The MJOS Journal 10(1): 4-6. 2009. Ferry, R. 1.: Spathoglottis plicata Blume. Bijdragen (p. 401) ..

The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16.2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication and Conservation of Dact...

4. Substrate: This species will do well in a rich compost, similar to that recommended for Phaius (one-third rich loam, one-third well-rotted manure, one sixth chopped tree fern and one sixth Sphagnum moss). In this author's greenhouse plants have also done well in a mix composed of twothirds "Pro-Mix," and one third Sphagnum moss, with frequent applications of 20-1 0-20 fertilizer spray-applied.

Peer-Reviewed Paper

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Multiplication and Conservation of Dactylorhiza hatagirea - An Endangered Medicinal Orchid of the Higher Himalaya" C. Rajasekaran 1, R. K. Maikhuri*2, C. Kusum 2, L. S. Kandari 2, T. Kalaivanil and K.S. Rao 3
1 School of Biotechnology, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, VIT University, Vellore - 632014, Tamilnadu, India. 2 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (Garhwal . Unit), Srinagar Garhwal- 246 174, Uttarakhand, India 3 Department of Botany, Delhi University, Delhi - 110 007, India * Address for correspondence (rkmaikburi@rediffrnail.com & drcrs70@gmail.com) Telephone: +911346252603 Fax: +911346251159

Cultural Remarks
I. Members of Bietia, Phaius, Spathoglottis are cultured similarly in this author's greenhouse. Outdoor culture has not been attempted, although another local orchidist (M .. Zeplin) has experienced some success with outdoor culture in a back yard somewhat sheltered plot. 2. All Spathoglottis species are freely inter-fertile, but most hybrids have been known to be very nearly sterile when either selfed or crossed with a parent or other species. The fruits ripen after about six weeks after pollination, and are still green when they ripen. Hence they much be watched daily or all the seeds will be lost. Seedlings grow quickly and should be ready to be put into pots 4 to 6 months from being sown in flasks. They generally flower in about 18 months when grown from seed. Hybrids have been made with Phaius, the result known as Spathophaius. Speculation has been made that this genus may also hybridize with Calanthe and even Cymbidium.

Abstract
Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo is an endangered terrestrial orchid which possesses a high medicinal market value. Traditional packages are available for very small scale cultivation, but packages for large scale cultivation are almost unavailable due to poor response in in-vivo conditions at high altitudes of the Himalaya region as well as under in-vitro conditions. The vegetative mode of propagation through excision of the plant's mature digitate palm is a promising one compared with other means. The digitate palm is slit in its median portion, Betula utilis bark inserted and the shoot with its inflorescence is removed while leaving the older leaves intact. This mode of propagation showed maximum emergence of plantlets with 100% survival under natural conditions. The above vegetatively propagated plantIets were grown under open, partial shade and poly house conditions. The plantIets grown under polyhouse conditions have better growth and biomass enhancement compared with other microclimatic conditions studied. The present findings contribute to the conservation of D. hatagirea through simple cost effective rural techniques endowed with the generation of local self employment.

References
Bechtel, H., Phillip Cribb, Edmund Launert. 1992. The Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species. Cambridge, Massachusetts; The MIT Press. 585pp. Correll, D. S., and Marshall C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of The Vascular Plants of Texas. Renner, Texas: The Texas Research Foundation. 1881pp. Dressler, R. 1. 1981. The Orchids: Natural History and Classification. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. ___ . 1993. Phylogeny and Classification of The Orchid Family. Dioscorides Press, Portland OR. Ferry, R. J. Sr. 1976. Plant and color transparency records, species. (unpub. pers. notes). Hawkes, A. D. 1965. Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids. Faber and Faber Ltd., London. Jaeger, E. C. 1978. A Source-Book of Biological Names and Terms. Springfield, Illinois; C. Thomas, Publisher. 323pp. Mayr, H. 1998. Orchid Names and Their Meanings (trans. by M. Schmucker). Koegstrin, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books (distrib.) A. R. G. Gantner Verlag K.-G. FL 9490 Vaduz. 548pp. Williams, 1. O. 1965. The Orchidaceae of Mexico. Tegucigalpa, Escuela Agricola Pan americana, Honduras, C. A.

