ETHNOMEDICINAL EXPLORATION OF ORNAMENTAL FLORA OF ARAVALLI HILL RANGES OF REWARI DISTRICT OF HARYANA, INDIA

ETHNOMEDICINAL EXPLORATION OF ORNAMENTAL FLORA OF ARAVALLI HILL RANGES OF REWARI DISTRICT OF HARYANA, INDIA

Bansal, A. S. Rao, S. S. Yadav *, M. S. Bhandoria, B. Narasimhan and S. S. Dash

Department of Botany, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India.

ABSTRACT: Ornamental plants (OPs) are used for intensifying, glorifying surroundings, adding a positive attitude towards life, enhancing estate value, and developing a feeling of well-being and happiness. This research aimed to record the ornamental plants and ethnomedicinal document usage of the plants by the local people of the Rewari district of Haryana State. The data was collected through field surveys and in-depth interviews organized with 219 local informants from the region during 2019-21. A total of 80 different locations were visited during the study. 91 OPs belonging to 83 genera and 42 families were identified and documented from the Rewari district. The documented plants showed a diversity of habit ranging from herbs (43.96%), trees (24.18%), shrubs (24.18%), twines (3.30%), and climbers (3.30%) and creepers (1.10%). The majority of ornamental plants were utilized as garden plants (25.50%) followed by pot (25.19%), bouquet/ cut flower/ cut foliose (11.41%), avenue (9.44%) road dividers (7.87%), religious and cultural (7.87%). Families Leguminosae (11.95%) and Asteraceae (7.60%) were the dominant families. Maximum no. of ethnomedicinal uses were reported for skin disease (17) followed by wound, boils (13), constipation (12), piles, cough and cold (10), jaundice, asthma (09), swelling, pimples, and intestinal worms (07) respectively out of documented 135 routine maladies. It was concluded that the locals use a blend of wild and cultivated ornamental plants for various aesthetic, recreational, and ethnomedicinal purposes.

Keywords: Ethnomedicine, Ornamental plants, Home gardens, Aravalli Hills

INTRODUCTION: Human beings have always been fascinated by the diversity of natural surroundings. Their fascination has led to the exploration of plants for food, fuel, shelter, medicine, floriculture, aesthetic, recreational, and ceremonial purposes.

They have explored the endless possibilities of their utilization in numerous ways. Over the decade’s fast-paced lifestyles, growing urbanization and industries in our surroundings have led the masses to revisit the utilitarian purposes of plants and forced them to connect with nature to maintain their well-being.

For ages, plants have been used for their showy flowers, attractive foliage, medicinal, culinary, fruits, aesthetics, and various other purposes. Plants are also used to intensify and glorify our surroundings, add a positive attitude towards life, enhance estate value, and develop a feeling of well-being and happiness; such plants are termed Ornamental plants (OPs) ¹. OPs are primarily grown in our homes, kitchen, offices, educational institutes, hospitals, homesteads, public, private and institutional gardens for beautification, recreation, and enlightenment ². These plants not only intensify and glorify our surroundings but also add a positive attitude towards life, enhance estate value, and develop well-being and happiness. These are termed Ornamental plants (OPs) ¹. A large number of herbs, shrubs, avenue plants, hedges, ground covers, cacti, succulents, bonsai, palms, bulbs, cones, hanging plants, epiphytes, decorative foliage, showy floral plants, sweet-scented and grasses are grown as OPs across the countries ^{3, 4, 5}.

Plants suitable for indoor or outdoor beautification and decorations are known as ornamentals ⁶. These OPs play an important role in climate change adaptation by being an integral part of urban green packages. They are often used to beautify our gardens, private and public parks, buildings, homes, cities, towns, highways, shopping malls, factories, hospitals and educational institutions ⁷. Indoor OPs are also utilized to maintain freshness and a positive environment inside homes, classrooms, hospitals, etc. It has been noticed that patients having plants inside their wards recuperate quicker ⁸. Indoor air toxins are miniature particles that are difficult to mitigate; however, indoor plants can do this dreary occupation proficiently ⁹.

The expanding interest in OPs has led to the opening of new avenues for OPs utilization. Ethnomedicinal utilization of OPs is one of the emerging domains which is gaining popularity worldwide. Ethnomedicine refers to health practices incorporating plant, mineral, and animal sources to treat illnesses or maintain well-being ¹⁰. It is estimated that around 80% of economically distressed people of the world depend on different conventional medical services ^{11, 12}. These traditional and home remedies have exponentially increased and have been praised in developing and developed countries, particularly after the SARS COVID-19 ¹³. The majority of OPs grown in our surroundings also have medicinal properties and have been utilized for curing various routine ailments for ages.

Some of them are also developed for their therapeutic use in modern herbal medicine as they synthesize numerous bioactive compounds, like phenolic accumulates, carotenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, cancer preventive agents, essential oils, and other auxiliary metabolites ¹⁴. OPs like Basil, Ixora, Aloe, Agave, Rose, Hibiscus, Sunflower, Marigold, Polianthes, Calendula etc., are normally grown in homes for their multipurpose applications ^{15, 16}. Some of such multipurpose plants have also been documented in different traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, besides their uses by various vaidyas and folk healers of India ¹⁰. OPs are used in the form of garlands, beverages, decoction, infusion, juices, flavorings, paste, etc., by different sections of the society ^{17, 18}.

Their traditional preparations are used to cure numerous ailments like skin disease, wounds, boils, constipation, piles, cough, jaundice, asthma, swelling, pimples, etc. In developing countries like India, much of the family income is spent on medicines and essential medical services ¹⁹. The appropriate use of conventional and ethnomedicinal information about such plants can be a useful advance toward further developing family well-being and strengthening the nation. In this context, the current research was organized in two parts; the first part of the study included documentation of ornamental plants and their uses, while the second part of the study included documentation of ethnomedicinal uses of ornamental plants in the Rewari district of Haryana state, which has been ignored from this perspective in the state. Further, an attempt was also made to provide vernacular, scientific names, and ornamental purposes for the plants in the area. Efforts were also made to report the method of preparation, administration, dose, duration, and ailments treated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Study site Description: The present study on OPs and their ethnomedicinal uses was conducted in the Rewari district of Haryana state, India. It lies between 28.18°N latitude and 76.62°E longitude at an average elevation of 245 meters (803 feet). Rewari district came into existence on November 1, 1989, before that, it was part of the Mahendergarh district of Haryana. The district has a geographical area of 1594 Sq. Km and it shares a boundary with Jhajjar in North, Mahendergarh district in the West, Gurugram in east and north-east directions, further it shares state boundary with Rajasthan state in the south-east. It is a part of NCR (National Capital Region) and is situated at a distance of 84 KM from the National Capital, New Delhi, and 332 Km from the state capital Chandigarh. The district is divided into three sub-divisions, Bawal, Kosli, Rewari, and five community development blocks viz. Rewari, Jatusana, Khol, Bawal, Nahar Fig. 1. It consists of 412 villages with a population of 900332 and an average literacy rate of 80.99%.

FIG. 1: STUDY SITE MAP

The region is dominated by serving and retired armed forces personnel. The district is also home to the traditional brass market. The region has faced a dynamic shift from the traditional brass market to multinational automobile and auto ancillary industries now being established in the region. The hilly terrains of Aravalli ranges represent the topography of the district. The district's landscape is peculiar with varied topography comprising valleys, undulating lands, sand dunes and alluvial plains. The Aravalli ranges, the oldest folded mountain ranges of the world, are situated in the southern and western parts of the district. The region observes extreme temperature variations in summers and winters, where temperatures may reach upto 46°C and 0-2°C, respectively. The region also observes frequent dust storms in summers. The overall climate of the district is dry. The average rainfall ranges from 300-500mm, and July, August, and September are the months of heavy rainfall for the region. Aravalli ranges greatly influences the agro-climatic conditions and constitute a unique blend of flora and fauna in the region. The area is predominated by xerophytic vegetation with prickly trees like Indian gum Arabic tree, Acacia, Janti, Ziziphus, Opuntia, Caper along with Margosa, Prosopis, Shami tree, Peepal and other species. The region also harbors a diversity of OPs owning to numerous industries, multinational companies, educational institutions, and Government and Private nurseries which try to blend and integrate native and exotic flora. Most of the area's rural population relies upon agribusiness and animal husbandry for primary income. Millet, cotton, sorghum is the major summer season crops, while wheat, mustard, and gram are the significant winter season crops grown in the district.

