PG Dept of Botany, SKM University
Dumka, Jharkhand, India
Drosera sp. commonly known as sundews belongs to family droseraceae and is one of the largest genera of carnivrous plants. IUCN in their 'Red Data List' has listed atleast seven genera of Drosera including Indian Sundew - Drosera indica which has been categorised under least concern. Author reports a species of Drosera from Dumka district of Jharkhand, India.
Traditional uses of Drosera
It was found from the local elderly farmers and dwellers that this plant used to grow surrounding the rice field which is usually little elevated from the remaining field so as to demarcate the individual field. Interestingly farmer was aware of it's biological pest control, however not scientific. They use to leave the plant as it is. Still they reports that their number has decreased and this may be because people are more use to with chemical pesticides ignoring the natural control of pests. Phyto-sociological disturbance may be another reason for its decrease in number. It is also being used as ethnomedicine by the local healers as one of the ingredients of ethnic-polyherbal formulation.
|Drosera sp. from Dumka, Jharkhand, India Photo: Dr. Sutanu Lal Bondya|
This 'red data' listed plant needs more attention and proper conservation is required. As this plant is ethnomedicinally important and can be used as natural control for pests, it can be explored more scientifically and systematically.
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