Shrikant ji, during Gujrat conference in near past many researchers were discussing the cultivation methods of Iphigenia stellata. Based on Traditional Allelopathic Knowledge I suggested them herbal extracts in order to increase its medicinal ingredients. I will return back to them and ask for details.
As mentioned in previous mails that I am called frequently by herb growers of Pune and Mumbai . They ask for new medicinal crop. Now I feel that I must suggest them to grow Iphigenia stellata in large scale. Lets hope that it will reduce the pressure of its natural population in coming years. regards Pankaj Oudhia On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 7:13 PM, shrikant ingalhalikar <le...@rediffmail.com > wrote: > Dear All, > > First of all pls trust that I am with the sentiments of members over > conservation of Kas heritage. I have been watching this location for > the past 35 years for its flora. I wish to assure everyone that Kas > flora diversity and distribution has not changed a bit in the last 35 > years. This is in spite of trampling, burning, grazing and other local > interventions over infinite years. Most of the plants here have > rhizomes, tubers or bulbs that remain safe under the ground to sprout > in the next monsoon. Plants regenerating from seeds are abundent and > plucking by a few over enthusiasts makes a little or no difference to > their re-appearance. Plants said to have some use are plucked the > most. > > The only plant that may be facing a threat is Iphigenia stellata. In > July when other plants are not in bloom and Kas is deserted, several > people arrive at Kas early morniing and dig out plants with tubers. A > plant per 1 sq m is dug out and taken away for medicinal use. Its > fortunate (?) that the plant still sprouts each year to be collected > next year. I am hence srictly against spelling out any uses for any > plant; and on top of it people think wild plants have more potency > than the cultivated ones. Why can't they grow such plants in their > fields? > > The other concerning part is the thronging of enthusiasts in great > numbers on a particular day. The facilities certainly can not cope up > to accomodate 5000 vehicles and 20,000 visitors. (As reported on 19 th > Sept) Every visitor thinks that others should not have come. Best way > to enjoy Kas in such a situations is to avoid peak hours and to avoid > peak crowding days. If local businessmen see a huge crowd thronging, > they are bound to cash on the needs of visitors. Unfortunetely the > crowd is creating the market for resorts, eating houses and stalls. As > such the influx of visitors (and even this concern) fades away with > the bloom of flowers and in other months no one cares to stop at Kas > plateau. I have stopped going to Kas for the last few years. There are > many plateaus around but they are not accessible by car. > > Putting up a board to show the exact location is not necessary; people > who know the plants don't miss it but why attract even the ignorant > ones? Every time conservation issue is raised, the forest dept (or I > do not know who) takes up tree plantation at any site. Kas is no > exception to this disaster. Several Silver Oaks can be seen planted on > the plateau proudly by some one. Putting up a fence to prevent > movement of people and cattle also can be harmful. The famous valley > of flowers is grossly invaded by Polygonum and Impatiens due to such > restrictions. > > Littering is a problem with visitors but thats a national problem. We > can only reduce it with volutary help. Many local groups await help > from visitors on this issue. A meet of Kas lovers in an off season > month to pick garbage will be very useful. Action beyond just > complaining is welcome. > > Developement in terms of mining and wind mills would be disastrous but > I am sure Kas will be spared from such invasion. Every location suited > for a non polluting non conventional energy resource is bound to be on > a plateau and is bound to have some flora and fauna. A balanced > approach rather than a total ban would resolve this issue. As such the > wind mill site gets under tight security after the installation. It > would be worthwhile to find out how the the flora and fauna has > changed there after a few years of isolation. > > No one can resist going to Kas and posting the spectacle on Orkut, > Facebook or Google groups. I feel that we ourselves should ensure that > we do not burden Kas. If a tea stall comes up we should refrain from > holding a steaming cup in the rolling mist of Kas. The plateau expects > least interventions from outsiders like us, it will sustain and please > us as it has done over the years. > > Thank you and with regards, Shrikant > > > On Sep 23, 7:42 am, Aparna Watve <aparnawat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Dear All, > > I am really happy to be part of this ever progressing group and glad I > can > > interact with so many on sensitive issues. > > As a group we have progressed from the phase of exploring and watching to > > scientific observation, analysis and documentation (using taxonomy, -one > of > > the most demanding subjects). > > Now we are progressing towards the conservation science, where we > interpret > > our observations over wide temporal and spatial scale to understand > species > > status and ecology in the wild. Our observations with/without photographs > > are important "primary observational data". This will certainly be of > great > > help to the conservation planners. Till now population level data about > many > > rare species was almost non-existent, so our observational data is a step > > towards it. > > Hence, let us keep documenting and sharing as we do right now, keeping in > > mind that the ultimate goal is conservation of flora and fauna in their > > natural habitat. > > Regards, > > Aparna > > > > On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 10:29 PM, Satish Phadke <drsmpha...@gmail.com > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yes > > > Thanks everybody for sharing their knowledge. We are here to document > the > > > facts and share with others and this way and by whatever other means > try to > > > conserve these species or help or support them who are already doing > it. > > > I can safely concur that most of the flowering of the species occurs > before > > > Sep. and there are quite a number of specimens on the plateau and as > rightly > > > told by Aparna ji one should not be greedy of its photographs. > > > Dr Phadke > > > > > On 22 September 2010 11:23, Satish Phadke <drsmpha...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > >> A lone specimen of* Aponogeton satarensis* was observed on Kas plateau > 19 > > >> Sep 2010 which was flowering. > > >> As per Aparna ji's observation The flowering season might have nearly > > >> finished. > > >> We have already seen its pictures posted by Usha ji yesterday and > Swagat > > >> ji who has seen it sometime in Jun Jul this year. > > >> Regards > > >> Dr Phadke > > > > -- > > Dr. Aparna Watve > > Dr. Aparna Watve > > Asha Appt, Shanti Nagar, Ekata Colony > > Nr. BSNL tower, Akbar Ward, > > Seoni.480661 > > tel: 07692-228115 > > mobile: (0)9755667710 and 9822597288 still works- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -
