The Useful Plants of India

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The first edition of the Wealth of India – Raw Materials Series, comprising 11 volumes and two supplements dealing with the Indian raw material origin, was welcomed by scientists and others, both in and outside, as an important landmark and an outstanding and unique reference work of its kind. The present volume contains in capsule from the salient information on economic plants dealt with in The Wealth of India volumes. "The Useful Plants of India" is thus a birds-eye view of The Wealth of India, and condenses within about 916 pages (text-705 pages and Index 211 pages), information on nearly 5,000 plant species described in the base publication. The plants are mentioned in alphabetical sequence of their botanical names along with their families. Names in Indian languages, common English names, and regional and trade names are provided for each entry. Important uses are mentioned for each plant dealt with. The information contained in this volume will be useful to research workers, students, and laymen alike.

The first edition of The Wealth of India, Raw Materials Series, comprising eleven volumes and two supplements dealing with the Indian raw material resources of plant, animal and mineral origin, was welcomed by scientists and others, both in India and outside, as an important landmark and an outstanding and unique reference work of its kind. The whole set has been beyond the reach of individuals, even though it has been priced moderately compared to similar encyclopaedic works. Suggestions had come from several users that a publication containing in capsule form the salient information on economic plants dealt with in The Wealth of India volumes, and reasonably priced to be within the reach of individuals as well as smaller firms and dealers in plant-materials, would be highly useful. The present volume is thus a bird's-eye view of The Wealth of India, and condenses within about 700 text pages, information on nearly 5,000 plant species described in the base publication. The plants are mentioned in the alphabetical sequence of their botanical names along with their families. Names in Indian languages, common English names, and regional and trade names are provided for each entry. Important uses are mentioned for each plant dealt with.

While the book is mainly based on the first edition of The Wealth of India, Raw Materials, information has also been drawn for some entries from the Dictionary of Economic Plants by J.C. Th. Uphof, and the Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants and its supplement by R.N. Chopra, S.L. Nayar, and I.e. Chopra. Drafts of some of the articles beginning with alphabets A & B from the revised series of The Wealth of India were also consulted and updated in some cases. Purely ornamental plants have been excluded, while the composite articles on Algae, Bamboos, Fungi and Lichens in The Wealth of India have been split up into their individual genera and dealt with at their proper places in the alphabetical order. For the convenience of the users cross-reference of all botanical synonyms have been provided in italics.

The comprehensive index comprising names in Indian languages, common English names, and regional and trade names, appended to the volume, should add to the utility of the volume.

This work was conceived and planned by Shri K. Kashyapa, erstwhile Project Co-ordinator of The Wealth of India, and Shri Y.R. Chadha, the then Editor-in-Chief. Most of the entries were written by Shri K. Kashyapa, ably assisted by Shri Ramesh Chand. With his vast experience of the raw material resources of the country, and through his long association with The Wealth of India, Shri Kashyapa has brought to the publication a high degree of authenticity. The formidable index has been compiled by Shri Ramesh Chand with the devoted assistance of Or P.K. Panda, Dr(Smt) Madhu Sharma and Shri P.R. Bhagwat. Accurate typing, particularly of the botanical names, by Shri A.S. Sidhu, who has had long experience of nomenclatural work, proved an asset in the early completion of this publication. Shri Ramesh Chand has also shouldered the responsibility of seeing the publication through the press.

The staff of the Production Section under Shri S.N. Saxena have spared no pains in the production and printing of this publication. Messers Aruna Press, New Delhi, have done a fine job of printing the text and Messers Ajanta Offset & Packagings Ltd, Delhi of the prolific index.

Mrs K. Ramachandran who succeeded Shri Kashyapa has been a source of guidance and encouragement of this work.

I am thankful to all the above mentioned staffand others who have been connected with this publication.

The present publication is meant only as a condensed compendium of The Wealth of India. For more detailed information the user is advised to refer to the main Wealth of India, Raw Materials Series.