Use of different plant tubers for therapeuticpurposes by the etnn tribes of Khunti district Jharkhand, India

H.B Sahu*^a, A. K. Choudhary & Subbash Chandra Mahato
^a *Ethno-botanical Laboratory, University Department of Botany, Ranchi University, Ranchi 843008, Jharkhand India

Received ,21st January. 2014 ; Revised: 22nd February, 2014

Abstract : The present paper enumerates different tubers that are widely used as medicine by the ethnic tribes and other Indigenous non-tribe communities of Khunti district of Jharkhand. During the ethno-medicinal field survey of Khunti district, altogether 26 species of plant tubers belonging to 22 genera and I I families, growing in remote areas, which are used for curing various diseases like cough, asthma, diorrhoea, skin diseases piles and other common diseases have been identified. The present article report such tubers, their local names. botanical name, family, availability, and method of use for curing diseases. Sonic of the important such tubers are Acorus calamus (Ghora buch), Amorphophallus paeoniifoljus var campanulatus (01).Chorophyton tubersum (Safed musli), Coccinia grandis (Van Kundru), Curculigo orchioides (Kali musli), Curcuma decipiens ( Jangli haldi, Van haldi),  Cyperus rotundus (Nagarmotha), Gloriosa superba(Kalihari), Pueraria tuberose (Patal Kohra), Urginia indica(Jangli piyaz)