Plants used by the ethnic people of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.

The paper enumerates the traditional uses of 43 plant species belonging to 43 genera representing 30 families, which are used by the village communities of Krishna district for the treatment of different diseases and disorders. Half of the remedies are taken orally, accounting for 45% of the medicinal use. Most of the remedies reported are from trees and climber species. The most widely sought after plant parts in the preparation of medicines in the study area are the leaves and stem bark. Huge numbers of medicinal plant species are available in the study area for the treatment of skin diseases (eruptions, eczema, leucoderma, sores, cracks, cuts, boils, wounds, external tumors, etc.), body pain and swellings. Hence, a proper documentation of useful plants with their present status and local traditional knowledge as well as practices is urgently needed.