Data Collection and Organization: The study was divided into two parts, the first part of the study included documentation and uses of OPs, which was carried out by organizing field surveys and in-depth interview schedules with nursery owners, gardeners, residents, temple priests and observations made during visits to schools, colleges, hospitals, research centers, factories, university campus, public parks, nurseries and judicial complex of the district. The second part of the study included documentation and gathering of ethnomedicinal knowledge harbored by the local people of the region about OPs. Ethnomedicinal knowledge was collected by conducting in-depth interview schedules with local residents of villages, temple priests, gardeners, traditional medicine practitioners, and nursery owners from Bawal, Jatusana, Khol, Nahar, and Rewari blocks of the district. The entire study was designed and completed during 2019-2021.

The information concerning OPs was collected by visiting different socioeconomic and cultural fractions of the society. A total of 80 locations were visited for information collection which included Hospitals (2.5%), Nurseries (16.2%), shopping malls (1.2%), Industrial factories (2.5%), Schools (6.2%), Colleges (6.2%), University (1.2%), Research institute (1.2%), Judicial complex (1.2%), Temples (18.87%), Wild life century (1.2%), Villages (38.7%) and Public gardens (3.7%). Different locations and places visited during the study tenure have been tabulated in Table 1.

TABLE 1: LIST OF PLACES VISITED FOR DOCUMENTATION OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS AND THEIR ETHNOMEDICINAL KNOWLEDGE

A total of 219 informants were randomly selected and interviewed for information collected from the five community development blocks of the district. The informants were selected from different backgrounds to incorporate a diverse knowledge set, which included traditional practitioners (1.8%), gardeners (14.6%), residents (70.7%), nursery owners (5.3%), and temple priests (6.8%). In-depth interview schedules were conducted with informants, preferably elders and women of the region. Further, it was attempted to visit at least 5 villages from each community block and interview with at least 5 houses from each village. Moreover, the gardeners, nursery owners, and workers of the different locations visited were questioned and interviewed about different plants grown in the region for ornamental purposes and their ethnomedicinal uses, if any. The demographic information of the informants was also collected with their permission, including educational background, age, sex and profession. The details of demographic information have been tabulated in Table 2. It was attempted during the study's tenure to conduct interviews in local languages. The information collected was tabulated into ornamental purposes, vernacular names, plant Family, plant part used, method of preparation/administration, dosage, and diseases treated. Further, Microsoft spread sheets were utilized to categorize the OPs into A (Avenue plants), B (Bouquet/ Cut flower/ Cut foliose), C (Lawn covers), G (Garden plants), H (Hedge/fencing), HP (Hanging pots), P (Pot plants), RC (Religious, cultural and ceremonial), R (Road divider) and plant habit was categorized into herbs, shrubs, trees, climbers, twiners and creepers. Plant parts used in ethnomedicine were categorized into leaves, root, bark, seed, fruits, flowers, bulb, gum, latex, petal, rhizome, stem, thorn, wood, and whole plant. The vast majority of the ornamental plant were identified in their natural surroundings. At the same time, uncertain specimens were brought to the Ecology Lab of the Department of Botany, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (Haryana), India for additional ID and affirmation from the accessible literature²⁰. The voucher specimens of the documented plants were deposited in the Ecology and Biodiversity lab of Department of Botany, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. Botanical names and family were authenticated from the web source “The Plant List” (http://www.theplantlist.org/), plants of the world online (http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org), and renowned taxonomists of the region.

TABLE 2: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF THE INFORMANTS

Informant Consensus Factor (ICF): The homogeneity of the OPs ethnomedicinal knowledge was assessed by using the informant consensus factor (ICF).

ICF for each documented plant species was calculated using the formula Nur-Nt/(Nur-1), where Nur was the number of use reports in each category and Nt was the number of species used for a particular category by all informants ²¹.

RESULTS:

Socioeconomic Status: All of the 219 respondents interviewed were having diverse ethnomedicinal knowledge and belonged to different social backgrounds Table 2.

