2017J. Pl. Res. Vol. 15, No. 1, pp 45-51, 2017 Journal of Plant Resources Vol.15, No. 1

Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge on plants used by Tamang Community of Kavrepalanchok District, Central

*Srijana Shah and Dipak Lamichhane National Botanical Garden, Godawari, Lalitpur *E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The present work documents 55 plant species belonging to 51 genera of 38 familiesused by the Tamang community of Ryale and PokharinarayansthanVDCs of Kavrepalanchok district.The Tamang people were found dependent on the plant resources to fulfill their basic requirements.Primary data collection method during field visit included semi-structuredinterview with local knowledgable people of the community. The information collected included local name of plants, uses, form of use, and parts used. The highest number of plant (19 species) were used as edible and medicine followed by others. The most commonly used plant partwasleaves (24 species). This study revealed that theTamang communityof both study sites havegood indigenous knowledge of using plants for various purposes.

Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, Kavrepalanchok district, Plant resources, Tamang community

Introduction community in Ryale and Nepal being a multiethnic and multilingual country Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Kavre consists of 125 caste/ethnic groups. The population district has remained unexplored. Pokhari of Tamang is 1,539,830 which covers 5.8 percent of Narayansthan VDC, Timal being one of the oldest total population of Nepal (NPHC, 2011). They are place where Tamang people live. Documentation of one of the major ethnic group of Nepal. The traditional knowledge is necessary before the documentation of indigenous knowledge on the knowledgeable generation gets completely lost. utilization of local plant resources by different ethnic Ethnobotanical studies help for conservation of groups or communities is one of the main objectives cultural tradition, sustainable use of plants as well of ethnobotanical research (Malla & Chhetri, 2009). as for socio-economic growth of ethnic communities Plant resources can be used for various purposes such (Malla &Chhetri, 2009; Mesfin et al., 2013). as food, fodder, fiber, firewood, timber, making tools, making household appliances, medicines, aroma, Objectives ornament, cultures, festivals etc (Kunwar & Bussmann, 2008; Bhattarai & , 2015). The The objective of this study is documentation of practice of using plant resources vary according to traditional knowledge and indigenous practices to tradition, climatic conditions and vegetation type of use the plants in Tamang community and conserve the place. the used parts in ethnobotanical museum & ethnobotanical garden of National Botanical Garden Several studies have been conducted on medicinal (NBG), Godawari. plants and their traditional use in different parts of Specific objectives are Nepal. Studies regarding the use of plants by Tamang • to know about the medicinal plants used by people (Shrestha, 1988; Tamang, 2003; Malla & Chhetri, of Tamang community, 2009; Luitel et al., 2014) community have also been • conducted in the past. Most of the studies are done to understand the purpose of using various plants, on traditional medicinal practices. Plants are used and for many purposes other than medicinal • to document the indigenous knowledge of the (Bhattarai,2009).Ethnobotanical study of Tamang Tamang people.

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Materials and Methods using MS-Excel. Study Area Voucher specimens collected during field visit were Kavrepalanchok district lies between 85°24' to preserved as herbarium and were identified with the 85°49' E and 27°22' to 27°85 N. Its total area is about help of various literatures. They were identified using 1404 sq.km. The height ranges from 275 m standard literatures (Hara et al.,1978,1982; Hara & () to 3018 m (Bethanchowk hill) from the Williams, 1979; Press et al., 2000) and comparing sea level (Figure 1). This study was carried out on specimens at National Herbarium and Plant Tamang community of Kavrepalanchok district in Laboratories (KATH), Godawari. Ryale and PokharinarayansthanVDCs in February 2016.The total number of household in Ryale was Results and Discussion 1821 with 768 male and 1053 female, the total Altogether 55 plant species belonging to 38 families number of household in Pokharinarayansthan was and 51 genera were collected and their local name, 2474 with 1140 male and 1334 female. uses, parts used and form of uses were noted down. 28 species from Ryale and 44 species from Pokhari Narayansthan, Timal were collected for demonstration and herbarium preparation. 16 of the collected species occured in both the VDCs.Among the 55 species there were 13 herbs, 13 shrubs, 25 trees,1 epiphyte, 2 climbers and 1 pteridophyte. Most of the plants (19 species) were used for edible and medicinal purposes followed by miscellaneous uses, fodder, firewood, religious purpose and others as shown in Figure 2. Some of the common medicinal uses were in fever, toothache, labor, pressure, sugar, increase lactation, cut and wounds, eye problem, etc. Miscellaneous uses include making toothpaste, soap, shampoo, toothbrush of stem, etc. Four of the plants were also found to be used for curing animal diseases. Several species were found to be used for more than one purpose. Uses of plants along with its local name, form of use, and parts used are listed in Table 1. Figure 1: Map of study area

