ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE VALAIYAN COMMUNITY OF PIRANMALAI HILLS (RESERVED FOREST), TAMILNADU, INDIA. - A PILOT STUDY.

Herbal medicine is widely practiced from ancient period throughout the world.These medicines are safe and environment friendly. According to WHO about 80% of the world’s population relies on traditional medicine for their primary health care. India, being one of the world’s 12 mega biodiversity countries, enjoys export of herbal raw material worth of U.S. $100-114 million per year approximately. Currently the Government of India, realizing the value of the country’s vast range of medicinal plants, has embarked on a mission of documenting the traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and herbs. This investigation, in a small way, takes up the enumerationof plants with medicinal value, which are used by the Valaiyans , an ethnic group, residing in and around Piranmalai Hills, Tamilnadu, South India. This report elucidates a rich and unique profile of phytodiversity of the area surveyed, with 63 species of medicinal plants belonging to 59 genera and 38 families.