During the last decade, various R&D works in the field of Ethnobotany and plant systematics including new findings, reviews, baseline studies, and conservation assessments are as follows:

New species and varieties

• Geranium aedonianum Hurrah & V.Wagh
• G. dachigamensis Hurrah & V.Wagh
• G. indicum Hurrah & V. Wagh
• G. janakianum Aparna Shukla & V. Wagh
• G. jainii Hurrah & V. Wagh
• G. lahulense V. Wagh & Hurrah
• G. ocellatum var. albiflorum Hurrah, Bagri & V. Wagh
• Eragrostis shrirangii V. Wagh & Lohit

New records/rediscoveries

• Reported the Extended distribution of Rhynchosia suaveolens (L.f.) DC. and Boehmeria clidemioides Miq., and new records of Sida ovata Forssk, Sida spinosa L., and Sida elongata var. balica (Miq.) Borss. were also reported.
• Some lesser-known species like Boehmeria peduliflora Wedd. and Viola cinerea var. stocksii (Boiss.) W. Becker were rediscovered and detailed taxonomic notes were provided.
• Additionally, elucidated the distributional discrepancies of some species like Geranium mascatense Boiss.

Ethno-floristic studies

Arboreal ethnoflora, healing sacred forest, status of threatened medicinal plants, role of non-timber forest products in the livelihood and ethnomedicinal uses of plant parts, documentation of floristic diversity of the sacred groves and their potential role in biodiversity conservation were carried out in various parts of the country including western Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Assessment of conservation and threat status of narrow-range endemic species like Ficus cupulata Haines and Jasminum parkeri Dunn for developing conservation strategies.

The documentation of invasive plant species in various regions of India like western Madhya Pradesh and Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (SSBS) Keetham, Agra, contributes to understanding their impact on local ecosystems and aids in the management of invasive species.

On-going studies

(a) Evaluation of the threat status of traded forest flora:

The study is focused in Madhya Pradesh and about 265 traded and threatened plant species in Madhya Pradesh with their ethnomedicinal uses have been documented. This assessment is essential for prioritizing conservation efforts, ensuring sustainable trade practices, preserving biodiversity, enhancing economic and social well-being, and guiding informed policymaking.

(b) Floristic studies

• Floristic study of Chambal ravines in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan
• Floristic and ethnobotanical study of Sacred groves of Yavatmal, Maharashtra
• Floristic study of Rishikesh
• Plant resource mapping of Similipal Biosphere Reserve

1. Gupta, V. and Wagh, V.V. 2024. Traditional plant knowledge and medicinal practices in Yavatmal district, Maharashtra, India: an ethnobotanical review. Plant Biosystems-An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 158(4): 704–745.


2. Gupta, A. and Wagh, V.V. 2024. Typification of the three names in the tribe Boehmerieae (Urticaceae). Phytotaxa, 641(1):78-84.


3. Lohit, T.A. and Wagh, V.V. 2024. Taxonomic notes and synonymy in Crotalaria montana (Fabaceae: Crotalarieae). Phytotaxa, 640(3): 293-300.


4. Shukla, A.R., Sahu, N., Hurrah, I.A., Ahmad, M. and Wagh, V.V. 2023. Geranium janakianum (Geraniaceae), a new species from Uttarakhand, India. Phytotaxa, 630(2):123-132.


5. Shukla, A.R., Srivastava, M. and Wagh, V.V. 2024. Therapeutic uses of gum-resin yielding plants of India. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 43(11):100815.


6. Lohit, T.A. and Wagh, V.V., 2024. Eragrostis shrirangii sp. nov. (Poaceae) from Uttar Pradesh, India. Nordic Journal of Botany, 2024(1):e04160.


7. Lohit, T.A. and Wagh, V.V., 2024. On the typification of the Linnaean name Viola pinnata (Violaceae). Taxon, 73(1): 269-270.


8. Hurrah, I.A., Shukla, A.R. and Wagh, V.V. 2023. A new species of Geranium L.(Geraniaceae) from Kashmir Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa, 603(2):163-172.


9. Hurrah, I.A., Shukla, A.R. and Wagh, V.V. 2023. Occurrence of Geranium mascatense (Geraniaceae) in India and the speculations about its global distribution. Phytotaxa, 598(3): 206-218.


