Taxonomy Work

Plant Exploration and Identification

Patanjali Herbal Research Department of Patanjali Research Foundation Trust, Haridwar is working on vegetation survey in different regions of India. For this purpose Plant Taxonomy Laboratory and Plant Ecology Laboratory are established under this department. The Scientists went to tribal villages in India in 2020 to collect plants or herbs used by the traditional healers from the Indian tribes. The teams also went to Morni Hills, Panchkula and Haryana for World Herbal Forest project in association with Department of Forest, Govt. of Haryana. The plant specimens were collected and preserved in Patanjali Herbarium for further identification. A detailed book entitled "Flora of Morni Hills (Research and Possibilities)" has been published with detailed description of 980 plants including their live photographs and herbarium. A book entitled "Morni Hills Ke Mahatvapuran Aushdhiya Padapa" in Hindi has also been published which contain detaiedl botanical description and medicinal uses.

The team is working on vegetation survey of Tropical Broad Leaf Forest of Seijosa, Arunachal Pradesh. The plant specimens were collected in different seasons and preserved in Patanjali Herbarium for further identification. A detailed flora will be published after completion of vegetation survey.

1. Plant Taxonomy Laboratory:

This laboratory deals with the collection and identification of medicinal plants according to modern phylogenetic classification and preparing herbarium for future studies. This also includes field activities, courses, projects and outreach initiatives, documentation and preservation of specimens. We are also creating a huge herbarium of all the medicinal plants with rare Astavarga plants named as Jeevak (Malaxis acuminata D. Don), Rishbhak [Malaxis muscifera (Lind.) Kuntze], Meda [Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All.], Mahameda [Polygonatum cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle], Ridhi (Habenaria intermedia D. Don), Vridhi [Habenaria acuminata (Thwaites) Trimen], Kakoli (Roscoea purpurea Sm.) and Kshirkakoli (Lilium polyphyllum D. Don.). This laboratory is equipped with modern equipments like dissecting microscope, binocular microscope with camera, camera lucida, Stereomicroscope with optic light, plant press and herbarium dryer.

2. Plant Ecology Laboratory:

This laboratory deals with the ecological study of medicinal plants with species emphasis on microclimatic analysis, soil analysis, phytosociological study, biomass and productivity analysis. This laboratory is well equipped with sophisticated analytical equipments such as Anemometers, Clinometers, Electronic balance, Cyclomixer, Global Position System (GPS), Hygrometer, Water bath, Distill water unit, Luxmeter, Microtome, pH meter, BOD Incubator, Autoclave, etc.

World Botanical Dictionary

• This book provides a complete description of all botanical terms that are used in morphological characterization, classification and nomenclature of plants.
• The book describes the botanical glossary of complete terminology used in botanical classification, morphological characters, family, genus and species nomenclature.
• Contains description and etymology of family names and genus names.
• The botanical terminology part contains all the morphological characters which are used for description of vegetative and reproductive characteristics of four major plant groups such as
  • Byrophytes
  • Pteridophytes
  • Gymnosperms
  • Angiosperms
• For the first time, plant genus and species names have been counted and collected at one place.
• Currently, it contains more than 75,000 words used in botanical nomenclature. This book will surely provide beneficial information (which is collected from different reliable sources like books, etymological dictionaries, websites and online dictionaries) to the Botanists, Taxonomists, Researchers and Students community all over the world.

Plant families of the world

Volume I: Angiosperms

The first part of the book has a complete description of 416 families of Angiosperms according to modern system of classification. One of the most important features of this book is the description of the Sanskrit nomenclature of families, genus, species and their morphological characters, which is described for first time in the world in one place. This book cover all the information i.e. including the Sanskrit name of family, Sanskrit etymology of family name, geographical distribution, botanical characters, modern system of classification and significant economic importance. The botanical characters divided in two parts as vegetative characters and flowering characters are described in detail in this book. In the economic importance section contains the food, ornamental, medicinal use and other valuable importance of the families. Canvas paintings and line diagrams in this book help to emphasize the full detail of the important plants of the families.

Volume II: Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms

The second volume has a complete description of all the families of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. 178 families of Bryophytes are described on the basis of their gametophyte and sporophyte characteristics. 50 families of Pteridophytes are described on the basis of their morphological characters and structure of sporangia. 12 families of Gymnosperms are described on the basis of their vegetative characters and reproductive characters. Canvas paintings and line diagrams provide full detail of the important plants of the families. This book will be helpful for the botanists, taxonomists, researchers and students.

Wealth of food crops

Wealth of Food Crops has a detailed description of all varieties of Field crops, commercial crops, oil yielding crops, major and minor vegetable crops and many more for conservation of traditional varieties of India.

• Field Crops:  Oats, Maize, Barley, Wheat, Rice, Millets [Sorghum (Forage Sorghum, Sweet Sorghum), Finger Millet, Kodo Millet, Fox Tail Millet, Proso Millet, Barnyard Millet, Little Millet]
• Commercial Crops: Sugarcane
• Pulses: Cicer arietinum L., Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek, Phaseolus vulgaris L., Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., Glycine max (L.) Merr., Vigna mungo (L.) Heppe, Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal
• Oil Seed Crops: Arachis hypogaea L., Sesamum indicum L., Lens culinaris Medik., Helianthus annuus L., Ricinus communis L., Brassica campestris var. sarson Prain
• Major Vegetables: Solanum tuberosum L., Pisum sativum L., Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., Allium cepa L., Cucurbitaceae members
• Minor Vegetables: Members of Dioscorea genus, Elephant Foot Yam, etc.