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This simple method of species identification, utilizing the indigenous knowledge of people in

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the forest and local foresters can be termed as "Spot Identification Method" . This survey
was further supported by literature review. For unidentified species, herbarium samples of

flowering twigs or twigs bearing fruit preservation following the standard herbarium
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technique were prepared and were identified with the help of state and local districts floras
and published literatures of West Bengal 6,12-15 . Their analysis in terms of botanical name,
family, plant type, etc. were confirmed with the specialist in the field of Plant Taxonomy and

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Biosystematics and IPNI .
RESULTS
The localities of South 24 Parganas have been found to be consists of large number of

medicinal plants. After completion of survey, the data is compiled in Table-1, where all the

plant species are organized in alphabetic order for easy assessment. A total of 64 plant
species belonging to 60 genera and 34 different families have been counted.

It is observed that among the identified medicinal plant 53.12%, 31.25%, 10.93%, 3.12%,
1.56% are herbs, trees, shrubs, climbers, and creepers respectively (Fig. 2). Again, it has been

observed that 65% of identified medicinal plant species available in abundances, 32% was
regarded as limited and 3% was rare plant species (Fig.3).

The various parts of plants are used in the treatment of a numbers of diseases like bronchitis,

cut, wound, asthma, jaundice, headache, fever, ear and skin diseases, snake bites, dog bites,
vomiting, stomach problems, etc. (Table 1).

It is also, observed during the study period that many of these plants are vanishing from their
natural habitat due to human interference.

DISCUSSION
The selected traditional plant species described were checked with the available literature and

it was found that many of the plant species were recognized earlier by various workers from

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various districts of West Bengal . In this study it is observed that leaves of 32 plants, barks
of 13 plants, roots, or tubers of 18 plants, seeds, and fruits of 15 plants, stems, or shoots of 7

plants, flowers of 6 plants, and whole plant of 9 plant species possess medicinal properties

(Fig.4).
Further, Fabaceae was found to be the most dominant family with 8 species. Other important

families are Euphorbiaceae (with 5 species), Malvaceae (with 5 species), Rubiaceae(with 4
species), Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae (each with 3

species) while Amaranthaceae and Moraceae are represented by 2 species each. The
monospecific families are counted as 23 (vide Table - 2). The study showed that the chosen

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