Plants have immense economic importance for humans by providing basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare. Many plants have economic value as sources of medicine, wood, fiber, and other raw materials. The document discusses several economically important plant species including Rauwolfia, Ocimum sanctum, Azadirachta indica, and plants used for timber, firewood, paper, and other purposes. It provides details on the history, uses, and distribution of these economically significant species.
2. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY
ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT PLANTS
MEDICINAL PLANTS
i. RAUWOLFIA
ii. HOLY BASIL
iii. NEEM
IMPORTANT FIREWOODS
TIMBER
i. TEAK
ii. BAMBOO
iii. RATTANS
PLANTS USED FOR PAPER MAKING
GUMS
RESINS
TANNINS
DYES
AVENUE TREES
i. SHADE
ii. POLLUTION CONTROL
iii. ASTHETICS
CONCLUSION
3. INTRODUCTION
Plants are extremely important in the lives of people throughout the
world; people depend upon the plants to satisfy such basic human
needs as food, clothing, shelter and healthcare.
The word “economic” is used in the sense of utilitarian rather than of
monetary gain; although the latter should not be ignored.
The interaction of people with plants is known as Economic botany.
Plants provide raw materials for many pharmaceuticals, as well as
tobacco, coffee, alcohol and other drugs.
4. HISTORY
The Age of Exploration and Discovery contributed greatly to
the development of Economic Botany.
The discoveries soon brought about an official interest in
plants on the part of the European crowns, not because of
concern for botany as a science – although that was to follow
– but because of the potential economic value of the plants.
In the early part of 16th century, Oviedo gave descriptions of
some of the economic plants of the tropical America.
In 1570, Philip II sent the palace physician to Mexico; the
physician and his workers’ primary emphasis was upon the
medicinal plants.
5. MEDICINAL PLANTS
The study of medicinal plants is termed as Pharmacognosy and this
branch of science is concerned with the history, collection,
identification, selection, preservation, import and export of various
plants and plant parts that are drug yielding.
Almost all Unani and Ayurvedic drugs and medicines are obtained
from plants. Several allopathic drugs and almost all homeopathic
medicines are derived from plants.
Some important Medicinal plants are:
Rauwolfia serpentina
Ocimum santum
Cinchona sp.
Azadirachta indica
Aloe vera
ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT
PLANTS
6. RAUWOLFIA (Sarpagandha)
BOTANICAL NAME: Rauwolfia serpentina
FAMILY: Apocynaceae
HISTORY
The plant is mentioned in ancient literature
including the works of Charaka (1000-
800BC) where it is described under its
Sanskrit name of Sarpagandha as a useful
antidote against snake bite and insect
sting.
The mentally deranged person is relieved
of his madness if he eats the pieces of the
roots.
Because of this supposed curative effect
of insanity the plant has also been known
in India as “ Pagal Ki Dava”.
DISTRIBUTION
A large climbing or twinning shrub, found in
the tropical Himalayas and plains near the
foot of the hills from Sirhind and Moradabad
to Sikkim; it also occur in Assam, Kerala, etc.
It is also distributed in the tropics, i.e. Central
& South America, Africa, India, Sri Lanka,
Burma, China and Japan.
The largest number of species is found in
Africa and South America. It is also
distributed to Malaysia and Jara. Rauwolfia plant
7. USES
Toxic Goitre In Old Age
Menopausal Syndrome
Opacity In Cornea
Skin Disorders
Intestinal Disorders
Relief from Nervous Disorders
Uterine Contraction
Mental Disorder
Treats Insomnia
Reduces Blood Pressure
8. Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basil)
BOTANICAL NAME: Ocimum santum
FAMILY: Lamiaceae
HISTORY
The history of holy basil dates as far back
as the ancient Hindu in 1,500 BC. Highly
regarded in Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil
is mentioned in the Rig Veda, an ancient
collection of Indian hymns, and its
sacredness has been celebrated in the
Purana.