Key Words
Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Terrestrial orchid, Vegetative palm, Slit, Micro-climatic conditions. propagation, Digitate

Introduction
Among 17,500 flowering plants of the Indian subcontinent, 1,600 are used in traditional medicinal systems (Anon., 1993). Current global attraction on the Traditional Medicinal Systems (TMS) has put great pressure on the wild flora, and particularly so on the medicinal and aromatic plants. With more than 40% of the global biodiversity, India and China are the two greatest producers of these medicinal plants, with China presently exporting herbal medicines valued at US $5 billion. The international market of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs)has been growing at a rate of7% per annum. India's exports contribute only 5% of this global requirement, but this can be raised considerably by 2010, with India having the potential to export RS 10,000 billion by 2010. The Himalyan and sub alpine zones are considered to be the treasure house for several medicinal and aromatic plants (Rajasekaran, 2000). However, with the increasing market demand, the over exploitation of medicinal and aromatic
7

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The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16.2009.

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The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16.2009.

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plants (both legally and illegally!) has resulted in destruction of the habitat in several natural pockets. As a result, about 150 wild species are on the verge of extinction. (Anon., 1997; Katariya, 1998). Among several medicinal plants, Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo (Orchidaceae) is one of the economically important plants, and is also listed under the endangered category (Nair and Sastry, 1987). This species is locally known as Hathajari, a herb with purple flowers occurring in damp and shady places in the sub-alpine and alpine region at an altitude of2500-4000 m. Roots are yellowish, white or grayish in colour and digitate or finger shape in form. They have a somewhat wrinkled appearance and have a hard comaceous appearance. The species flowers during July-August and inflorescences are completely ripened by October-November. Seeds are small in size and cream-brown in colour. The roots are used as a farinaceous food, a nervine tonic and an aphrodisiac (Anonymous, 1997). The tuberous digitate palm yields copious mucilage and water, and forms a jelly which is highly nutritious. It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, and chronic fevers. It is an astringent and expectorant. It is also employed to increase vitality & strength, and heal wounds, cuts, and burns. The plant's digitate palm and roots contain a glucoside, starch, mucilage, albumen, and volatile oils. Due to these properties, this plant is in great demand in the national and international market and its over exploitation results in poor natural regeneration. Not only is its vegetative mode of regeneration poor, it is subject to predation pressure in that the roots and rootstocks are eaten by rodents and worms for their nutritional value during winters. It is very difficult to cultivate/ raise this plant through seeds as revealed by many researchers as well as local people due to following reasons: (I) As seeds are so small, they are difficult to differentiate from the husk; (2) a prolonged period is required for seed germination; (3) in nature, the species has a mandatory symbiotic association with fungal partner for germination. Scientific investigations on vegetative propagation aspects of this species have not been available. To surmount this and other difficulties, the present study was aimed: (a) to conduct in-depth investigation on vegetative propagation by adopting simple and appropriate cost effective techniques; and (b) to assess the biomass and yield potential under various microclimatic conditions. Study Area and Climate The present study was conducted in the high altitudes of Central Himalaya (Uttarakhand), one area among the eighteen world wide mega hot spots of biodiversity. Work was conducted at altitude ranges from 2000 to 4000 m; particularly in Niti valley of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR). This area is geographically situated between latitude 2926'-31 28'N and longitude 7749'866' E, bordered by Tibet in the north and Kumaon, Himalaya in the east. The N.D.B.R. is a fragile ecosystem with marked differences in topography, vegetation, climate, soil and ethnoculture (Maikhuri et al. 1998a, b; Anonymous, 1999). The climate of the valley is typically temperate, mon8

