Abstract

The present study was carried out in 11 representative villages in Nadaun Block of Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh. Total 265 economically important species belonging to 81 families and 211 genera includes 78 species of trees, 46 shrubs and 141 herbs were records. The dominant families were Poaceae (20 species); Fabaceae (18 species) and Asteraceae (14 species). Twenty eight (28) families were monotypic. The inhabitants use these species as medicine (210 species), wild edible/food (109 species), fodder (88 species), fuel (42 species) for religious purpose (23 species), making agricultural tools (6 species), timber (12 species) and miscellaneous (12 spp). It was found that out of 265 economically important species recorded, 26 were found to be native to the Himalayan region, 10 species native to the Himalayan region and adjacent countries and states, 243 species were non-natives. Out of the total recorded species, one species has been categorized as critically endangered, four species endemic, seven species near endemic and 14 species vulnerable.

Key words: Himalayan region, economically important, monotypic, critically endangered, vulnerable, near endemic.