Lucknow, Oct 20 (IANS) Kukrail, a forest reserve and picnic spot in this state capital, will soon have a nursery of endangered plants, particularly those having therapeutic properties and economic importance, an official said here Tuesday.
The state forest department has decided to set up the nursery to improve the numbers of dwindling medicinal plants that have become localised in Uttar Pradesh.

“The project that will be launched shortly primarily aims to conserve rare and endangered plant species that are on the decline in the state,” Lucknow Divisional Forest Officer Ashok Mishra told reporters.

“After raising the plants in the nursery, we plan to distribute these plants in public to increase their numbers. As Kukrail is a picnic spot, planting endangered plant species there will also serve the purpose of sensitising people about their importance and declining number,” he said.

According to forest officials, the plant nursery project would be launched in a month.

“Initially, we have selected plants including Crateva religiosa (Barna), Cleisanthus collinus, Garcinia morella (Tamal) that are localised to Mathura, Mirzapur and Agra districts respectively,” Mishra said.

While Crateva religiosa possesses anti-inflammatory properties, Cleisanthus collinus has tumor regressing properties, whereas Garcinia morella is useful in dropsical conditions and to lower blood pressure, officials said.