soonic and divisible into three seasons viz., long winter (October through April), short summer (April through June) and the rainy season (July through September). The annual average rainfall is 929mm, and the monthly mean minimum/maximum temperature ranges between 3.0 to 7.5C. and 14.0 to 24.0C., respectively. The area is geomorphologically young and tectonically active (Valdiya, 1980). The soil is generally friable, black to brown in colour, loam to sandy loam and well drained. Frozen ice soil is also found in the valley or deep shaded places'in the months of April and May. The climate conditions of this region is conducive for cultivation of many medicinal and aromatic plants of high economic value. Materials and Methods Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo (Orchidaceae) was collected from natural habitat, and the collected germplasm was maintained at Tolma Village of Niti valley (2600 m) (Fig. 1). The indigenous practices of collection and cultivation by the Bhotiya were worked out while conducting extensive survey and field visits throughout the Niti valley and adjoining areas of the region. Vegetative propagation studies were carried out following the methodology as described by Hudson et al. (1997). During the month of September (before senescence) and March (at the time of emergence) D. hatagirea were collected from the wild, the digitate-palm. portions were cut into two, three, and four pieces, longitudinally from the top of auxiliary bud through the median portion (5-7 em length), leaving some intact fraction of basal plate and auxiliary buds in each segment. During the month of April, emerging daughter root palm was removed from the mature palm; the daughter palm was cut into two, three and four pieces longiFig. 1. Dactylorhiza hatagirea in situ. tudinally and transplanted at the experimental site. On the existing digitate-palm tuber, a slight slit of3.5 em was made from the auxiliary bud towards the median (Fig. 2, following page) of the palm, and into this slit Betula utilise bark inserted (it is very thin; almost the thickness of the paper). The palm was covered with soil during the senescence (lst week of October) and remained so until the forthcoming season. During the flowering season (July-August), the inflorescence was removed. The older leaves were left intact with the rootstock (Fig. 3a-c), and the growth continued undisturbed to the next season.
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The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16.2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication and Conservation of Dact...

The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16. 2009. Rajasekaran et a!.: Multiplication and Conservation of Dact...

For the estimation of biomass and yield potential, the one and two years old seedlings, were exposed under different microclimates such as open, shade and
!S loot ---:3l~---Crown ----~,..-.-Medjat

Fig. 2. Digitate palm showing parts of Dactylorhiza hatagirea.

polyhouse conditions. The soil composition used for cultivation! vegetative propagation consisted garden soil, cow dung and Betula utilise leaves in the ratio of 1: 4: 5. The mean average soil temperature during April-October inside the polyhouse, under daylight and shade was 16C, 11C and 7SC, respectively which was recorded at 8.30 . hrough aug ter palm A.M. daily. The photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) under open, poly house and shade of ~~~ 50% (netlon green nets), were measured about 2512.80, 1785.60 . Through digH.'e p1am 11K I ~tnedtIIn.wsbWtcot :: . ut1/u lMenton and 711.00 mmol m2s! respectively, which was recorded from ---t --+ -- . 8.00 a.m. up to 4.00 p.m. at two ~ ~ ~ hour intervals. The PARis measured as per the methodology given by McCree (1981) and Removal of Inflorescence Semwal et al. (2002). At the end of season 1 and 2 year old plantlets were randomly collected in October (20 plantIets from each year) to measure the growth (shoot, root length, circumference of the root) and biomass (fresh and dry weight). For estimation of dry weight, roots were kept in hot air oven at 80C for one week. All ...l/...;;;.
I

ill -_.

The main mode of propagation is through roots. It thrives well in porous soil rich in humus, rain-fed and shady places. The application of farm yard manure (FYM) is common and spacing between plants is kept around 30 em, It required frequent weeding and soil earthing and mostly cultivated in the kitchen garden on small scale for their own purpose. The roots were transplanted during the first week of October. Only one digitate finger develops each year and the numbers of fingers represent the age of the plant. The villagers, generally detach the emerging daughter palm from mature digitate palm, and the mature digitate palm is taken for their use and the daughter used for the cultivation (see Fig 3a, previous page). To obtain the optimum yield of the useful part, farmers usually prefer to harvest it at the end of fifth year (i.e. during the last week of October). It may be harvested after 2 or 3 years based on the requirement of the farmer. Vegetative propagation The mature digitate palm was cut into two, three and four pieces longitudinally and it showed maximum plantlets emergence (120.4) when it was cut into four pieces, followed by three, two pieces and control. The survival rate was recorded maximum in two, three and four pieces i.e. 65.6%, 43.3% and 21.1 %, respectively as compared to control (Table 1; Fig. 3). In case of daughter palms cut longitudinally into two, three and four pieces exhibited that two pieces with maximum plantlets emergence (108.9) and 61.5% survival followed by three pieces, control and four pieces. Survival rate was found lowest as in daughter palm as compared to mature palm slit (Table 1, Fig. 3). The slight slit of 3.5 em was made in the median portion of mature digitate palm where B. utilis bark was inserted. The next growing season one, two, three and four new plantlets were emerged from the single mature digitate palm (Table 2, Fig. 4a-c). One slit made on the digitate palm initiated maximum of two plantlets emergence, whereas two and three slits initiated a maximum of three and four plantTable 1. Propagation of D hatagirea through mature palm and daughter palm S.N.
1

