Panax sokpayensis

Botanical Description

Panax sokpayensis is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a stout tuberous rhizome; it produces a cluster of one or more unbranched stems around 80 - 130cm tall with 4 - 5 leaves in a whorl at the summit of the stem[ 1773 Title A New Species of Panax L. (Araliaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India Publication Systematic Botany (2009), 34(2): pp. 434-438 Author Sharma S.K. & Pandit M.K. Website http:// 10.1600/036364409788606235 Publisher Year 2009 ISBN Description ] This is one of several species in this genus, native to the Indian Himalayas, that are highly valued and widely used in traditional medicine and are harvested in quantity from the wild. Panax sokpayensis has not yet been properly evaluated. However, it is known to have a narrow distribution with only a few populations and due to the high medicinal value of Panax species in traditional medicine, its rhizomes are harvested in quantity from natural habitats. Populations are known to have been reduced very significantly and the plant is considered to be 'Endangered'[ 1773 Title A New Species of Panax L. (Araliaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India Publication Systematic Botany (2009), 34(2): pp. 434-438 Author Sharma S.K. & Pandit M.K. Website http:// 10.1600/036364409788606235 Publisher Year 2009 ISBN Description ]