The informants were randomly selected from different locations, including schools, shopping malls, public parks, factories, hospitals, judicial complexes, university, Temple, colleges, villages, wild life century, nurseries and factories. The majority of respondents interviewed were male (68.03%), and maximum participation was observed from the age group of 40-60 (68%). The informant categories varied from traditional practitioners (1.8%), gardeners (14.6%), local residents (70.7%), nursery owners (5.3%) and priests (6.8%). Amongst the local residents, only those individuals were selected who had home gardens or few OPs were growing nearby their houses. It was observed educationally, the region is developed, and the majority of informants had graduate degrees and higher education (44.7%) only 4.1% of informants were illiterate and belonged to 60-80 age group. The region is dominated by farming (35.6%) individuals followed by employment in private sector (23.7%).

Diversity of Ornamental Plants: The study identified and documented 91 OPs belonging to 83 genera and 42 families Table 3. Dominant families of ornamental plants of the Rewari district are depicted in Fig. 2. Most commonly represented OPs families were Leguminosae (11.95%), Asteraceae (7.60%), Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae (6.53% each), Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae (4.34% each), Bignoniaceae, Convolvulaceae, Nyctaginaceae and Solanaceae (3.26% each). Furthermore,11 families contributed 2.17%; these were Acanthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae, Capparaceae, Combretaceae, Crassulaceae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Mimosaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Verbenaceae, while 20 families contributed 1.08% and had one species each. The documented plants showed a diversity of habits ranging from herbs (43.96%), trees (24.18%), shrubs (24.18%), twines (3.30%), climbers (3.30%), and creepers (1.10%). Fig. 4 depicts the habit distribution of documented plants. The OPs were categorized into A (9.44%), B (11.41%), L (2.36%), G (25.50%), H (5.51%), HP (4.72%), P (25.19%), RC (7.87%) and R (7.87%) based on observations and interviews with local respondents. Figure 3 provides an overview of the Ornamental utilization of documented plant species in the region.

FIG. 2: FAMILY DISTRIBUTION OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS FROM THE REGION

Ethnomedicinal Utilization of Ornamental Plants: The present study revealed utilization of 91 OPs as ethnomedicine for curing different kinds of routine maladies Table 3. Different ailments were categorized into 21 broad categories Table 4. The ailment categories were gastrointestinal, gynecological, bacterial, viral, neurological, aesthetic, ear nose throat (ENT), fungal, respiratory, urinogenital, dermatological, dental, arthrolical, poisoning, veterinary, calculus, hepatic, inflammation, cardiovascular, general and parasitic ailments. Maximum ailments were generally categorized by dermatological, urinogenital, gastrointestinal and gynecological Table 4.

Fever, diabetes, diarrhea, inflammation, arthritis, snake bite, dysentery, poisoning, dengue, heatstroke, agalactia, dysmenorrhea, epistaxis, cryptorchidism, nocturnal emission, anorexia, dental maladies, and kidney stones were the frequently encountered ailments. They were treated using various traditional home remedies.

TABLE 3: ETHNOMEDICINAL USES OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF SOUTH HARYANA

Ornamental Use: A: Avenue plant, B: Bouquet/ Cut flower/ Cut foliose, C: Lawn covers, G: Garden plant, H: Hedge/fencing, HP: Hanging Pots, P: Pot plant, R: Road divider, RC: Religious, ceremonial and cultural

Part Used: WP: Whole plant, S: Seed, L: Leaf, F: Fruit, B: Bark, G: Gum, FL: Flower, R: Root, BL: Bulb, LT: Latex, ST: Stem, RH: Rhizome, W: Wood, T: Thorn, P: Petals

TABLE 4: DIFFERENT AILMENT CATEGORIES

FIG. 3: ORNAMENTAL UTILIZATION OF DOCUMENTED SPECIES IN THE REGION                      

FIG. 4: HABIT OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS DOCUMENTED FROM REWARI DISTRICT

Maximum number of ethnomedicinal uses were reported for skin disease (17) followed by wound, boils (13), constipation (12), piles, cough and cold (10), jaundice, asthma (09), swelling, pimples and intestinal worms (07) respectively Fig. 5. Among the plant parts, leaves (36.50%) were the most commonly used followed by roots (13.69%), whole plant (11.41%), seed (9.13%), bark (7.98%), flower (6.46%), fruit (6.08%), stem (3.42%), petal (1.52%), bulb (1.14%) gum and latex (0.76%).