Propagation Mode Mature palm cut longitudinally Daughter palm cut longitudinally

Period

Control

Two Pieces 91.7 6.4 65.6

Three Pieces 108.9 4.3 43.3

Four Pieces 120.4 3.2 21.1

July

Emerge %: Survival %:

50.0 0.0 100.00

April

Emerge:

50.0 0.0 100.00

108.9 6.1 61.5

50.1 4.7 16.7

35.6 2.9 6.2

Survival %:

experiments were carried out in Fig. 3a, b, c. Diagrammatic representation of various the natural bed (1m2). Fifty vegemeans of vegetative propagation of D. hatagirea. tative cutting were taken in each treatment in triplicate. Results Traditional propagation
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lets emergence respectively. However, two and three plantIets were obtained from all cases with 100% survival rate. The twig and inflorescence removal operation (leaving the older leaves intact) was carried out during the month of August in D. hatagirea to assess the regeneration potential [Table 3, above;
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The MIOS JoumaIIO(I): 7-16.2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication and Conservation of Dact...

The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16. 2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication and Conservation of Dact...

Fig. 3c (page 11) & Fig. 5 (following page)]. It was found that plantlets that emerged on the forthcoming season showed maximum of three plantlets. Through this method, a maximum of three plantlets were obtained followed by one, two and four plantlets in the next season. In all the cases, 100% survival was recorded.
Table 2 # of plant lets emerged from mature palm and longitudinal slit with B utilize bark inserted. Period Control: October I Slit 2 Slits 3 Slits 1 Plantlet SO.OO.O S.60.6 7.6 1.0 8.0 0.7 2 Plantlets 3 Plantlets 4 Plantlets

x
94.42.4 36.2 1.2 43.3 3.4

x x
106.4 2.3 158.7 3.4

x x x
26.9 1.7 Fig. 5. Natural emergence ofplantlets of D. hatagirea from digitate palm after removing the twig of inflorescence.
lD

cOpen tlPol\houso

[JShado

Fig. 4. Mature digitate palm of D. hatagirea slit longitudinally from crown to median part where Betula utilse bark was inserted. (a) 2 plantlets emerging (b) 3 plantlets emerging (c) 4 plantlets emerging. Table 3. Emergence of f plantlets from palm after remova Period August One 48.3 2.3
0f

11

twig

WI

In oresc ence.

.IH11'I1I....,

Number of Emerging Plantlets Two 16.4 1.8 Three 102.6 4.2 Four 13.2 2.3 Fig. 6. Growth and biomass enhancement of one year seedlings of D. hatagirea under different micro-climatic conditions.

