Introduction

Abstract ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Study Region .................................................................................... 2 1.2 Vegetation and Flora ........................................................................ 4 1.3 Ethnic Diversity ............................................................................... 5 1.4 Utilization Aspects of Ethnobotanical Knowledge .......................... 6 1.5 General Reviews on Ethnobotany of India .................................... 10 Keywords ................................................................................................ 12 References ............................................................................................... 13

ABSTRACT

This introductory chapter summarizes the various aspects discussed in the subsequent 12 chapters of this volume dedicated to the Ethnobotany of North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The first section

deals with a description of the location, physiography, geological features, vegetation/forest types and flora. The second section summarizes the ethnic diversity of this region, its origin and its cultural, social and linguistic aspects. The third section gives an introduction to the various utilitarian aspects of the study region focusing on attention of ethnoagriculture, ethnofood plants/food system, ethnomedicinal plants, plants of ethnoveterinary importance, plants which are otherwise useful, ethnobotany of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and documentation and exchanges of ethnobotanical knowledge. The last section of this chapter deals with introductions respectively to the quantitative aspects of ethnobotany and ethnobotany of turmeric, antidiabettic plants and plants involved in oral and dental problems. This introduction to all these 12 chapters also emphasizes the type of future attention that needs to be focused on the various topics covered in these chapters.