FIG. 5: DIFFERENT DISEASES TREATED BY ETHNOMEDICINAL UTILIZATION OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS

Various plant parts used of the abovementioned ethnomedicinal ornamental plants are mentioned in Fig. 6. Freshly gathered plant parts were overwhelmingly utilized in preparation, followed by dried powder, latex and gel from therapeutic plants. Numerous methods were used for the preparation of herbal remedies, such as decoction, poultice, powder, paste, fomentation, juice, infusion, latex, tea, etc.. These were used in combination with other plants or singly used. Oral applications followed by external were the most well-known method of administration.

The vast majority of the homemade preparations taken by the patients needed appropriate normalized portions. Notwithstanding, surmised measurements were taken depending on the patients' age, sexual orientation, and appearance. It was observed that the treatment method utilized by individuals generally relies upon the ailment. Skin issues were generally treated by applying topically juice or decoction of therapeutic plants, while wounds and ulcers were treated by applying gel, juice, latex, or paste. For internal issues, natural preparations were mostly regulated orally in various portions, contingent upon the seriousness of the issue

FIG. 6: DIFFERENT PLANT PARTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT MEDICINES

Informant Consensus Factor (ICF): The degree of informant agreement was calculated and presented in the form of ICF. The value of ICF ranged from 0.44-1. A higher value of ICF denoted specificity of information and represented acceptability of information among the informants. Higher value of ICF also displayed frequent exchange of that particular information among the people. The highest degree of consensus was observed for gastrointestinal issues, skin allergies, sores, urinary tract infection, male sexual potency, bone fracture, dandruff, early delivery in cattle, uterus cleaning in cows, gynecological disorder, foeticidal, inflammation, pain and numerous other ailments showed highest degree of informant consensus. While, lower ICF values were observed for cough (0.55), wound healing (0.75), skin disease (0.44), piles (0.57) and ringworm (0.62). Lower ICF values signified the randomness of the particular ailment category and represented minimal information sharing for that particular ailment.

DISCUSSION: The findings of the study indicate close relationship of the local residents with plants. Local people, particularly living in rural and remote areas utilize plants for numerous purposes viz. aesthetic, devotional, positivity, pollution scavengers, industries, medicinal, food and fodder. The region is a rich treasure chest of cultivated and wild OPs. This selection of OPs by the local residents is believed to have been influenced by numerous factors, primarily by socioeconomic and cultural factors ^{7, 22, 23}.

A total of 91 OPs belonging to 42 families have been documented. The documented OPs were utilized as garden (G), pot (P), bouquet/cut flower/ cut foliage (B), avenue plant (A), road dividers (R), religious and cultural (RC), hedge and fencing (H), lawn covers (L). During the study, the ornamental uses of plants were classified into different sections based on observations and personnel interviews with informants from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. All the plants grown on both sides of the roads primarily for shade, beautification and real estate enhancement were listed as avenue plants ^{24, 25}. It was evident from the results that combinations of cultivated and wild plants were used in different ornamental categories.

Albizia lebbeck, Delonix regia, Melia azedarach, Morus alba, Tabernaemontana divaricata were widely used avenue plants in the region. Although the documentation of avenue plants has not been done from the region, but there are instances of these plants being documented in plant biodiversity studies ^{26, 18}. All the plants grown in institutional, public and home gardens were listed as garden plants and fulfilled various goals like beautification of the estates, stress reduction, psychological balancing, positivity and build curiosity ²⁷. Similar findings were also observed in other ornamental studies from India and other nations ^{18, 28}.

OPs grown in pots and used for decoration of public, private offices, hospitals, industries, educational institutes, terrace gardens, balconies were enlisted into pot plants categories ²⁹. Rosa indica, Epipremnum aureum, Polianthes tuberosa, Asparagus racemosus, and Aloe vera were the region's most frequently encountered pot plants. Studies have also suggested the use of similar plant species for decorations, specifically in homegardens ^{30, 31}. Bouquet/cut flower/ cut foliage category included those plants which were used by local florists, nurseries, and residents in their houses and offices for decoration purpose ³². Rosa indica, Canna indica, Asparagus racemosus, Saccharum spontaneum, Tagetes erecta, Portulaca oleracea, were the most dominantly used plants. Hedge and fencing plants category included those shrub or trees which were closely grown and had profuse branching. These plants are used for demarcation of boundaries, maintaining privacy and as wall against stray animals ³. These included Clerodendrum phlomidis, Pithecellobium dulce, Lawsonia inermis and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis relatable results were also shared by numerous studies ^{28, 30, 31}. Road dividers included those plant species which were grown between roads and dividers with the purpose of absorbing dust, aesthetic appearance to pavements, improve air quality, and protection from high beam lights from vehicles. These includes Albizia lebbeck, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Putranjiva roxburghii, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Cascabela thevetia, Nerium oleander and were majorly grown and maintained by the government and private agencies ²⁴.

