Objectives Cinnamomum (Family Lauraceae) is traditionally used for flavouring food and in pharmaceutical preparations against various ailments. Detailed literature on the ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Cinnamomum is segregated and not present in well‐documented form. In the present review, we have been trying to gather its detailed medicinal as well as pharmacological properties. The ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Cinnamomum were collected by searching several scientific databases, that is PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus. Key findings The plant extracts have been reported to possess astringent, warming stimulant, carminative, blood purifier, digestive, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and also help to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. A wide range of phytochemical compounds including aldehydes, acetate, alcohol, terpinenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, phenols, saponins, tannins, carboxylic acid, hydrocarbons, camphene, spathulenol, fatty acids, actinodaphnine, butanolides, lignans, steroids, propenoids and kaempferol glycosides are found in various parts of plant. Summary This review provides detailed information about history, traditional uses, phytochemistry and clinical impacts of cinnamon as a spice and medicine. So we recommend further study on the clinical, medicinal, purification and identification of the most effective antibacterial activity of cinnamon to cure various infectious diseases.

Natural populations of Polygonatum verticillatum in Kumaun Himalaya were surveyed for population studies, habitat assessment and threat status. This research reveals density of individuals and area occupied were low as compared to other species of the region, indicating habitat loss and heavy exploitation. Status was determined on a site-to-site basisfor the entire Kumaun region. Based on species occurrence in selected areas, the species were identified as critically endangered to endangered in different areas. Frequency of P. verticillatum ranged between 50 and 80% at different population sites. Distribution of the species was between 50 and 80% indicating contiguous distributional range at most of the sites and random distributional range at Mukteshwer and Gagar. Density of P. verticillatumwas highest (4.40 plant m-2) in way to Kafani and lowest (2.60 plant m-2) in Bhaman gupha.Total basal cover (TBC) was also found highest (0.91 cm2 m-2) in way to Kafani and lowest (0.35 cm2 m-2) in Bhaman gupha. Important value index (IVI) was found highest (51.68) in Munsyari and lowest (28.84) in Khati. Concentration of dominance (Cd) for the region showed a slight variation, with a range between 0.30 and 0.10. This may be attributed to the narrow range of distribution, habitat restriction and dominance of some species. Key words: Population, habitat, threat, Polygonatum verticillatum.

Microstylis wallichii Lindl. is a Rasayana and belongs to the “Astverga”. It is an important medicine traditionally known since Vedic period but study on its phytoconstituents is very limited. Metal content and volatile constituents in M. wallichii (family Orchidaceae) collected from Uttarakhand were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and GC and GC-MS respectively. Chemical analysis revealed that wild M. wallichii contained 6.48 ppm Cu, 43.00 ppm Zn, 35.00 ppm Mn, 331.00 ppm Fe, 21600.00 ppm K, 9000.00 ppm Ca, 2800.00 ppm Mg, 198.00 ppm Al, 26.70 ppm Ba, 55.60 ppm B, 0.30 ppm Mo, 156.00 ppm Cl. Fatty acids analysis revealed the presence of the following constituents-linoleic acid (18:2ω6) 61.20% (w/w), α-linolenic acid 18.10% (w/w), oleic acid 12.00 % (w/w), palmitic acid (16:0) 6.00% (w/w), stearic acid (18:0) 2.10% (w/w), γ-linolenic acid (18:3ω6) 2.20% (w/w), eicosanoic acid (20:0) 0.81 % (w/w), eicosenoic acid (20:1) 0.42% (w/w) and eicosadienoic acid (20:2) 0.04% (w/w). Cultivated M. wallichii contained 7.18 ppm Cu, 49.50 ppm Zn, 37.00 ppm Mn, 352.45 ppm Fe, 23000.00 ppm K, 13000.00 ppm Ca, 5300.00 ppm Mg, 217.50 ppm Al, 37.50 ppm Ba, 59.70 ppm B, 0.27 ppm Mo, 148.00 ppm Cl. Analysis of fatty acids reported following constitutents of cultivated M. wallichii - linoleic acid (18:2ω6) 65.23% (w/w), α-linolenic acid 15.50% (w/w), oleic acid 14.87 % (w/w), palmitic acid (16:0) 5.90% (w/w), stearic acid (18:0) 2.50% (w/w), γ-linolenic acid (18:3ω6) 1.87% (w/w), eicosanoic acid (20:0) 0.69 % (w/w), eicosenoic acid (20:1) 0.52% (w/w) and eicosadienoic acid (20:2) 0.07% (w/w). Other chemical constituents which were isolated from wild and cultivated M. wallichii were vitamins α–tocopherol and γ-tocopherol 12.00-9.80 ppm and 695.00-786.7 ppm respectively while terpenoids 18.00-20.50%. It has an acid value of 1.20-1.39 and saponification value of 103.00-110.50. Key words: Microstylis wallichii; metal content; volatile constituents; GC-MS

The present paper reports on the leaf litter, wood litter, miscellaneous litter and total litter fall in Quercus leucotrichophora forests of the Kumaun Himalaya. Peak values of leaf, wood and miscellaneous litter fall occurred in May, June and November and December respectively. The total annual litter fall was 538.85 g m-2, of which leaf, wood and miscellaneous litters accounted for 72.35, 23.04 and 4.53% respectively. Monthly leaf litter fall, wood litter fall and total litter fall was positively related to the monthly temperature of the site. Key words: Kumaun Himalaya, leaf Litter fall, wood litter fall, miscellaneous litter fall, total litter fall, seasonal variation.

Phenophase of three common co-occuring woody plant species that varied in stature (tree Vs shrub) were examined in a sal forest of Kumaun Himalaya. The significance of phonological research lies in the fact that it constitutes a synthetic approach to evaluating plant response to the local environment. Monthly counts of leaves, flowers, fruits and shoot measurement were made on 150 tagged twigs on ten individuals of each species for initiation, completion and duration of different phenological events. In all species, leaves emerged during March-May on the onset of warm and dry summer season. Across all the species, peak leaf area per shoot (9.87-179.14 cm2), leaf extension period (5-7 weeks), shoot extension growth (9.23-20.11 cm), shoot extension period (24-25 weeks) varied considerably. A significant relationship was found between shoot diameter, shoot length and leaf area extension across all species. Increasing day length/temperature induce flowering in S. robusta and M. paniculata during hot dry summer and the first heavy rain in month of August act as a flowering cue in M. philippinensis during the rainy season.