An Ethnobotanical survey on plant ‘Vataria copplifera (Retz) Alston’

Abstract

This research is about an ethnobotanical survey on plant of Vetaria coppalifera, commonly use Hal in Sinhala, include to the plant family of Dipterocarpaceae , which is in Endangered (IUCN 2.3) conservation status of Red data book. This is an endemic to the Sri Lanka. Abstract of this survey is create an ecclesiastical code in society about the medicinal & other uses of plant. Many of the unique usages of most of the endemic plants were extincted from Sri Lankans. During this survey that the litereature study as performed by using several ayurvdi and indegenous medical texts and current ongoing researches about the plant Vateria copplifera, most of the sources pointed out that this tree is very important in medicinally as well as other uses. Hal tree grown all over the country most abundant at the Wet zone Evergreen Rain Forests and its sorrounding areas such as Rathnapura, Galle, Ambilipitiya, Gampaha, Mathale, Balangoda etc....ln this survey mainly targeted three groups of subjected people to get the data in three types of advantages of the Hal tree. When the study continue can identified the medicinal values, applications and success of those compositions directed by Ayurvedic & Indegenous medical practioners. They applied the many of preprations in connection with different diseases. Quoted about the dietary usage of the Vateria coppalifera also identified many of preparations and methods by using Hal pericarp flour. Many housewives said that those were rich with delicious, nutritious and very economical. According to the study, can proven there were many industrial advantages of the tree. Specially in Toddy industry the assistanse of the Hal bark is very efficacy, safety and very economical. Finally bring about the information of the medicinal value, alimentvalue and other values about the Vateria copplifera, and impliment to preservation the tree and increased the number of consumers.