POLYGONATUM VERTICILLATUM (LINN.) ALL. AND POLYGONATUM CIRRHIFOLIUM (WALL.) ROYLE: TWO THREATENED VITAL HEALERS FROM ASTHAVERGA NURTURED BY GARHWAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

The biodiversity of Garhwal Himalaya supports a large number of medicinal plants used in various ailments as a drug. Polygonatum verticillatum and Polygonatum cirrhifolium, the healers from 'Asthaverga' of 'Ayurveda', are reported from Garhwal Himalaya, but due to overexploitation are encompassed in threatened category. The present study is a documentation of these plants to facilitate the conservation of these crude drugs in their natural habitat and to domesticate them. The study also provides information regarding the resident’s outlook, living in surrounding area of these species, towards these species.