Phytogeographically the most complex and diverse, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has a fairly rich diversity of plant life. Floristically it is divisible into three ranges, namely alpine desert vegetation of Ladakh, temperate vegetation of Kashmir and sub-tropical vegetation of Jammu. The flora of Himalayan Kashmir comprises about 3,054 species, with 880 species in Ladakh and 506 species in Jammu. While the whole Himalayan belt is one hotspot megacentre having eight critical areas which include Ladakh and Kashmir, the latter is one of the 26 hotspots in India where there are high rates of deforestation and endemicity. This area is a storehouse of MAPs used in pharmaceutical and perfume industries. The list includes 55 species of important medicinal plants, several of which grow wild in temperate and alpine habitats. Some native medicinal plants like Dioscorea deltoidea have been taken up for cultivation.

1. State Medicinal Plant Board, Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine, Srinagar and Jammu
2. PCCF, Forest Department
3. Field Research Laboratory (DRDO), Leh Forest Division, Ladakh
4. Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, Srinagar
5. Traditional Medical-Cultural Association, Leh, Ladakh
6. S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Shalimar
7. J&K Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre, Pulwama