Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Cytomorphological Evaluation of some Viola Species from Riparian Vegetation along the Beas River of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Introduction: Viola, commonly known as violets, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Violaceae. It is the largest genus of the family, encompassing more than 695 recognized species.

Objectives: The present study evaluated the ethnobotanical, cytogenetic, and phytochemical characteristics of Viola biflora, Viola canescens, and Viola serpens from riparian habitats along the Beas River, Himachal Pradesh.

Methods: Information was collected through simple interviews, open-ended questionnaires, friendly discussions, and field walks where informants showed the plants directly in their natural habitats.

Results: Ethnobotanical surveys revealed that these species are traditionally used by local communities to manage respiratory ailments, inflammation, fever, cough, and cold. Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated stable diploid chromosome numbers in V. biflora and V. canescens (2n = 12), whereas V. serpens exhibited two cytotypes (2n = 12 and 2n = 16), reflecting intraspecific chromosomal variability. Meiotic behavior was largely regular, resulting in high pollen fertility across species. Phytochemical profiling using GC–MS of methanolic extracts of V. serpens from two populations revealed significant inter-population variation. The Mandi population showed fifteen metabolites dominated by n-hexadecanoic acid (28.75%) and 10-undecyn-1-ol (26.97%), whereas the Kullu population exhibited thirty-two compounds, with 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester (19.57%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (11.44%), and n-hexadecanoic acid (10.63%) as major constituents, indicating greater chemical diversity.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the ethnobotanical importance, cytogenetic stability, and phytochemical richness of these species, providing a basis for conservation, pharmacological research, and the sustainable utilization of Himalayan Viola species