Morphological Evaluation of Biodiversity in Wild Ricinus communis from Pakistani-Controlled Jammu and Kashmir

摘要

Pakistani-controlled Jammu and Kashmir is a diverse area with an average annual rainfall of 150 cm. Elevation from sea level ranges from 360 m in the south to 6,325 m in the north. According to a recent survey, about 95% of the vegetation of this area is composed of medicinal plants. Among these, Ricinus communis of the family Euphorbiaceae, locally called Hernoli, has an important place.Ricinus has many medicinal uses. For example, it is used for aiding digestive problems, pain relief, skin problems, and veterinary, insecticidal, pesticidal, as well as industrial purposes. The objective of the study was to evaluate the biological diversity of the wild Ricinus communis from Jammu and Kashmir.Seeds were collected from three variable localities of Jammu and Kashmir and the plants were raised in the experimental field at the University College of Agriculture Rawalakot, following the Randomized Complete Block Design.