Growth and Biomass production The figures 6 and 7 reveal the growth and biomass production of one and two year old seedlings of D. hatagirea under open, polyhouse and shade conditions. The two consecutive years studies exhibited that open micro-climate enhanced the shoot length. However, the maximum root circumference, root length, fresh root, and dry root weights were obtained under the polyhouse condition. Discussion Over exploitation of the MAPs from natural habitat has raised concern among various scientists, ecologists and conservationists (Jacobson et al. 1991; Katariya, 1998; Maikhuri et af. 1998a, b; Sheldon et al. 1998; Dhar et al. 2000; Nautiyal et al. 2001). While the market demand of the medicinal and aromatic plants has increased by 50%, their availability has declined by 26%. However, large scale cultivation would provide fruitful results (Anonymous, 2001).
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Due to the rapidly increasing demand, D. hatagirea has become endangered and now is on the verge of extinction. Every year a large quantity is being extracted from the natural habitat either legally or illegally without benefits accruing to the local people. It is a historically secretive trade and little is known about who collects, who trades, who makes a profit, and whether there is overharvesting. It is established that the basic causes of unsustainable harvesting are ignorance, poverty and lack of alternative livelihood support systems accompanied by encroachments by outsiders (Maikhuri et al. 2003). However, a considerable/ knowledge base exists within the indigenous communities, which traditionally cultivate this species on a very small scale particularly in the kitchen garden to meet their own requirements. However, the yield under their traditional methods is very low. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop appropriate agro-techniques at the same time suitable simple cost effective methods for large scale cultivation with enhancement yield potential. Results of the present investigation in this direction are encouraging, and various plots of vegetatively propagated plantlets planted in the ex-situ experimental site and natural habitat are growing well (Fig. 8 a-b).
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The MIOS Journal I 0(1): 7-16. 2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication

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The MIOS Journal 10(1): 7-16. 2009. Rajasekaran et al.: Multiplication

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COpen lJ Po/Ylouse ~ Shade

lI.hl!ltl

. . .. . . . ... .
e

fill)

C.'.lIll1!lfllllt fill)

IlIlhlltl"

IlIIHr.ftt.1I

1lI1! ar . t.1I

Fig. 7. ~rowth an~ biomass enhancement of two year seedlings of D. hatagirea under different micro-climatic conditions.

,..
.'

"~

Fig. 8. D. hatagirea plantlets rai~ed in large scale through manipulation of digitative palms. Left. plantlets at experimental site. Right: plantlets in natural habitat conditions.

'"

J~

The mature digitative .palr.n silt is able to generate a greater number of plants a~ compared to the longitudinal daughter palm slit method (Table I). This provides a gre~ter ,opportunity to generate new plantlets from the daughter palm as well as subjecting the mature digitate palm to slit processes for the propagation of plantlets. High altitude areas, environmental conditions varied with increase in altitude su~h as temperature, wind velocity, solar radiation, insolation, precipitation, ramfall, partial pressure of ?~ses (W~od~ard, 1986; Rajasekaran et al. 1998). Ther~fore, polyhouse conditions mamtam high temperatures, regulate wind V~IOCI~, allow ~or regulation of water, protect plants from frost, and favours high Yle~d ~r biomass (~bove and below ground) as observed in the present study: Similar ob~ervatlOns have also been reported by the other workers (Palm, 1996; Nautiyal and P~roh.it, 2000). It will definitely motivate local people to adopt large. scale ~~ltIvatlOn of D. hatagirea which will not only improve th.e economic conditions and also help to conserve this precious species along With other valuable medicinal plant resources of the region. In addition,
14

