Case Study: Protection and conservation of the rare and endangered high-altitude medicinal plant "Brahm Kamal" (<i>Saussurea obvallata</i>) in Uttarkahand

The state flower of Uttarakhand is Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew., which is also known as "Brahm Kamal." It is one of the 490 species in the genus Saussurea of the Asteraceae family, which is known for having very important high-altitude medicinal plants. People have used it for religious, ceremonial, decorative, and therapeutic reasons for a long time. This important perennial medicinal herb, which grows in the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand, is at risk of going extinct because it is used so often. To protect and use this important species in a way that is good for the environment in the future, the authors of this paper suggested an institutional approach to study its habitat, use, cause of depletion, and conservation measures through its cultivation and nursery propagation possibilities in its natural habitat.