Medicinal and other Economic Plants of Shola Understories, the Nilgiris, Western Ghats. 2008. (Advances in Plant Science Research, Vol. 12). pls. IX, 112 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.

India is one of the 18 mega biodiversity countries and contains 2 hotspots such as Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas. In Western Ghats, the Nilgiris is considered to be the repository of genetic stock of wild plants and animals. By recognizing the importance of the bioresources, the Nilgiris is declared as Biosphere Reserve in the year, 1986 for the effective conservation of natural wealth. The in situ conservation measures adopted through intensive habitat protection in this region enhances the population of many such bioresources at considerable level. The shola forests, a unique type of vegetation available in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve gained much with respect to species diversity by the effective in situ conservation measures followed. Besides the trees, the understories of sholas are characterized by the presence of high species richness which indeed includes many economically important plants.

This book deals with the origin, distribution, development and importance of sholas, parts used for economic purpose, mode of utilization, need of conservation of shola species in particular and cultivation possibility of species which need conservation. All the species of economic importance are nicely illustrated with clear photographs.