10. Gupta, A., Adhikari, D., Hurrah, I.A. and Wagh, V.V. 2023. Extended distribution, typification and modelling of potential areas of Boehmeria clidemioides (Urticaceae) in the Western Himalaya, India. Rheedea, 33(1):8-16


11. Mishra, A.K., Gupta, V., Rajurkar, A.V., Dhole, P.A. and Wagh, V.V. 2023. An extended distribution and rediscovery of Rhynchosia suaveolens (Lf) DC. (Fabaceae) for Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 15(3):22894-22899.


12. Srivastava, A., Wagh, V.V. and Srivastava, S.K. 2023. Typification and threat assessment of Jasminum parkeri (Oleaceae), a point endemic and critically endangered species of Indian Western Himalaya. Phytotaxa, 583(2):223-226.


13. Lohit, T.A., Hurrah, I.A. and Wagh, V.V. 2022. Nomenclatural notes and rediscovery of Viola cinerea var. stocksii (Violaceae) from Chambal ravines of Madhya Pradesh, India. Phytotaxa, 566(2):209-218.


14. Srivastava, A., Adhikari, D. and Wagh, V.V. 2022. Conservation assessment of Ficus cupulata: a narrow range endemic species of Central India. Oryx, 56(4):490-491.


15. Hurrah, I.A. and Wagh, V.V. 2022. Typification of Geranium arnottianum Steud.(Geraniaceae). Webbia. Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography, 77(1):173-176.


16. Hurrah, I.A., Bagri, A.S., Singh, A., Wagh, V.V. 2022. A new variety of Geranium ocellatum (Geraniaceae) from Uttarakhand, India. Phytotaxa 530(3):271-279.


17. Gupta, A., Hurrah, I.A., Shukla, A. and Wagh, V.V., 2021. Nomenclatural notes and report of Boehmeria penduliflora Wedd. ex DG Long from the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 13(14):20261-20265.


18. Hurrah, I.A., Shukla, A. and Wagh, V.V. 2021. Geranium indicum, a new scapigerous species of Geraniaceae from India. Nordic Journal of Botany 2022(1).


19. Mishra, A., Hurrah, I.A., Dhole, P., Wagh, V.V. 2021. Lectotypification of Glycine aurea, the basionym of Rhynchosia aurea (Fabaceaee). Phytotaxa 528(1):062-064.


20. Mishra, A., Hurrah, I.A., Wagh, V.V. 2021. Nomenclature and typification of Rhynchosia suaveolens (Leguminosae). Phytotaxa 513(2): 171-174.


21. Hurrah, I.A. and Wagh, V.V., 2021. Revisiting the taxonomy of Geranium kishtavariense (Geraniaceae) & notes on neotypification. Phytotaxa 516(2): 169-177.


22. Hurrah I.A. and Wagh V.V. 2021. Geranium aedonianum a new species of Geraniaceae from Ladakh, India. Phytotaxa 489(3): 241-251.


23. Mishra, A.K., Gupta V. and Wagh V.V. 2020. Lectotypification of Rhynchosia acuminatifolia (Leguminosae). Phytotaxa 472 (93): 292-294.


24. Hurrah I.A. and Wagh V.V. 2020. Geranium jainii (Geraniaceae), a new species from Himachal Pradesh, India. Nordic Journal of Botany.38: e02850.


25. Wagh V.V. and Hurrah I.A. 2020. A new species of Geranium (Geraniaceae) from Himachal Pradesh, India. Phytotaxa. 452(1): 075-082.


26. Wagh V.V. and Hurrah I.A. 2020. Revisiting the taxonomy of Geranium rubifolium (Geraniaceae) with notes on its habitat and conservation status. Phytotaxa. 438(1):37-42.


27. Wagh V.V. and Hurrah I.A. 2019. Lectotypification of Geranium grevilleanum Wall. (Geraniaceae). Phytotaxa 395(3): 248-250.


28. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2020. Ethnopharmacological survey of plants used by the Bhil and Bhilala ethnic community in dermatological disorders in Western Madhya Pradesh, India. Journal of Herbal Medicine 19:100234.


29. Wagh V.V. and Hurrah I.A. 2018. Lectotypification of Boehmeria densiflora Hook & Arn. (Urticaceae) and Hooker and Arnott’s duplicates from Captain Beechey’s expedition. Kew Bulletin 73:50.


30. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2019. Arboreal ethnoflora of western Madhya Pradesh, India. Indian Journal of Natural Product and Resources. 10(4): 68-80.
31. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2019. Healing sacred forest in western Madhya Pradesh, India. Current Science, 116(7): 1060-1061.


32. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2018. Status of ethnobotanical invasive plants in western Madhya Pradesh, India. South African Journal of Botany. 114: 171-180.


33. Wagh V.V., Deshmukh V.P. and Rajurkar A. 2017. Sacred grove and its potential role in ethnomedicinal system and conservation of biodiversity in Mahur, Nanded district, Maharashtra, India. Ethnobotany. 29: 22-34.


34. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2016. Ethnomedicine for curing Jaundice in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. Ethnobotany 28: 53-59.


35. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2016. Conservation status of threatened etho-medicinal plants in western Madhya Pradesh, India. Journal of Biodiversity management and forestry. 5:2.


36. Wagh V.V., Datt B. and Husain T. 2015. An assessment of Genus Geranium L. (Geraniaceae) in India with special emphasis on Indian Himalayan region. Journal of Biodiversity management and forestry. 4:2.


37. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2015. Inventory of ethnobotanicals and other systematic procedures for regional conservation of medicinal and sacred plants. Environment system and decision. 35: 143- 156.


38. Wagh V.V. and Jain A.K. 2014. Herbal remedies used by the tribal people of Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh for the treatment of joint diseases. Ethnobotanical studies in India. (Edited by Sanjeev Kumar), Deep Publication, New Delhi, India. pp 161-164.


39. Wagh V.V. 2017. Ethnobotany of useful plants in Indo-Gangetic plain and Central India. In: Ethnobotany of India Vol. 5. The-Indo-Gangetic Region and Central India (Pullaiah, T, Murthy, K and Bahadur, B, Eds.) Apple Academic Press 348-389 pp.


40. Khan B.A., Verma R.K., Wagh V.V., Behera S.K. Baleshwar, Tamta S. and Chaudhary L.B. 2018. An overview of highly potential tree species Parkia timoriana (DC.) Merr. (Leguminosae) in India. Uttar Pradesh Biodiversity Board, Lucknow. 25: 11-14.


41. Wagh, V.V., Ahmad, M., Singh, K.J., Gupta, A., Tiwari, V., Prabhukumar, K.M., Rana, T.S., 2023. A Checklist of Gymnosperms in Uttar Pradesh, India. In: Plant Resources of Uttar Pradesh- A Checklist, Publisher: CSIR-NBRI Lucknow, pp.197-205.


42. Agnihotri, P., Yadav, R., Jaiswal, S., Prasad, R., Prabhukumar, K.M., Wagh, V.V., and Rana, T.S., 2023. A Checklist of Angiosperms in Uttar Pradesh, India. In: Plant Resources of Uttar Pradesh- A Checklist, Publisher: CSIR-NBRI Lucknow, pp.205-434.


43. Rana, T.S., Agnihotri, P., Nayaka, S., Singh, A.P., Ratha, S.K., Wagh, V.V., Prabhukumar, K.M., Behera, S.K., Mishra, G.K., Sahu, V., Rawat, K.K., and Prakash, A., 2023. Economically Important Algae, lichens and Plants of Uttar Pradesh-an overview. In: Plant Resources of Uttar Pradesh- A Checklist, Publisher: CSIR-NBRI Lucknow, pp.435-444.


44. विजय विष्णु वाघ एवं अपर्णा रा. शुक्ला 2020. पश्चिमी मध्य प्रदेश में दन्त चिकित्सा में उपयोगी पादप. विज्ञानवाणी 26: 65-69


45. विजय वि. वाघ और वेदिका गुप्ता. 2019. पश्चिमी मध्य प्रदेश में पारम्परिक प्रथाओं के माध्यम से पौधों का संरक्षण. विज्ञानवाणी 25: 52-55.

Research Scholars

• Mr. Imtiyaz Ahmad Hurrah, PhD (SRF)
• Ms. Vedika Gupta, PhD (SRF)
• Mr. Amit Gupta, PhD (SRF)
• Ms. Aparna Shukla, PhD
• Mr. Ajay K. Mishra, PhD (SRF)
• Ms. Pratibha Sharma, PhD (SRF)
• Ms. Nimisha Shukla, PhD (SRF)

Project Staff

• Dr. Anil Sharma, SPA
• Mr. Tushar Anilroa Lohit, PA-II
• Mr. Mairaj Ahmad, PA-I
• Mr. Pranov Gorle, PA-I

Plants Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division

CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute

Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow – 226001, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA

Phone no.: 0522-2297846

Email: vijay.wagh@nbri.res.in, vijaywagh65@gmail.com