Plant Diversity in the Hay Meadows of Ladakh, Indian Trans-Himalaya: Focus on Ethno-medicinal and Fodder Species

Hay meadows are among the most species-rich habitats in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), as well as in other parts of the world. However, their ecological relevance, species diversity and conservation significance remain largely underexplored. During recent floristic explorations in western Ladakh, we surveyed a few semi-natural or artificially irrigated hay meadows in the Suru, Drass, Aryan and Wakha valleys of Kargil district. The traditional land use practices such as diverting the glacial melt streams into stone-built walls or canals, allow growth of numerous plant species that are valuable medicinal and fodder plants, along with graminoids. Medicinal plants such as Aconitum heterophyllum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Delphinium cashmerianum, Gentianella moorcroftiana, Heracleum pinnatum and Podophyllm hexandrumim and fodder plants such as Astragalus thomsonii, Cicer microphyllum, Medicago falcata, Trifolium pratense, Oxytropis hypoglottoides, Poa alpina and Prangos pabularia,  are harvested from these hay meadows by the locals. These plants are a valuable commodity for the local people due to low-cost source of livestock-feed and their healing properties. The present study documents the plant diversity observed in the mountain hay meadows of western Ladakh along with their ethno-medicinal and nutritional values.