ORIGIN & DISTRIBUTION
In a large-scale phylogeographical study of
this species conducted
using chloroplast genome sequences, a
group of researchers from Central
University of Punjab, Bathinda, have found
that this plant originates from North-Central
India.[
This green leafy plant, also known as tulsi,
is native to Southeast Asia.
10. USES
It has a history within Indian medicine as a treatment for many
conditions, from eye diseases to ringworms.
From the leaves to the seed, holy basil is considered a tonic for the
body, mind, and spirit.
FLOWERS TREATS BRONCHITIS
SEEDS WITH BLACK
PEEPER TREATS
MALARIA
11. It's also been used to try to treat a range of other health concerns,
including:
Increased blood circulation
Insect bites
Kidney problems
Skin problems
Snake bites
Stomach problems
As an antioxidant
12. NEEM TREE (Margose tree)
BOTANICAL NAME: Azadirachta indica
FAMILY: Meliaceae
DISTRIBUTION
Neem is thought to have originated in
Assam and Burma (where it is common
throughout the central dry zone and the
Siwalik hills). However, the exact origin
is uncertain: some say neem is native
to the whole Indian subcontinent;
others attribute it to dry forest areas
throughout all of South and Southeast
Asia, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Map showing worldwide
distribution of Azadirachta
indica
13. HEALTH BENEFITS OF NEEM
Cures
Asthma
Controls
Diabetes
Keeps
Skin
Healthy
Detoxifies
The Body
Relieves
Fungal
Infection
Heals
Ulcers
Reduces
Fever
Combats
Dandruff
Fights
Inflammat
ions
Maintains
Oral
Health
14. IMPORTANT FIREWOODS
Any wooden material gathered and used
for fuel is called firewood.
Generally, it is not highly processed and
it is in some form of recognizable log or
branch form.
It is a renewable resource; due to good
forestry practices and improvements in
devices and technology that uses it,
improve the local wood supplies. It has
been used by human for a long time.
USES OF WOOD
• Wood is a natural, sustainable choice of
fuels for domestic fires. For example, to
warm the homes or for lightening.
• The firewood burning stoves provide a
natural way for a person to heat their
residence by burning split logs.
15. Important Firewoods
Burning Stoves
But, burning of wood also has some
disadvantages like air pollution. So,
to remove the disadvantages, one should
choose the right merchant who provides
the quality wood to its customers.
DISADVANTAGES OF BURNING
WOOD
16. TIMBER
The Timber plants Are usually medium
or large trees, which are cut to extract the
wood.
This material will be used for certain
purposes such as construction, paper,
etc. Timber trees are broadly classified
into trees of soft, semi-hard and
hardwoods.
Some important timbers include teak, sal,
bamboo, rattans, etc.
17. TEAK
Teak (Tectona grandis) is one of the
most durable of woods and
important commercial timbers of the
tropics.
It is hard and does not warp, split or
crack and so makes a valuable
timber for general construction.
The wood is yellowish brown in
color and greasy in touch.
It is extensively used in ship, and
boat building, and the furniture, mill
work, railway cars, flooring and
greenhouses.
18. BAMBOO
Bamboo (Bambusa sps.) is a very
common tree belonging to Poaceae
family which is found mainly in Asia
and Africa.
The trees are extremely tall and are
usually found in the rural areas and
near water bodies. The bamboo leaves
usually remain green throughout its
lifestyle unless there is a forest fire.
The average lifespan of a bamboo tree
is around 20 years.
The bamboo tree is also considered as
one of the strongest trees and is
capable of surviving harsh weather
conditions. Bamboo is also used for a
wide variety of purposes. It also has
some medicinal properties.
19. RATTANS
Rattan is a naturally renewable
palm that grows in the tropical
regions of Africa, Asia and
Australasia, and is used for
furniture, handicrafts, and
building material among others.
Rattan continues to be an
invaluable part of rural people’s
livelihoods in South and
Southeast Asia.
