Quality of herbal formulations primarily depends upon the use of authenticated ingredients. Adulteration and substitution of herbal drugs in commerce leads to problem for quality of formulations. It can be duly addressed by use of identified herbal ingredients. The identification of herbal drugs involves organoleptic, macro and microscopic evaluation based on diagnostic characteristics of drug. In the present studies pharmaco-botanical studies were carried on powdered herbal drugs viz. Nardostachys jatamansi DC., Picrorhizakurroa Royle ex Benth., Plumbago zeylanica Linn and Withania somnifera Dunal to establish their diagnostic characters for identification.These diagnostic characters can be employed for the identification of powdered herbal drugs in the composition of a formulation or dosage form.