SOME IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PTERIDOPHYTES OF MANDSAUR DISTRICT (MADHYA PRADESH)

Plants have been as a source of food, medicine and many other necessities of life since time immemorial. In the plant world, pteridophytes are said to be primitive vascular plants. They are the second-largest component of this world flora. They have an important role in the earth’s diversity. They grow luxuriantly in moist tropical and temperate forest and their occurrence in different eco−geographically threatened regions from sea level to the highest mountain are of much interest. This fascinating group of Pteridophytes is distributed in the Himalaya, Western Ghats, Vindhya, hilly areas of Bihar, Orissa and other parts of Madhya Pradesh as well as in the Aravalli area. We reported 8 species of medicinally important pteridophytes, used by the tribes of Madhya Pradesh. The climatic conditions of the Mandsaur district are suitable for the growth of pteridophytes. Actiniopteris radiata, (Sw.) Link is the most common plant of the Mandsaur district and found in Gandhi Sagar Wild Life Sanctuary, Takhaji, Hinglajgarh, and Navali. Dryopteris cochleata, (D. Don) C. Chr, Equisetum ramosissimum, Desf. ssp. debile (Roxb ex Vaucher) and Pteris vittata, Linn is found only in Takhaji. Cheilanthes farinosa, (Forssk) Kaulf, commonly known as Nanha was reported from Gandhi Sagar Wild Life Sanctuary. KEYWORDS: Actiniopteris radiata, (Sw.) Link, Aravalli area, Cheilanthes farinosa, (Forssk) Kaulf, Climatic conditions, Diversity, Dryopteris cochleata, (D. Don) C. Chr, Equisetum ramosissimum, Desf. ssp. debile (Roxb ex Vaucher), Primitive, Pteris vittata, Linn, pteridophytes, Threatened, Vascular plants