effective training and capacity building focused on domestication/cultivation and conservation, improved marketing systems and processing! semi processing, bio-prospecting and value addition locally are appropriate short and long term solutions to assure conservation and management and sustainable livelihood to the local communities. Conclusions The yield under traditional techniques of cultivation is extremely low and the present investigation suggests that vegetative propagation through the digitate palm technique is an efficient means for large scale cultivation. In addition to this, mature digitate palm cut longitudinally into two to four pieces maximum number of plantiet emergence and high survival rate as compared to daughter palm. Insertion of Betula utilis bark in the slit made on the mature digitate palm encouraged the digitate palm to develop at least three plantlets with 100% survival. Similar observations were also recorded when twig with inflorescence was completely removed. Among the different micro-climates (open, polyhouse, shade), exhibited that plants grown under polyhouse conditions facilitated maximum above and under ground biomass enhancement on fresh and dry weight basis. Acknowledgements The authors thank the Director, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & development, Kosi - Katarmal - Almora for providing facilities and Department of Biotechnology (Biotechnology based programme for SC/ST and Rural population), Government of India, New Delhi for providing financial support for this project. References Anonymous 1987. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (Project Document - 3), Programme of Man and Biosphere (MAP), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government oflndia, Delhi p 126. ____ . 1993. Conservation of Medicinal Plants of India, BSI, MoE.F. ____ . 1997. Save our healing plants, Save our cultural heritage. UNESCO, Compiled by Suda Mehndiratta. UNESCO House-New Delhi, India. ____ . 1999. Status of India 's Forest Report. Forest Survey of India, Govt. of India, Dehradun, ____ . 2000. Report of the task force on conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants Government oflndia Planning Commission Report, ___ 2001. Down to Earth 9: 27-41. Dhar, U., R. S. Rawal, S. S. Samant, S. Airi, and J. Upreti. 1999. People's participation in Himalayan Biodiversity conservation: a practical approach. Current Sci. 76: 36-40. ____ . R. S. Rawal, and J. Upreti. 2000. Setting priorities for conservation of medicinal plants: a case study in the Indian Himalaya. Bioi. Conservo 95: 57-65. Hudson, T., D. Hartmann, E. Kester, F. T. Davies, and L. Robert 1997. In plant propagation principles. Sixth ed. Prentice Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, USA.
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Jacobson, Jr. G.L., H. A. Jacobson, and J. C. Winne. 1991. Conservation of rare plant habitat: Insights from the recent history of vegetation and fire at Crystal Fen, northern Maine, U.S.A. Bioi. Conserv. 57: 287-314. Katariya, V. 1998. ibid, 6,21. McCree, K. 1. 1981. Photosynthetically active radiation. In: Encyclopedia of plant physiology, New series volume 12A, physiological Plant Ecology. Edited by O.L. Lange, P.S. Nobel, C.B. Osmond and H. Ziegler, 41-55, Springer-Verlag, Berlin. Maikhuri, R. K., S. Nautiyal, K. S. Rao, and K. G. Saxena. 1998a. Medicinal plant cultivation and biosphere reserve management a case study from the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Himalaya. Current Science 74 (2): 157-163. ___ ., S. Nautiyal, K. S. Rao, and K. G. Saxena. 1998b. Role of medicinal plants in the traditional health care system a case study from the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Current Sci. 75 (2): 152-157. ____ ., K. S. Rao, C, Kusum, K. Laxman, P. Prasad, and C. Rajasekaran. 2003. Development of marketing of medicinal plants and other forest products - Can it be a path way for effective management and conservation? Indian Forester, 129(2): 169-178. Nautiyal, M. C. and A. N. Purohit. 2000. Cultivation of Himalayan aconites under polyhouse conditions. Current Science, 78: 9-10. Nautiyal, S., R. K. Maikhuri, K. S. Rao, and K. G. Saxena. 2001. Medicinal plants resources in Nanda Devi Biospher Reserve in the Central Himalayas. J. Herbs, Species &Medicinal Plants, Vol. - 1,8 (4): 47-64. Nayer, M. P., and A. R. K. Shastry. 1987. Red Data Book of Indian Plants, BSI, India. Palani, L. M. S. 1996. Simple and environmental friendly techniques for the well being of the Himalaya and its inhabitants. In: Man, Culture and Society in the Kumaun Himalaya, (Ed.) C.M. Agarwal, Shree Almora Book Depot, Almora, pp. 270-290. Rajasekaran, C. 2000. Himalayan Plant Wealth, Nirjharni, pp. 180, R.N.B.G.U. ___ ., C. P. Kuniyal, P. Prasad, and S. K. Bhadula. 1998. Growth and ammonium assimilation in Glycine max L. and Se/inum vaginatum Clarke. Seedlings growth at three different altitudes of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Physiol. Mol. Bioi. Plants, 4: 33-37. Semwal, R. L., R. K. Maikhuri, K. S. Rao, K. Singh, and K. G. Saxena. 2002. Crop productivity under differently lopped canopies of multipurpose trees in Central Himalaya, India. Agroforestry Systems, 56: 57-63. Sheldon, J. W., M. Balick, and S. Laird. 1998. Is using medicinal plants compatible with conservation? Plant Talk, April 29-31. Valdiya, K. S. 1980. Geology of Kumaun Lesser Himalaya, (Waldia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, India). Woodward, F. I. 1986. Ecophysiological studies on the shrub Vaccinium myrtil/us L. taken from a wide altitudinal range. Oecologica, 70: 580-586.

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