The present study was designed to identify traditionally knowledgeable resource persons and document their indigenous knowledge on the utilization of medicinal plants among the Malayalitribals in various tribal villages of Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu, India. An ethnobotanical survey was carried out fromJune to September 2012 to identify the traditional uses of plants used by the Malayalitribals. With the help of standardized questionnaires, 17 informants between the ages of 30 to 81 were interviewed on the medicinal uses of the local flora. A total of 54plants species were recorded in this study with six species of ethnoveterinary medicinal significance. The collectedethnomedicinal plants belong to 32 families and 48 genera. In term, the number of medicinal plant species, Asclepiadaceae,Solanaceae,Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae andMoraceaeare dominant families. Among the different plant parts used for the preparation of medicine, the leaves were most frequently used for the treatment of diseases. Among the collected plants, trees are dominating other life forms such as herbs, climbers and shrubs.The preparation and utilization of plant parts were grouped into six categories viz., paste, taken as raw, powder, juice, decoction and smoke from the fire of plant parts.The collectethnomedicinalplants are used to cure 40 types of diseasesand the regularly treated ailments are wounds, skin diseases, poison bite, stomachache, diabetes, fever and respiratory problems. The study shows a high quantity of ethnobotanical novelty and use of plants along with the Malayalitribalsreflects the revival of interest in traditional folk culture and ethno medicine.
