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The present study deals with the floristic richness of the sacred groves of Agastheeshwaram, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India. It covers an area of ca. 2.6 ha. Altogether, 98 angiospermic species from 87 genera and 43 families were enumerated from the sacred grove. Of these species 80.6% are used as medicine, 6.12% have a timber value and 10.20% are used as minor forest produce by the local inhabitants of the study area. Some rare, endangered and endemic plants are confined to this grove only. The attendant cultural rites and religious rituals have perpetuated the status of the sacred grove, which has ensured the protection of the grove vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant diversity of southern peninsular India has recently been reduced to a great extent due to anthropogenic disturbance and environmental degradation. Disturbance was the major factor responsible for fragmentation of forest vegetation; as a result of this, there is a preponderance of small patches, some of them still preserved as sacred groves because of strong religious beliefs held by the indigenous people of this region. It is thought that one of the prime utilities of sacred groves is the protection and occasional supply of medicinal plants on a sustainable basis. Most of the medicinal plants were confined to these groves only. During the study period we inventoried 201 miniature sacred groves covering an area of 13.1 ha. Among these, 10 sacred forests are present in Agastheeswaram, 11 in Thovalai, 72 in Kalkulam, and 108 in Vilavancode taluk. The floristic richness of the sacred groves in Kanyakumari district was analysed. A total of 329 species belonging to 251 genera of 100 families were enumerated from the miniature sacred forests of Kanyakumari district. Of these, 42 species were endemic, 40 very rare, 47 rare, and 16 endangered. Since there is minimal exploitation of these groves, they are considered a home to certain rare, endangered, and endemic plants and are rich in biodiversity. These sacred groves are closely related to the social and cultural life of a people and a number of cultural rites and religious rituals have perpetuated the status of a sacred grove, which has ensured the protection of the sacred grove vegetation in pristine condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To explore the phytochemical constituents of the methanolic flower extracts of Helictres isora (H. isora), Spathodea campanulata (S. campanulata), Antigonon leptopus (A. leptopus) and Thunbergia grandiflora (T. grandiflora). Methods: The preliminary phytochemical screening was performed by Harborne method. Results: The results of the phytochemical screening revealed that alkaloids, phenol, tannins, xanthoproteins, carboxylic acid, coumarins and carbohydrates presence in the methanolic extracts of H. isora. The methanolic extracts of S. campanulata displayed the presence of alkaloids, phenol, coumarins and carbohydrates. The phenol, saponins, aminoacids, steroids, phytosterols, triterpenoids, sapogenis, tannins, xanthoprotein, carboxylic acid and coumarins were present in the methanolic extracts of A. leptopus. The methanolic extracts of T. grandiflora showed only the alkaloids and phenols presence and other constituents were failed to demonstrate in the methanolic extracts of T. grandiflora. Conclusions: The antimicrobial activity of H. isora, S. campanulata, A. leptopus and T. grandiflora may be due to one/more group of above phyto-constituents. From the results, it can be concluded that the methanolic flower extracts of H. isora, S. campanulata, A. leptopus and T. grandiflora may be used as broad-spectrum antimicrobial, bioactive agent after extensive investigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]