Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources Vol. 3 (1), March 2012, pp. 110-117

Wild edible plants of Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, India

B Mallesh Reddy* Department of Botany, Chintamani College of Science, Pombhurna, Distt. Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India Received 2 February 2011; Accepted 16 September 2011

Chandrapur district is blessed with nature having about 3810 sq. km. forest cover, which accounted for 35.75% of the total geographical area of the district. The population of the district mainly comprises of tribal, rural and people from other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, which made diverse food habits in the district. Present work deals with the study of different wild edible plant species used by tribal and rural people from Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state. It reveals information about various edible parts of 61 plant species (dicot & monocot) which includes corms, tubers, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Collection and utilization of wild edible plants provide seasonal food security and become source of income to the local people.

Keywords: Edible plants, Food habits, Rural people, Food security, Wild Resources. IPC code; Int. cl. (2011.01)—A61K 36/00, A01G 17/00

Introduction Yavatmal on the western side, Gadchiroli on the Human race always depends on nature either eastern side and Adilabad district of the Andhra directly or indirectly for food, clothes, shelter and Pradesh on the southern side. It is situated in the medicine. Now-a-day due to improvement of Wainganga and Wardha river basin. It occupies an knowledge and technology, we obtain our food area of 10,655 sq. km which constitutes 3.72% of the through agricultural practices. However, if we total area of the state and had population of observe the initial days of civilization and evolution 20,71,101 (population census, 2001) mainly of agriculture, all the food plants were discovered comprises rural, tribal and people from other states from their natural resources time to time. Still there such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa are large numbers of plant species, which can be used and and Chhattisgarh11. Gond is the major tribe of to fulfill nutrition requirement of growing population the district, lives in small groups in forest and also of the world. Tribal are the part of nature, they fulfill well settled in developed urban places. The rural most of their needs from wild resources. They got gonds are either farmers or agriculture labour. knowledge of wild edible plants traditionally. This The major food of the local people is wheat, rice traditional knowledge is useful to develop new food and red gram. In addition to this, the tribal people and sources. Exploration of natural resources and other people such as farmer’s women and labour documentation of traditional knowledge is necessary. collect various plants from forest, cultivated fields, Several attempts have been made to list out the wild barren lands and field boundaries for edible purpose. edibles of Maharashtra1,2 and India3-10. Present work is They use these plants for themselves and sell in local an attempt to explore the traditional knowledge of markets. wild edible plants of Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state. Materials and Methods Chandrapur is the easternmost district of the Daily practices of various tribal and local people Maharashtra state, located between 18° 41' to were observed and the plants collected by them were 20° 50' north latitudes and 78° 48' to 80° 55' east noted down. The same plants were collected from the longitudes (Plate 1). The district is bounded by field and identified with the help of floras12-16. Further Nagpur, Bhandara and Wardha on the northern side, conversation made with different tribal and rural ______people to know more about the edible plants and their *Correspondent author: E-mail: [email protected]; food preparations. Phone: 09970078081 (Mob.) REDDY: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS OF CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA 111

Results and Discussion roots, leaves, stem, flowers, fruits and seeds, but the This paper is the result of long time observation use of fruits is more where as roots is restricted to few and detailed study of life style of tribal and native species only (Figures 1-3). These species were people of Chandrapur district. It includes information collected by local people from forest, cultivated fields on about 61 plant species (Table 1, Plate 2) and barren lands. Some species, viz. Emblica comprising 51 dicot species and 10 monocot species. officinalis Gaertn., Mangifera indica Linn., Syzygium The countryside recipe includes all the parts such as cumunii (Linn.) Skeels., Tamarindus indica Linn.,

Plate 1 Map of Chandrapur district

Plate 2  Some common edible fruits of Chandrapur district 112 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, MARCH 2012

Table 1 Edible plant species S. No. Botanical name Vernacula Family Part used Recipe General Availability Remark r name habitat 1 Aegle marmelos Bel Rutaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Field Local Unripe (Linn.) Corr. or prepare boundaries, collection, fruits are soft drink near weekly astringent temples, markets forest 2 Amaranthus Math Amaranthaceae Leaves Cooked as Fields Local spinosus Linn. Bhaji vegetable collection, weekly markets 3 Ammannia Dhan Lythraceae Young leaves Cooked as In rice fields Local Mature baccifera Linn. bhaji vegetable before field collection leaves are preparation not edible 4 Amorphophallus Suran Araceae Corm Cooked as Field Local It causes campanulatus vegetable boundaries, collection, throat (Roxb.) Blume barren land, weekly irritation in home markets some people gardens 5 Annona Ramphal Annonaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest, Local reticulata Linn. home collection, gardens sell in villages 6 Annona Sitafal Annonaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest, Local squamosa Linn. cultivated collection, commerciali zed 7 Anogeissus Dhawda Combretaceae Gum Dried eaten Forest Local latifolia (DC.) raw, in collection Wall. ex Bedd. sweet preparations 8 Asparagus Shatawari Liliaceae Roots Cooked as Forest, Local racemosus Willd. vegetable waste lands collection 9 Azadirachta Nimboni Meliaceae Fully ripe and Eaten raw Forest, Local Unripe indica A. Juss. fallen fruits villages and collection fruits are roadside bitter 10 Basella rubra Bacchali Basellaceae Leaves Cooked as Field Local Linn. koora vegetable boundaries, collection, houses sell in villages 11 Bauhinia Kondal Caesalpiniaceae Young leaves Cooked as Forest Local racemosa Lamk vegetable collection 12 Boerhaavia Tagres/ Nyctaginaceae Leaves Cooked as Waste lands Local diffusa Linn. Ghetuli vegetable collection 13 Bombax ceiba Katesawar Bombacaceae Flower Cooked as Forest, field Local Linn. vegetable boundaries collection 14 Borassus flabellifer Linn. Arecaceae Young and Eaten raw Field Local Mature fruit Tadi germinating boundaries, collection. is hard to fruit. Sago wasteland Sold digest. produced by villages Excessive incision in consumption inflorescence is problematic 15 Bridelia Kakai Euphorbiaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest Local retusa Spreng. collection 16 Buchanania Char Anacardiaceae Seed Eaten raw Forest Local lanzan collection, Spreng. sell in villages Contd: REDDY: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS OF CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA 113

