Common threatened medicinal plants of Bihar and Jharkhand states, India

Medicinal plants constitute an integral component of traditional healthcare systems in India and play a significant role in rural livelihood. Bihar and Jharkhand, owing to their diverse forest ecosystems and rich indigenous knowledge, harbour numerous medicinal plant species. However, increasing anthropogenic pressures, habitat degradation, overharvesting and lack of region-specific conservation assessments have resulted in the decline of several valuable taxa. The present study compiles and analyses commonly reported threatened medicinal plants from Bihar and Jharkhand based on published literature. A total of nine medicinal plant species belonging to eight families were documented as threatened across the two states. The study highlights inconsistencies and gaps in existing reports and emphasizes the need for systematic field-based validation, region-specific threat categorization and community-driven conservation strategies. Present compilation aims to provide a baseline reference for researchers, forest managers and policymakers to strengthen conservation planning in eastern India.