In December 2020, the Himalayan trillium (Trillium govanianum) was declared ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Nagchatri: Himalayan trillium-Often called Nagchatri in local areas, is a common herb of the Himalayas.
- Trade: In recent years, the plant has become one of the most traded commercial plants of the Himalayan region, due to its high medicinal value.
- Medicinal value: It has been used in traditional medicine to cure diseases like dysentery, wounds, skin boils, inflammation, sepsis, as well as menstrual and sexual disorders.
- Rhizome of the herb: The rhizome of the herb is a source of steroidal saponins and can be used as an anti-cancer and anti-aging agent.
- Region: It is found in temperate and sub-alpine zones of the Himalayas, at an altitude from 2,400-4,000 metres above sea level.
- Countries: The existence of the plant has been traced across India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- States where it is found: In India, it is found in four states only- Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand.
(Source: The Hindu)
