Abstract:
The Sri Lankan traditional medicine system is composed of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani,
and Desiya Chikitsa, and it utilizes a diverse range of plant species owing to their
therapeutic potential. The main objective of this study was to establish a
comprehensive inventory of endemic medicinal plant species (EMPSs) and to
investigate their distribution, propagation, and conservation. Through a meticulous
examination of botanical literature and authoritative online resources, an inventory
of 184 EMPSs was compiled. Conservation of these plant species is crucial as 129
EMPSs (70%) are highly threatened; 7% critically endangered, 30% endangered, and
33% vulnerable. Mainly, Sri Lanka's legislative framework for biodiversity
conservation resides in the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (2009) operates
through two principal strategies; the establishment and regulation of Protected Areas
(PA) and the listing of Protected Species. This approach ensures the in-situ
conservation of EMPSs within the PA. However, relying solely on in-situ conservation
is inadequate for ensuring the longevity of EMPSs. The promotion of ex-situ
conservation measures becomes imperative to complement these efforts. The
findings of this study revealed that 61% of the EMPSs were ex-situ conserved, and the
highest conservation efforts were recorded at the Royal Botanical Garden-Peradeniya
and the Ayurvedic Herbal Garden-Pinnaduwa. Investigations on optimal propagation
method for a specific plant species and the potential extent of its distribution are
imperative for ensuring its conservation. The distribution of these EMPSs with
respect to different climatic zones of Sri Lanka was analyzed using the software
ArcMap (v10.8): distribution analysis revealed that the majority of EMPSs are
distributed within Sri Lanka's wet zone, while the lowest species distribution was in
the semi-arid and dry zones. Previous records on the propagation of EMPSs were
minimal and attempts at in vitro propagation were limited to a very few such
as, Garcinia quaesita, Impatiens repens, and Osbeckia octandra. Hence, it becomes
crucial to conduct investigations on suitable propagation methods to promote the
conservation of EMPSs. This study revealed the current status of EMPSs used in
traditional medicine, further providing crucial insights into their conservation
