1. Botanical name

Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew

2. Synonym(s) 

-

3. Family

Asteraceae

4. Taxonomic status

Species

5. Vernacular names

Brahmkamal, Spangtsi towo (Ladakhi), Dhankar, Pangchi

6. Habit

Perennial herb

7. Habitat

Rocky slopes, streamsides, Alpine zones. Moraine grounds, humus rich grounds

8. Original global distribution

Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China (Taipei)

9. Current

regional

distribution

Himachal Pradesh

Chhota & Bada Bangal (Kampa), Kinnaur, Chhitkul (Kinnaur), Sangla pass, Kullu

Jammu & Kashmir

Khardumgla, Zanskar (Ladakh)

Uttaranchal

Hemkund, TERI, Pandavsera (Rudra Prayag)

10. Elevation range (m)

3,600 – 4,500

11. Population Reduction – PR

 

States

< 30%

30 to <49%

50 to < 80%

­³ 80%

Himachal Pradesh

 

 

 

ü

Jammu & Kashmir

 

ü

 

 

Uttaranchal

 

 

ü

 

Data quality

3,  4

11 a. Time/Rate (years/generations)

10 years

12. Extent of Occurrence – EOO 

>20, 000 Km2

13. Area of Occupancy – AOO

> 2,000 Km2

14. No. of  locations / sub-populations 

Himachal Pradesh

Jammu & Kashmir

Uttaranchal

10

2

10

14 a. Data quality

3

15. Threats 

Hm (Harvest for medicine), Lp (Loss of Habitat - Quality), Ov (Over exploitation), I (Human interference), T (Trade)

16. Trade

 

Name(s)

Brahmakamal

Level(s)

Local ü

Regional ü

National

Global

Parts traded

Flowers & Roots

Effect on population

Declining

Data quality

3

17. Other comments

·       Exploitation for religious purpose

·       Locals exploit this plant for their festival offerings at shrines (Badrinth, Kedarnath, Gangothri).

·       Inflorescence attractive and plucked by tourists.

·       1g of powder is prescribed to cure insanity by the locals

18. Recent field studies

 

·          GHNP (1995-98)

·          O.P. Chaurasia, 1997

·  Phunchok Tsering, 2000


19. Status

Himachal Pradesh

Jammu & Kashmir

Uttaranchal

- CITES

-

- Legislation

-

- Criteria based on

CR (A 2 c, d)

VU (A 2 c, d)

EN (A 2 c, d)

- IUCN

CR

VU

EN

20. % of global presence

2 %

5%

2 %

21. Existing Conservation measures

Found within the high altitude PAs of Uttaranchal

22. Is the presence of taxon continuous with neighbouring areas ?

Yes

23. Are the outside populations also under similar threats / pressures?

Yes

24. Recommendations

S (Survey), M (Monitoring), Hm (Habitat management)

Research / Management

a) in situ

JK – Khardung la

HP – Sangla pass, Manimahesh, Chota & Bada Bangal

UA - Hemkund, TERI, Pandavsera (Rudra Prayag)

b) ex situ

Gene bank Leh & Zanskar

   i) Cultivation

-

   ii) Level of difficulty in propagation / cultivation

Not known

25. Existing cultivation-

Cultivation on trial basis by HAPPRC, UP

26. Previous assessment

VU-JMK, HP (Kullu CAMP)

27. Data sources (Including literature)

O.P. Chaurasia - Cold desert plants

Poulunin & Stanton – Flowers of Himalaya

28. Compilers

Rekha Naithani, N.K. Bhardwaj, Kailash Sharma, R. K. Verma, Vaneet Jishtu, Rajender Kumar, Ranjit Rawat (Recorder), N. S. Chauhan (Facilitator), Vinay Tandon, H. K. Badola

29. Reviewers

P. Patnaik, Y. K. Sarin, C. M. Seth, Phunchok, O. P. Sharma, D. K. Ved, V. Prabhakaran, H. B. Naithani, S. S. Samant, M. C. Nautiyal, V. P. Bhat, S. K. Murti, G. A. Kinhal, R. Vijaya Sankar