There is growing interest in plants for lawn covers, including species used for reviving barren land and preparing grass beds in gardens and homes. Religious and cultural plant species were also noted during the study tenure. These included Crinum asiaticum, Tecomella undulata, Canna indica, Butea monosperma, Mitragyna parvifolia, Datura metel and Ficus religiosa. Different studies also reported similar findings in similar socio-cultural traditions and conditions ^{33, 34, 35}. It was evident from the results that wild plants were prominently used by different fractions of the society primarily due to the low cost of maintenance and domestication of wild ornamental species ³⁶.

Industries, hospitals, and shopping malls consisted of cultivated ornamental plants procured from private nurseries due to the distribution of cultivated ornamentals by private nurseries for maintaining status and institutional integrity³⁷. While, homesteads, terrace gardens, educational institutes, temples, ashrams, and nurseries consisted of both cultivated and wild species of plants. It was also observed that most wild plant species grown in homes were shared amongst the local residents like Acacia leucocephloea, Cynodon dactylon, Albizia lebbeck, Aloe vera, Opuntia dillenii, and Tinospora sinensis. The previous studies have also highlighted the impact of urbanization on perception and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants ¹⁸. Results have also exhibited that the nearby local areas have massive ethnomedicinal information. Countless individuals, especially those living in rural and remote regions, use them for essential medical services. Nearby individuals depend on ethnomedicinal plants because of their availability, efficacy, and affordability. It was observed during the tenure of study, that maximum participation was from temple priests, gardeners, workers and owners of nurseries. The large number of OPs species belonged to Leguminosae followed by Asteraceae, Euphobiaceae, Poaceae, Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae, Bignoniaceae, Convolvulaceae, Nyctaginaceae and Solanaceae families. The dominance of these families could be attributed to prevailing edaphoclimatic conditions. Further, the dominance ofLeguminosae members in the region and adjoining areas have also been reported by earlier studies ^{10, 38, 39}.

Herbaceous plants (43.96%) were the dominating life form in this region followed by trees, shrubs, twines, climbers and creepers. These findings are like other past investigations and could be inferred to high usage of herbaceous plants in gardens, pots and institutions for ornamental purposes^{40, 41, 42}. This could be ascribed to their easy accessibility in the nearby regions and nurseries than different habits like trees, bushes and climbers. The findings of the current study are in concurrence with the findings of the previous studies ^{43, 44}.

Leaves were the most often utilized plant part, followed by the roots, entire plant, seeds, bark, flower, fruit, stem, petal, bulb, gum, and latex. Similar findings have also been reported in other ethnomedicinal and ethnopharmacological studies ^{38, 39, 43, 40, 41}. Leaves are a rich reservoir of diverse phytochemicals ⁴⁵. Moreover, reaping leaves guarantees the survival of the plants dissimilar to the roots, stem bark, and entire plant. The current study's findings likewise showed maximum utilization of freshly gathered plant parts for therapeutic purposes for the treatment of different ailments. The broad utilization of fresh plant materials followed by dried powder, latex and gel in the space might be connected with the thought that active constituents could be lost on drying. Other ethnomedicinal studies have additionally opined that fresh parts have better viability when contrasted with the dried plant parts ^{46, 48}. The maximum ethnomedicinal uses were reported for skin disease (17) followed by wounds, boils (13), constipation (12), piles, cough (10), jaundice, asthma (09), swelling, and pimples (07). Skin disease, wounds, boils, constipation, piles, cough, jaundice, and asthma are the most common ailments in the region. The homogeneity of the ethnomedicinal information led to the discovery of frequently shared knowledge for treating various routine maladies like gastrointestinal issues, skin allergies, sores, urinary tract infection, male sexual potency, bone fracture, dandruff, early delivery in cattle, uterus cleaning in cows, gynecological disorder, foeticidal, inflammation and pain which showed ICF value of 1. While, certain ailment categories were found to be rarely shared amongst the individuals, like cough, wound healing, skin disease, piles, and ringworm.

