinal plant diversity of SKU Campus

Of 470 wild and naturalized naturalised plant taxa in the Sri Krishnadevaraya University campus, 352 taxa (350 species) belonging to 63 families and 221 genera are having medicinal values, accounting for about 75% of the total campus. The detailed inventory of species along with scientific name, habit, voucher specimen and part of the plants used in the treatment and the sources from which the medicinal data obtained are tabulated (Table 1). Of the 352 taxa herbs are the most dominant with 251 taxa, followed by trees (37), climbers (32), shrubs (28), lianas (4). Selected photographs of the species are presented (Fig. 2).

Of the 63 families with medicinal value reported from the study area, Fabaceae is the largest family (60 medicinal plant species), followed by Asteraceae (24 species), Amaranthaceae (19 taxa), Euphorbiaceae (18 species), Acanthaceae, (16 species). Percentage distribution of species across the top ten families are represented in (Fig. 3). Significant medicinal trees include, Cassia fistula, Ficus benghalensis, Holoptelea integrifolia, Prosopis cineraria, Tamarindus indica, Vitex negundo etc. Medicinal shrubs include Senna auriculata, Calotropis procera, Dodonaea viscosa, Opuntia tuna etc. Significant medicinal herbs include, Achyranthes aspera, Aloe vera, Aristolochia bracteolata, Cynodon dactylon, Micrococca mercurialis, Ouret lanata, Oxalis corniculata etc. Important vines and lianas include, Abrus precatorius, Asparagus racemosus, Cissus quadrangularis, Cynanchum acidum, Hemidesmus indicus etc.  

The medicinal plants of the study area are used in the treatment of some of the significant ailments like asthma, dysentery, diabetes, diarrhoea, rheumatism, ulcers etc.

Medicinal Plant Conservation in SKU Campus and Botanic Garden

            About 22,000 trees (including 3000 1-2 year grown saplings) surviving in the campus, over 50% are with medicinal value belonging to ten species: Neem (Azadirachta indica), a medicinal plant with potential values is the most dominant with 5339 trees (about 24%) followed by the trees with medicinal values: Dalbergia sissoo (1339), Pongamia pinnata (1315), Ficus religiosa (919), Hardwickia binata (723), Albizia lebbeck (584), Holoptelia integrifolia (521), Ficus benghalensis (504), Tamarindus indica (487) and Syzygium cumin (326).

AYUSH prioritized 140 medicinal plants for cultivation [25] and 22 of them are found in the campus area in wilderness, viz., Abrus precatorius, Albizia lebbeck, Aloe vera, Andrographis paniculata, Asparagus racemosus, Azadirachta indica, Bacopa monnieri, Boerhavia diffusa, Catharanthus roseus, Clerodendrum phlomidis, Clitoria ternatea, Eclipta prostrata (Eclipta alba), Leptadenia reticulata, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Ocimum sanctum), Phyllanthus amarus, Senna alexandrina (Cassia angustifolia), Sida cordifolia, Solanum anguivi, Solanum nigrum, Tephrosia purpurea, Tinospora cordifolia, Vitex negundo. Other significant medicinal plants with conservation value found in the campus are: Achyranthes aspera, Afrohybanthus enneaspermus, Anisomeles malabarica, Annona squamosa, Aristolochia bracteolata, Cissus quadrangularis, Dipcadi krishnadevarayae, Cynodon dactylon, Hardwickia binata, Ouret lanata, Oxalis corniculata, Prosopis cineraria, Saccharum spontaneum, Madhuca longifolia var. latifolia, Calotropis gigantea, Cynanchum acidum, Datura metel and Ocimum basilicum.

All the above 40 species have conservation value. Of these we are currently propagating Abrus precatorius, Aloe vera, Annona squamosa, Aristolochia indica, Azadirachta indica, Butea monosperma, Calotropis gigantea, Cassia fistula, Catharanthus roseus, Dodonaea viscosa, Ficus amplissima, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus racemosa, Ficus religiosa, Hardwickia binata, Holoptelea integrifolia, Madhuca longifolia var. latifolia, Prosopis cineraria, Senna auriculata, Syzygium cumini, Tinospora cordifolia in the nurseries of SKU Botanic Garden with the support of project funding agencies [26-28]. Some of the significant medicinal plants planted in the botanic garden include: Achyranthes aspera, Andrographis paniculata, Bacopa monnieri, Cissus quadrangularis, Datura metel, Mimosa pudica, Cadaba fruticosa, Calotropis procera etc.

During 2014-2017, about 1.5 lakh saplings of medicinal plants belonging to 17 species were freely distributed to the surrounding villages of the university campus [29].

DISCUSSION

Considering the significant uses of plants, there is immediate need to document flora at micro level for proper monitoring and proposing new conservation strategies. For creating awareness and understanding natural wealth, especially about medicinal plants of their institutions, students and researchers need update information. A perusal of literature revealed that Sri Krishnadevaraya University Campus of 480 acres has relatively more diversified flora and medicinal plant diversity comparable to other institutions. Manasa Gangothri campus registered with 193 species [30]; 72 species with traditional importance in Banares Hindu University [31]; 56 species of medicinal plants in Guru Nanak Dev University campus [32]; medicinal flora of IIT, Madras Campus comprise 298 species [33]; Adikavi Nannaya University campus (236 species) [34]. Present study documented 352 medicinal plant taxa is having a highly diversified wild medicinal plant species, although S.K.University Campus falls in the arid zone of peninsular India and represent 19% of medicinal plants of the state. Interestingly over 50% of the trees in the campus holds medicinal values. 

CONCLUSION

In the present scenario of climate change it is necessary to have systematic documentation of floristic studies along with their use values to have proper awareness on the species facing threats and promote sustainable usage for effective conservation of biodiversity. Documentation of floristic wealth and their its use values at institutional levels is necessary for creating awareness and easy monitoring. Further studies have to be focused on preparing an atlas of medicinal plants for the university campuses for wider understanding and focus on medicinal-valued plants.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

            We are thankful for the Sri Krishnadevaraya University Administration, Botanical Survey of India & Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC), Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Board (APMAPB), Beanstalk Farmers, Chennai for providing financial assistance. Thanks are due to the research scholars of the Biodiversity Conservation Division, Department of Botany, for their support. The first author is grateful for Andhra Pradesh Medicinal Plant Board for providing financial support.

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