Because it is light, durable and
relatively flexible, rattan is used
for a range of purposes:
Food: The inner core as well as
the shoot of some of the rattan
species is edible.
Furniture: Furniture is the main
end product of rattan.
Shelter: Rattan is an approved
material for house building in
rural areas.
Handicraft: Handicraft, besides
furniture, provides the main
income of the rattan industry.
Women
preparing
rattan
shoot for
cooking.
Wild-
harvested
rattan canes
being treated
and dried
20. PLANTS USED FOR PAPER
MAKING
Paper is often made from blend kinds of fibers, in order to combine
the qualities of each type of pulp.
There are many types of raw material for papermaking, such as
wood, bamboo, cotton, bagasse, hemp, reed, straw and etc.
All trees can be used to make paper. Some of the most common
kinds of trees used for making paper are listed down.
21. Hardwood trees used to make papers:
Acacia: native to Australia, grown in east
and south Africa and other parts of the world.
Aspen Tree
• European Aspen: Native to Scotland,
Ireland, England and Wales, grown across
Europe including Sweden, Poland and
Russia. Also found in northern Africa and
Asia. European aspen tree is one of the
most widely distributed trees in the world.
• Quaking or Trembling Aspen: Grown
from Alaska to Newfoundland and southward
to Virginia, the Rocky Mountains, extending
south to southern Arizona and northern New
Mexico.
Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is mainly distributed
in the following areas: Portugal and Spain,
Brazil, Eastern Australia.
Acacia
Aspen
Eucalyptus
22. Softwood Trees Used to Make Paper
Fir
• Balsam Fir: Found in southern Canada
and 15 north eastern US states.
• Douglas Fir: Occurs in Great Britain,
Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, New
Zealand, Australia, Alberta and British
Columbia in Canada, US west coast states
such as Arizona, California and Nevada as
well as New York.
Pine
• Chile Pine or Monkey Puzzle Tree: Native
to Chile and Patagonia, grown in Brazil.
• Jack Pine: Found in Arctic Circle, southern
Canada, including Yukon Territory, as well
as 14 US states such as Alaska and
Indiana.
• Loblolly Pine: Native to 15 south eastern
states in the US including New Jersey,
Florida and Texas.
Western Hemlock: Occurs in Alberta and
on the coast of British Columbia in Canada,
Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon
and Washington in the US, Japan, China and
India.
Fir
Pine
Western
Hemlock
23. GUMS
They are used in the food industry as thickening
agents, gelling agents, emulsifying agents,
and stabilizers, and in other
industrial adhesives, binding
agents, crystal inhibitors, clarifying agents,
encapsulating agents, flocculating agents, swelling
agents, foam stabilizers, etc. Natural gum from plum tree
RESINS
Resins are plant products that are
not soluble in water, harden when
exposed to air; they are mostly
composed of terpenes.
Plant resins are valued for the
production of varnishes, adhesives,
and food glazing agents.
They are also prized as raw
materials for the synthesis of other
organic compounds and provide
constituents
of incense and perfume.
Resin of a pine
24. TANNINS
Tannin, also called tannic acid, any of a
group of phenolic compounds in
woody flowering plants and have a
number of industrial applications.
As secondary metabolites, tannins are
isolated in vacuoles within the plant cell,
which protects the other cell components.
They occur normally in the roots, wood,
bark, leaves, and fruit of many plants,
particularly in the bark of oak (Quercus)
species and in sumac (Rhus). They also
occur in galls, pathological growths
resulting from insect attacks.
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a
source of tannin used in a number of skin
care products. Witch hazel has been used
to treat bee stings, skin abrasions, and
poison oak and ivy. Witch hazel tannins
are also used in mouthwashes,
eyewashes and for some bowel
conditions.
The tannins in cranberries (Vaccinium
macrocarpon) have been medically
proven to help prevent urinary tract
infections in women by reducing the
ability of the bacteria E. coli from adhering
to cells lining the urinary tract.