Table 1 Edible plant species Contd S. No. Botanical Vernacular Family Part used Recipe General Availability Remark name name habitat 17 Cannavalia Chemma Fabaceae Green fruit Cooked as Field Local Mature fruit gladiata kaaya vegetable boundaries, collection is (Jacq.) DC. barren land indigestible 18 Canthium Katbor Rubiaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Field Local parviflorum boundaries, collection Lamk forest 19 Cassia fistula Rela Caesalpiniaceae Flower Cooked as Forest Local Linn. vegetable collection 20 Cassia Marha Caesalpiniaceae Pods Cooked as wasteland Local occidentalis (Bacca) vegetable collection Linn. 21 Cassia tora Tora/Tarota Caesalpiniaceae Young leaves Cooked as Waste lands Local Mature Linn. vegetable collection leaves are not edible 22 Celosia Kukudda Amaranthaceae Young leaves Cooked as Fields Local argentea vegetable collection Linn. 23 Coccinia Jangli kundru Cucurbitaceae Young, ripe Cooked as Waste Local grandis fruit vegetable or lands, road collection (Linn.) Voigt raw side 24 Colocasia Dhopa Araceae Corm, petiole Cooked as Water Local esculenta vegetable, bodies, collection, (Linn.) different stagnant weekly Schott. preparations water markets along with the Bengal gram flour 25 Dendrocalamus Kavil Poaceae Young shoots Cooked as Forest, field Local strictus vegetable boundaries collection (Roxb.) Nees 26 Digera Chenchali Amaranthaceae Leaves Cooked as Weed of Local muricata koora vegetable cultivated collection, (Linn.) Mart. fields sell in villages 27 Dioscorea Mataru Dioscoreaceae Stem tubers Roasted, Forest, Local bulbifera boiled as home collection, Linn. vegetable garden weekly markets 28 Diospyros Tembhurni Ebenaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Field Local Unripe melanoxylon (fresh & boundaries, collection, fruits are Roxb. dried) forest sell in astringent in villages taste 29 Emblica Awla Euphorbiaceae Mature fruit Eaten raw, Forest, Local officinalis jams and cultivated collection, Gaertn. pickles commerciali prepared zed 30 Emilia Makka Asteraceae Leaves Cooked as Forest Local sonchifolia vegetable collection (Linn.) DC. 31 Ficus Wad Moraceae Ripe Fruit Eaten raw Forest, Local benghalensis villages collection Linn. 32 Ficus Umber Moraceae Ripe Fruit Eaten raw Forest, Local racemosa waste lands collection Linn. 33 Flacourtia Karai Flacaurtiaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest Local indica collection (Burm.f.) Merr. Contd 114 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, MARCH 2012

