The Himalayan trillium (Trillium govanianum), a common herb of the Himalayas was declared ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last week.

Try this MCQ:

Q.Recently, there was a growing awareness in our country about the importance of Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) because it is found to be a sustainable source of-

(a) Anti-malarial drug

(b) Bio-diesel

(c) Pulp for paper industry

(d) Textile fibre

Himalayan trillium

• In recent years, the plant has become one of the most traded commercial plants of the Himalayan region, due to its high medicinal quality.
• It is found in temperate and sub-alpine zones of the Himalayas, at an altitude from 2,400-4,000 metres above sea level.
• Their existence has also been traced across India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• In India, it is found in four states only- Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand.
• Often called Nagchatri, in local areas this herb grows to a height of 15-20 cm.

Various applications

• It has been used in traditional medicine to cure diseases like dysentery, wounds, skin boils, inflammation, sepsis, as well as menstrual and sexual disorders.
• Recent experiments have shown that the rhizome of the herb is a source of steroidal saponins and can be used as an anti-cancer and anti-ageing agent.
• This increased its market value and has now become an easy target for poachers.

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