Nithypoojakona New 3 1 
PHYTODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION OF NITHYPOOJA KONA SACRED GROVE OF NALLAMALA HILL RANGE, EASTERN GHATS, ANDHRA PRADESH
S.K.M.BASHA, P.SIVA KUMAR REDDY, M. JOHN PAUL
NBKR Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar – 524413, SPSR, Nellore (Dt) A.P.
Bharatiyar university, Coimbatore
E-Mail : drskmbasha@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Sacred groves are climax forests and are the only representatives of natural or near-natural vegetation. These are dedicated to deities or ancestral spirits worshipped by local tribes along with surrounding plants and trees. These are ecosystems by themselves and perform all the ecological functions. Nithyapoojakona Sacred grove is one of the important sacred grove in kadapa district. The present paper deals with the phytodiversity of the above grove used by local tribes.This paper deals with the 181 species of probable medicinal potential belonging to 138 genera and 71 families.
Key Words: Sacred Grove – Deities – Tribes –Nithyapooja kona- phytodiversity
INTRODUCTION
Sacred groves (SGs) are small groves that vary in size from a few hectares to a few kilometersprotected by local communities as being the sacred residences of local deities and sites for religioculturalrituals. They serve as valuable storehouses of biodiversity. They are part of biological heritages and systems that has helped to preserve the representative genetic resources existing in thesurrounding regions for generations. Sacred groves are the important places in which biodiversity ispreserved in mostly undisturbed condition because of certain taboos and religious beliefs. They areancient natural sanctuaries that have supported thegrowth of several interesting and rare species of flora and fauna. The sacred groves harbor genotypes offuture importance that may be very vital for breeding programmes. The institution of sacred groves dates back to the pre-agrarian hunting-gathering phase of human civilization, and is known to
S.K.M.BASHA, P.SIVA KUMAR REDDY, M. JOHN PAUL
NBKR Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar – 524413, SPSR, Nellore (Dt) A.P.
Bharatiyar university, Coimbatore
E-Mail : drskmbasha@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Sacred groves are climax forests and are the only representatives of natural or near-natural vegetation. These are dedicated to deities or ancestral spirits worshipped by local tribes along with surrounding plants and trees. These are ecosystems by themselves and perform all the ecological functions. Nithyapoojakona Sacred grove is one of the important sacred grove in kadapa district. The present paper deals with the phytodiversity of the above grove used by local tribes.This paper deals with the 181 species of probable medicinal potential belonging to 138 genera and 71 families.
Key Words: Sacred Grove – Deities – Tribes –Nithyapooja kona- phytodiversity
INTRODUCTION
Sacred groves (SGs) are small groves that vary in size from a few hectares to a few kilometersprotected by local communities as being the sacred residences of local deities and sites for religioculturalrituals. They serve as valuable storehouses of biodiversity. They are part of biological heritages and systems that has helped to preserve the representative genetic resources existing in thesurrounding regions for generations. Sacred groves are the important places in which biodiversity ispreserved in mostly undisturbed condition because of certain taboos and religious beliefs. They areancient natural sanctuaries that have supported thegrowth of several interesting and rare species of flora and fauna. The sacred groves harbor genotypes offuture importance that may be very vital for breeding programmes. The institution of sacred groves dates back to the pre-agrarian hunting-gathering phase of human civilization, and is known to
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