Journal of Biodiversity & Endangered Species

Status and Distribution of Coleus barbatus Benth. in Tehri Garhwal District,Uttarakhand

Abstract

Amit Kotia, Adhikari BS, Rawat GS and Pasha MKS

Coleus barbatus Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an important medicinal herb in the sub-Himalayan tracts of North India. Four major watersheds, namely Chamba, Ghansali, Lambgaon and Pokhal were identified in Tehri Garhwal District during the present investigation and within each watershed various habitats like pine forest, oak forest, open slopes, arable land and abandoned cultivated areas were selected. Through random quadrat sampling data was collected and the population of C. barbatus was calculated. Banj oak and chir pine forests had least population of C. barbatus (< 0.1 individual’s m-2 and 0.1 individuals m-2, respectively). The habitats like open chir pine forest (3.9 individual’s m-2), open grasslands (2.4 individuals m-2), arable lands (3.2 individuals m-2) and abandoned cultivated areas (3.3 individuals m-2) supported good population of C. barbatus. The conservation measures are discussed in the paper.