Native Americans introduced witch hazel (Hamamelis
virginiana) to European settlers. Hamamelitannin is the
tannin extracted from witch hazel. Photo by Larry Stritch
Medical research has shown that tannin found in
cranberries is highly effective in preventing urinary tract
infections
25. DYES
Dye is a substance used to color materials. It is
often used to color the fabric used to
make clothing.
A dye can be natural, usually made from plant
material such as berries.
Most natural dyes are gotten from different parts of
a plant like
the roots, fruits, bark, leaves, wood, fungi and liche
ns.
Classification
Dyes can be classified based on their solubility and
chemical properties.
Acid Dyes: can dissolve in water. They are used
on fibers such as silk, wool, nylon. Most food
coloring that are made by man are acid dyes.
Examples of acid dye are Alizarine Pure Blue
B, Acid red 88, etc.
Basic Dyes: can dissolve in water. They are mainly
used on acrylic fibers. They may also be used on
wool and silk. Basic dyes are also used to
make paper colorful.
ACID DYES
BASIC DYES
26. INDIGO
Botanical name : Indigofera
Family : Fabaceae
Origin and Area of cultivation:
Indigofera tinctoria is native to India. It was grown in
many states in India. Now it is grown limited states
mainly in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Uses: A brilliant dark blue dye ‘indigo’ was extracted
from the leaves of several species of Indigofera. The
people of Asia, especially India have known the dye for
over 4,000 years. It is also used in painting of murals.
Indigofera have long been used in Southern India in
temple arts and folk arts, popularly known as
Kalamkari. Indigo used for dyeing and printing cotton,
rayon and wool.
HENNA
Botanical name : Lawsonia inermis
Family : Lythraceae
Origin and Area of cultivation:
It is indigenous to North Africa and South-west Asia. It
is grown mostly throughout India, especially in Gujarat,
Madya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Uses: An orange dye ‘Henna’ is obtained from the
leaves and young shoots of Lawsonia inermis. The
principal colouring matter of leaves ‘lacosone” is
harmless and causes no irritation to the skin. This dye
has long been used to dye skin, hair and finger nails. It
is used for colouring leather, for the tails of horses and
in hair-dyes.
27. AVENUE TREES
They are landscape trees, planted
at roadsides, highways, garden,
near railway lines, unused lands,
etc.
Avenue trees are planted for
shade, pollution control,
aesthetics, soil conservation,
timber, etc.
AVENUE TREES FOR SHADE
Properties of avenue trees used
for shade:
• Tree habitat
• Perennial
• Upright growth
• Extensive canopy
• Deliquescent branching
• Minimum care and minimum
water requirement
KADAM TREE PEEPAL TREE
BANYAN TREE
28. AVENUE TREES FOR POLLUTION CONTROL
Criteria for avenue trees used for pollution
control:
• Evergreen tree
• Extensive canopy
• Large wide leaves & rough bark
• High pollutant absorbent
• Dust scavenging capacity
• Indigenous & ecologically compatible
• Low water requirement
SIRIS (Albizza lebbaeck)
AMALTASH
(Cassia fistula)
ARJUNA
(Terminalia arjuna)
29. AVENUE TREES FOR AESTHETICS
• Ornamental & attractive plants
• Used for beautification of the area
• Mostly colorful &flowering
• May be large shrub or tree
Examples: Nil mohar (Jacranda
mimosifolia), Gulmohar (Delonix regia),
Jarul (Lagerstromia speciosa), Bottle brush
(Callistemon sps.)
NIL MOHAR
GULMOHAR JARUL BOTTLE BRUSH
30. CONCLUSION
Every coin has two sides. All most all plants are useful in one
way or the other. But overuse or excess use of anything can be
harmful. Rauwolfia in long term use can cause depression,
nightmares, drowsiness, etc. Holy basil may also cause low
blood sugar, decrease fertility and promotes bleeding. Neem
might also cause harm to the kidney and liver if taken in large
doses.