The Biobrio 13(3 & 4), 2026

Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants used by indigenous people of Morigaon district

Prerna Priya & Ashok Kumar Jha

ABSTRACT:

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across various rural localities of Morigaon district, Assam, India, between March 2025 and February 2026. A total of 26 local informants (18 males and 8 females) representing indigenous communities (Tiwa, Karbi, Bodo, and Tea-tribes) were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Among the male informants, three were traditional medical practitioners (Bej / Baidya). The survey documented 28 medicinal plant species distributed across 22 families, utilized in the management and treatment of 19 distinct physical ailments. Morphological classification showed that trees constituted the majority of documented species (14 species; 50.0%), followed by herbs (12 species; 42.86%), climbers (1 species; 3.57%), and twiners (1 species; 3.57%). Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including the Informant Consensus Factor (Fic ) and Fidelity Level (FL%), were evaluated. High consensus (Fic =1.0) was observed for ailments such as pneumonia, fevers, dermatophytosis, and dysentery, while Nyctanthes arbortristis L. exhibited the highest fidelity level (FL=87.5%) for treating fever. These findings underscore the persistent reliance of ethnic communities on local phytotherapy and provide baseline data for pharmacological screening.

Keywords:    

Ethnomedicine, Morigaon, Informant Consensus Factor, Fidelity Level, Traditional Knowledge, Medicinal Flora.

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