Brij Mohan Sharma holds a Master’s degree from Botany Honours School of Punjab University and a Doctoral degree from the University of Kashmir. He is working as a Scientist in the Botanical Sciences Division of Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu. During his research career of over three decades he has contributed several scientific papers in the fields of plant morphology, systematic botany, cultivation of medicinal plants and pharmacogonosy of crude drugs. In his chosen field of research he has authored two exhaustive treatises, namely Flora of Jammu and Plants of Neighbourhood, 1981, and Illustrations to the Flora of Jammu, 1983. Currently his interest is occupied by systematic studies in the alpine flora of Jammu and Kashmir, the present volume being the second contribution in a series envisaged towards the satisfaction of this goal.