ABSTRACT-Uttrakhand has tremendous potential for medicinal plants cultivation and in becoming one of the important options for sustainable livelihood in the Doon valley as well as all hilly regions. Doon-valley, Uttrakhand can take advantages of increasing demand and low availability of medicinal and aromatic plants resources in the other parts of the country and start to grow highly valuable medicinal plants in high altitude areas. Medicinal and aromatic plants can play an important role in the subsistence livelihood enhancement rural people, especially women through an environmentally sustainable manner while maintaining the biodiversity of these natural products.

Plants are integral source of medicine in the rural areas, particularly in the tribal communities. An ethnobotanical survey on the medicinal plants used by the Gujjar community of the Trikuta hills, one of the least explored areas of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India, was undertaken. Information on the medicinal plants was mainly gathered from local people and traditional healers through questionnaires, and formal and informal discussions by undertaking frequent field trips. Seventy plants belonging to 43 different taxonomic families were recoded in the study area. Majority of the plants were herbs, though trees, shrubs, climbers and some epiphytes were also found. Leaves were ranked as the commonest part being used followed by roots and whole plants. More than one plant part was in use for the cure of different ailments. Most of these plants were used as decoctions, pastes, herbal teas or tonics and administered orally. Some of the plants encountered in the study area were rare and endangered thus inviting the attention for their conservation and preservation.