Other ethnomedicinal studies have also shared findings that have documented higher and lower ICF values for respective categories ^{10, 21, 23, 42}. Thus, locals have identified various ways of their treatments over the period through hits and trials. Similar other reports favor the present investigations from other communities ^{46, 47, 49}. Our analysis confirmed the availability hypothesis and revealed that most OPs are utilized for numerous ornamental and medicinal purposes in the region.

Limitations of the Current Study: The current study attempted to incorporate informants from diverse backgrounds, specifically from the adornment point of view for which individuals working in Nurseries, floral shops, and gardeners working in different institutions were approached. However, the region is facing zealous development, but there is little development in the OPs sector. It was observed there is limited no. of nurseries in the district, and the majority of the nurseries are primarily restricted to Rewari block. Further, the Rewari and Bawal blocks were the only blocks that had reputed schools, hospitals, shopping malls and factories which have tried to incorporate OPs for positive ambience and beautification purposes. Thus, other community blocks of the district were neglected from OPs perspective.

Moreover, the ethnomedicinal knowledge was mainly restricted to local residents, temple priests, and region gardeners. It was also observed that the aged informants harbored most of the ethnomedicinal knowledge and younger generations were not very keen to accept this traditional knowledge. The toxicological profile of the plants documented was neglected in the study, which should be consolidated in future studies.

CONCLUSION: The current ethnomedicinal exploration of wild and cultivated ornamental plants in Rewari district revealed 91 plant species belonging to 42 different families. It was conclusive from the study that the residents of the Rewari district are using a combination of wild and cultivated ornamental plants in gardens, pots, bouquet/cut flower/ cut foliage, as avenue plants, road dividers, religious, cultural, lawn covers, hedge, and fencing. The selection of OPs by the local people was greatly influenced by the Socio-cultural and economic factors, which further paved the way for the selection of wild plants for ornamental purposes. It was evident from the findings that the local people harbour immense ethnomedicinal knowledge and use it frequently to treat various routine maladies. However, it is recommended to conduct more studies on the validation of ethnomedicinal claims as no such studies have been conducted on the ethnomedicinal ornamental plants from the region. Further, the findings of the study provide useful information that can be utilized in urban forestry planning and redesigning of nurseries that could incorporate wild plants of the region. The present study is expected to help in conservation and sustainable use and influence the floristic perspective for utilization of local ornamental flora of the region for utilization by local people for multipurpose uses. The current study will be useful for local inhabitants of the region to develop diversified, sustainable home gardens and revenue for local people by promoting younger generations into OPs businesses and start-ups. It is recommended to conduct more in-depth studies on the impacts of OPs on households and ethnopharmacological studies.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Authors are thankful to the hakims/vaids, traditional practitioners, temple priests, owners and workers of nurseries, and elder people, including women of District Rewari, for sharing their valuable knowledge and cooperation during the study. Prior informed consent (PIC) was obtained from the information and knowledge providers as per NBA/CBD guidelines, and they were also informed of equitable benefit sharing.

Funding: SSY thankfully acknowledges SERB-DST, Govt. of India, New Delhi, financial assistance in the form of a research project under the core grant scheme. The authors are also grateful to Haryana State Council for Science and Technology (HSCST) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, DST-FIST, New Delhi, and M.D. University Rohtak for financial assistance.

Author’s Contribution: PB and SSY conceptualized and designed the study. ASR and PB conducted field surveys, data collection, and formal data analysis. ASR, PB, and SSY were actively involved in manuscript preparation, reviewing, and editing.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Authors declare there is no conflict of interest.

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    How to cite this article:

    Bansal P, Rao AS, Yadav SS, Bhandoria MS, Narasimhan B and Dash SS: Ethnomedicinal exploration of ornamental flora of Aravalli Hill ranges of Rewari district of Haryana, India. Int J Pharm Sci & Res 2023; 13(7): 2951-76. doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.13(7).2951-76.

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