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: . 2, - An Interdisciplinary Science for, thn O Oh to Man Plant Relationships, Holistic AP s. K. Jain, , ; : tween man and plants can be first divid, All relationships foe spiritual) relations, and then placed in aa, , i Itura, i aterial and cult, a ee ofthe following four categories, a man and plants., , i i 1both to, a Relationships usefu, . Relationships useful to man, harmful to plants., , (0) Relationships useful to plants, harmful to man., , (d) Relationships harmful both to man and plants., A few broad and significant areas are given under each category,, , (a) Relationships useful both to man and plants:, (i) 0, CO, balance through photosynthesis and respiration., (ii) Agriculture (ethnoagriculture). Man grows crops for his, food, survival and other needs and in the process spreads, , and perpetuates certain species, (iii) Improved crop varieties (hybrids). Man creates hardy,, disease-resistant varieties for his benefit, but helps the, , plant too., , (iv) Increase in spatial distribution of plants. Man carries plants, to long distances for agriculture and trade., , (v) Sustained exploitation (ethnomedicobotany, etc.)., Man protects several species through rational use., , (vi) Conservation of plants (ethnoecology). Man preserves, several species as botanical curiosities or specially useful, to him and ensures their survival. :, , (vii) Allcultural relations:, , (viii) Anthropophilous plants:, , (ix) Certain plants come up only near human habitations, i.e. in, , ecological niches so modified b i i, ( man by his actions as to, Suit growth of these species. 7 Y, , ©) Reta aside Cleome, Datura, Cannabis, Calotropis, etc., Onships useful to man, harmful to plants:, , () Selecti 2 di, a ve use: disturbs population biology (Silviculture,, mee Products), Man tries to manipulate the, ee s of plants to his benefit, or makes selective, 1on. This eliminates certain spp.

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ETHNOBOTANY; AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE!, , (ii), , (iii), , » FOR HOLISTIC, APPROACH TO MAN PLANT RELATIONS! ae, , HIPS, Monoculture F orestry:, Forest plantations result often in elimination of, undergrowth, climbers, epiphytes., Cultivation (excessive care) makes species dependent on, Man's support,, , (Cult, spp. rarcly found self-sown/wild), Many species and, cultivars become pampered and Jose their vitality to, survive on their own,, , (c) Relationships useful to plants, harmful to man., , (i), , (ii), (iii), , Spread of weeds., , Certain aggressive weeds like Parthenium, Mikania,, Eupatorium colonize vast areas like forest and agriculture, lands and cause damage to man's economic species. Some, cause even allergic actions on human system. Eichchornia, outgrows economic species in aquatic habitats and, interferes with pisciculture., , Fungicides, insecticides, save plants, but harm man., Special cases., , Asclepias: Certain sucking butterflies are said to help in, pollination and in the process they become toxic to their, , hunters. Thus, the butterflies are protected to help the plant,, at the cost of man's interest., , (d) Relationships harmful both to man and plants:, , ®, Gi), , (iii), , Damage to environment (ethnoecology)., Environmental pollution by man harms both., Deforestation., , Denuded lands become useless to man, and unsuitable, even for colonizer plants., , Excessive shifting agric. (Ethnoagriculture)., , Researches have supported balanced shifting agriculture,, but short rotations can result in situation (i) and (ii) above., , CULTURAL/SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIPS:, Useful to both man and plants., , @), (ii), , (iii), , Plants worshipped, conserved., Plants offered in worship, protected, grown, (ethnohorticulture)., Faith, taboos, clan names, totems. ;, Man derives satisfaction or some consolation by placing, faith in plants, and the plants in turn get protection from, wantom damage. _, Having analyzed the relationships between man and plants,, our understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of man, plant relationship becomes easier., , 7

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- new subject, and most workers have, , The interdisciplinary aspects of ethnobotan, narrate. A few examples are the following., Interdisciplinary Aspects of Ethnobotany:, , Ethnopharmacology, (pharmacology of. eth, Ethnomedicine, Ethnogynaecology, Ethnopaediatrics ene spp,, children). Ethnoorthopaedics (healing of bones by nlanome 7 é ,, opthalmology (plants in eye diseases). Ethnoagriculture (Trt!, , It}, , agriculture, cultivation of wild relatives, primitive tools iona, Stora;, , etc.,subsistence foods.) Ethnotoxicology, Ethno ¢,, Ethnomusicology (plants used in instruments OnatCoticg, music).Ethnophytochemistry, Ethnodietetics, Behidhontes in, Ethnometerology (forecast of weather by plant bebe, Ethnolinguistics (folk names origins). Ethnocosmetics (tradition,, , na, , cosmetics, henna, bark of walnut, tattooing)., , The term interdiscipline and subdiscipline have often b, confused. Ethnobotany itself is interdisciplinary, yet, the rm, examples clarify that where a study involves plants and another ie, different subject area, like Pharmacology, dietetics, etc.,the stud 2, called interdisciplinary aspect of ethnobotany. When the study deal, with ethnobotanical work of a subgroup of plant kingdom, i. ¢ only a, part of the plant kingdom, it is a subdiscipline of ethnobotany, The, examples are as below:, Subdisciplines of ethnobotany:, Ethnomvcology, Ethnoalgology, Ethnolichenology, Ethnobryology,, Ethnopteridology, Ethnopaleobotany, Ethnoecology, Ethnotaxonomy,, Ethnomedicobotany, Ethnoarchaeobotany., The above elaboration will explain the vast and holistic scope of, ethnobotany for study of the man-plant relationships. It will then be, realized that most ethnobotanical works are not exhaustive and fu, ethnobotanical accounts., , A few words to distinguis, , Y are to, 10 ta;, DY to, , h between Ethnobotany and Economic, , Botany can be useful. The latter deals mainly with plants in commerce,, and trade; it confines to Man's material needs and man's view point het, plant's response or survival becomes secondary. Ethnobotany, dr, confine to man's economic gains, it is the mutual and total relations ., The organized and systematic study of ethnobotany is 7 ine, been able to cover only P' eit, n or among a certain e ihe, therefore, is to open for, , ch. of (plant s¢, , intricate man-plant relationship in any regio, the world. The purpose of this presentation,, vast avenues of useful work in this bran: “ao the Opti, understanding the laws and ways of nature and for making, , sustainable use of the plant resources gifted to us by nature., , mum