India is a veritable emporium of herbs. The inhabitants of India knew of the medicinal use of plants from time immemorial. Under the impact of state-sponsored economic development programmes and processes of modernization, the traditional cultures of tribal communities have begun to change. Deforestation and the replacement of natural forests by commercial teak-sal plantations have in many areas reduced the availability of forest produce including vegetables, fruits and meat.

Bhata land is an important lateritic and well known category of wastelands, which covers extensive area in Chhattisgarh. Sporadic patches of plantations have been raised in this land on experimental basis, for selecting suitable species for taking up large-scale plantations. Present study was carried out in 20-years old plantations at Mohan bhata in Bilspur district.

The hot arid regions of India in economically and environmentally disadvantaged part of the country with unique problems. These, ecosystems are highly fragile and large liabilities causing severe impediments in development programmes.