Table 1 Edible plant species Contd S. No. Botanical Vernacular Family Part used Recipe General Availability Remark name name habitat 34 Holarrhena Kuda Apocynaceae Flower Cooked as Forest, Local pubescens vegetable barren land collection, (Buch.-Ham.) weekly Wall. markets 35 Ipomoea Karembua/ Convolvulaceae Leaves Cooked as Ponds Local aquatica Panbhaji vegetable collection Forssk. 36 Lantana Ghaneri Verbanaceae Ripe fruits Eaten raw wasteland Local camara Linn. collection 37 Limonia Kawat Rutaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw, Forest Local acidissima prepared collection, Linn. chatni weekly markets 38 Madhuca Mauha Sapotaceae Flower Eaten raw, Forest, Local longifolia (fresh/dried) different roadside, collection (Koen.) preparations field Macbr. and local boundaries drinks 39 Mangifera Amba Anacardiaceae Fruit Eaten as Forest, Local Oil from indica Linn. raw, in cultivated collection, epicarp curries, commerciali cause pickles, zed irritation, juice swelling 40 Manilkara Khirni Sapotaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest Local Unripe hexandra openings, collection, fruits (Roxb.) Dub. along sell in contain nallahs villages sticky milky sap 41 Momordica Katwal Cucurbitaceae Green fruit Cooked as Field Local dioica Roxb. vegetable boundaries, collection, Forest available in (spread on weekly bushes) markets Mature seed Eaten as raw 42 Nelumbo Kamal Nelumbonaceae Thalamus Eaten raw, Ponds Local nucifera cooked as collection Gaertn. vegetable 43 Opuntia Nagphani Cactaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Hedges Local elatior Mill. collection 44 Oryza Dev bhat Poaceae Seed Cooked Ponds and Local rufipogon similar as puddles collection Griff. rice 45 Oxalis Tipani Oxalidaceae Leaves Cooked as Moist Local corniculata vegetable places collection Linn. 46 Phaseolus Jangli moog Fabaceae Young pods, Eaten raw, wasteland, radiatus Linn. Seeds boiled and fields and roasted boundaries 47 Pheonix Sindi Arecaceae Ripe fruit. Eaten raw Forest Local Excessive sylvestris Sago opening, collection, consumption (Linn.) Roxb. produced by field sell in is incision in boundaries, villages problematic inflorescence pond boundaries 48 Pithecellobiu Chichbilai Mimosaceae Aril of seed Eaten raw Villages and Local m dulce roadside collection, (Roxb.) sell in Benth. villages Contd REDDY: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS OF CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA 115

Table 1 Edible plant species Contd S. No. Botanical Vernacular Family Part used Recipe General Availability Remark name name habitat

49 Portulaca Ghol bhaji Portulacaceae Whole plant Cooked as Weed of Eaten raw oleracea vegetable cultivated Linn. fields 50 Portulaca Bhui chavli Portulacaceae Whole plant Cooked as Weed of Local quadrifolia vegetable cultivated collection Linn. fields 51 Semecarpus Bibba Anacardiaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest Local Seed oil anacardium collection cause Linn. swelling and skin irritation 52 Smilax sp. Ram datun Smilacaceae Young Cooked as Forest Local shoots vegetable collection 53 Syzygium Jambhul Myrtaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest, Local cumunii home collection, (Linn.) garden, road commerciali Skeels. sides zed 54 Tacca Dev kanda Taccaceae Root Cooked as Forest, field Local leontopetaloides vegetable boundaries collection (Linn.) O. Kuntze 55 Tamarindus Chinch Caesalpiniaceae Young Cooked as Forest, Local indica Linn. leaves, vegetable; cultivated, collection, flower, pulp extract road side commerciali young fruit, used along zed ripe fruit, with seeds vegetables and pulses. Seeds roasted and used as supari 56 Terminalia Behda Combretaceae Kernels of Eaten raw Forest, Local bellirica Drupe rarely in collection, (Gaertn.) villages sell in Roxb. villages 57 Trapa natans Shingada Trapaceae Seed Eaten raw Ponds Local Linn. or cooked collection, sell in villages 58 Woodfordia Zilbuli/Dhayti Lythraceae Flower Cooked as Forest Local fruticosa vegetable openings, collection (Linn.) Kurz waste lands 59 Ziziphus Goti Rhamnaceae Fruit Eaten raw Forest Local glaberrima collection, (Sedgw.) Sant. 60 Ziziphus Yeroni Rhamnaceae Ripe fruit Eaten raw Forest Local Unripe oenoplia openings collection, fruits are (Linn.) Mill. sell in astringent villages 61 Ziziphus Bor Rhamnaceae Semi ripe Eaten raw Field Local mauritiana and ripe fruit boundaries, collection, Lamk home commerciali garden, zed cultivated, forest

116 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, MARCH 2012

Fig.1 Edible parts of different life forms

Fig.2 Contribution of different parts Fig. 3 Contribution of different life forms Annona squamosa Linn., Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Roxb.], Khirni [Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dub.], Corr. and Zizipus spp. are cultivated and available in Char (Buchanania lanzan Spreng.) are collected and market at commercial level, but still tribal people sold by tribal and labour in villages and local collect these plants from their natural sources bazaars. seasonally. Marketing of Madhuca longifolia (Koenig) Macbr. and Dendrocalamus strictus Conclusion (Roxb.) Nees. is strictly prohibited by forest Exploration of natural resources and department, hence the tribes collect these species and documentation of traditional and tribal knowledge is use locally. Some plants like Ran moog, Katwal, need of the time. Present work documented 61 wild Dhanbhaji, Math bhaji, Bacchali koora and Suran edible plant species and gives information on food are easily available on field boundaries and as weed habits of local people of Chandrapur district. in cultivated fields and generally consumed by Out of these most of the species have medicinal almost all rural families. properties and keep the tribal and hard working labour Wild fruits such as Tembhurni (Diospyros people healthy and fit. Further phytochemical and melanoxylon Roxb.), Yeroni [Ziziphus oenoplea nutraceutical studies of these edible species may (Linn.) Mill.], Sindi [Pheonix sylvestris (Linn.) provide better nutritional source for future. REDDY: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS OF CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA 117

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