Homegarden Lichens-A Prospective For Ethnolichenology in Barak Valley, Assam

The present study explores the lichen flora in traditional homegardens in Panchgram area of Barak valley, southern Assam. Homegardens are important component of rural socioeconomy in northeast India and are preserved through traditional wisdom of local communities. Homegardens mimic forest structures and harbour rich diversity of cultivated as well as natural floral composition helping in conservation of important lichens of the region which hold in it tremendous potential of ethnolichenological use for present and future. The present work enumerates 68 lichens representing 22 genera and 11 families found in randomly selected homegardens in an area of about 28 km2 around Panchgram. Out of these 68 lichens, 10 exhibit foliose growth form and remaining 58 lichens exhibit crustose growth form. Graphidaceae is the dominant family representing 22 species followed by Pyrenulaceae (17 species) and Arthoniaceae (10 species). Pyrenula (17 species) is the dominant genus in the region followed by Arthonia with 8 species and Phaeographis and Graphis with 7 species each. The common homegarden lichens Parmotrema tinctorium, Parmotrema saccatilobum and Graphis scripta which are found during the study have ethnolichenological uses recorded in various literature studies. Ethnolichenological studies are very scarce in northeast India. Owing to rich ethnic and floristic diversity in the region, present study suggests the role of homegardens in conserving lichens which might have unexplored traditional use by indigenous communities and needs proper documentation.