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Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources (IJNPR)
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NPR Vol.6 [2007] >
NPR Vol.6(1) [January-February 2007] >
| Title: | Wild edible plants traditionally used by the tribes in the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India |
| Authors: | Yesodharan, K
Sujana, K A |
| Keywords: | Wild edible plants
Vegetables
Fruits
Ethnobotany
Parambikulam
Wildlife Sanctuary
Kerala
India |
| Issue Date: | Feb-2007 |
| Publisher: | CSIR |
| IPC Code: | Int. cl.8— A61K 36/00, A23L 1/00 |
| Abstract: | This paper
reports an ethnobotanical investigation performed during 2003 and 2005 to
collect, identify and document information on the wild food plants traditionally
used by the tribes in the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in Palakkad district
of Kerala state, India. Eighty three species are used by the tribes as
vegetables, wild fruits, beverages or in other preparations. Wild vegetables
formed the largest group which included roots, tubers, young leaves and buds,
inflorescence, unripe/ripe fruits and seeds. Analysis of the information
revealed that out of 83 species, 82 belongs to Angiosperms (63 dicot and 19 monocot) and one species
belongs to Gymnosperm. Among them 30 species are used as leafy vegetables, 31
species for fruits, 16 species for seeds and 10 species as food in the form of
rhizomes/tubers/corms and 6 plants as food from stem/shoot. Amaranthus spinosus Linn., Centella asiatica (Linn.)Urban, Euphorbia hirta Linn., Oxalis corniculata Linn. and Mollugo pentaphylla Linn. are used by tribals
more extensively. Among the wild fruits, consumption of jackfruit and mango is
more common. Vigna vexillata
(A. Rich.) Linn.
and Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesm. are used for
suppressing hunger. Many wild food plants are also used for medicinal purposes,
e.g. Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicol., Boerhaavia chinensis (Linn.) Asch. & Schweinf. and Ensete superbum |
| Page(s): | 74-80 |
| ISSN: | 0975-1092 (Online); 0972-592X (Print) |
| Source: | NPR Vol.6(1) [January-February 2007]
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