Plant species were collected from the study site. The taxonomic characters and other necessary information were noted down in the field. To obtain detail information, the plant specimens collected from the field were exhibited and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 respondents in Ryale and 22 in Pokhari Narayansthan, Timal mostly including traditional healers and knowledgeable persons both male and female. The information collected included local name of plants, uses, form Figure 2: Number of plants used by Tamang people for of use, and parts used. The graphs were prepared various purposes

46 2017 Journal of Plant Resources Vol.15, No. 1

Among different plant parts, Figure 3 showed that Acknowledgements leaves of most of the plants (24 species) were used by Tamang people for various purposes followed by We are greatful to Mr. Rajdev Prasad Yadav, former fruit (16 species), wood (15 species), etc. Whole Director General and Deputy Director General Mr. plant was also used in some cases. Sanjeev Kumar Rai, Department of Plant Resources for their continous encouragment. Our sincere thanks goes to the local people of Ryale and Pokharinarayansthan VDCs for their kind cooperation during the field study. We would like to thank Mr. Harisharan Puri, Roshan Tamang and NavarajGotame for their assistance during the study.

References Bhattarai, K.R. & Acharya, S.K. (2015). Figure 3: Number of plant parts used by Tamang people Documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge of Tharu people on the utilization of the plant Study by Malla & Chhetri, 2009 also showed that resources in Gadariya and PhulwariVDCs of tribal people of Kavrepalanchok including Tamang , west Nepal. Bull. Department of used plants and their parts for various purposes in Plant Resources No.37: 41-50. their daily life. But these two study sites were remained to be explored. The study of Luitel et al., Bhattarai, S. (2009). Ethnobotany and Antibacterial 2014 found that leaves and fruits were frequently activities of selected medicinal plants of Nepal used parts by people because they are easily available Himalaya. PhD Thesis. Central Department of and contain high concentration of bioactive Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur. compounds as seen from this study also leaves and Hara, H. & Williams, L.H.J. (1979). An Enumeration fruits were used in most of the plants for edible as of the Flowering plants of Nepal.Vol II, British well as medicinal purpose. Similarly, the work Museum (Natural History) London, UK. conducted by Mesfin et al., 2013 in Northern Ethiopia also found that leaves of plants were mostly Hara, H., Chater, A.O. & Williams, L.H.J. (1982). harvested for medicinal purpose which do not much An Enumeration of the Flowering plants of harm the sustainable utilization of plant. Nepal.Vol III, British Museum (Natural History) London, UK. Conclusion Hara, H., Stearn, W.T. & Williams, L.H.J. (1978). The study showed that people of Tamang community An Enumeration of the Flowering plants of have good indigenous knowledge of using wild Nepal.Vol.I, British Museum (Natural History) plants for various purposesmost importantly as wild London, UK. edible fruits and medicinal value. This knowledge Kunwar, R.M. & Bussmann, R.W. (2008). seems to be decreasing in the younger generation Ethnobotany in the Nepal Himalayas.Journal of because of global commercialization. Hence, it is ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 4:24. necessary to preserve and properly document it, to keep a record of the diversified utilization of various Luitel, D.R., Rokaya, M.B., Timsina, B. & plants for future. Munzbergova, Z. (2014). Medicinal plants used by Tamang community in the of Central Nepal. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 10: 1-11.

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Malla, B & Chhetri, R.B. (2009).Indigenous Secretariat, Government of Nepal, Central Bureau knowledge on ethnobotanical plants of of Statistics, , Nepal. Kavrepalanchowk district.Kathmandu University Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, Press, J.R., Shrestha, K.K. & Sutton, D.A. (2000). 5 (II): 96-109. .Annotated Checklist of the Flowering plants of Nepal.The Natural History Museum, London. Mesfin, K., Tekle, G. & Tesfay, T. (2013). Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Medicinal Shrestha, P. (1988). Contribution to the Ethnobotany Plants Used by Indigenous People of Gemad of the Tamangs of Kathmandu Valley.CNAS District, Northern Ethiopia. Journal of Medicinal Journal, Tribhuvan University, 15(2), 247-266. Plants Studies, 1(4): 32-37. Tamang, G. (2003). An Ethnobiological study of the NPHC (2011). National Population and Housing Tamang people.Our Nature, 1: 37-41. Census (NPHC), National Planning Commission

48 2017 Journal of Plant Resources Vol.15, No. 1 Herb Herb Shrub Tree Shrub Shrub Shrub Herb Herb Shrub are feeded to animals in diarrhoea animals in to are feeded value purpose religious and fodder, timber and firewood and firewood timber fodder, purpose, basket making in fodder,stem ointment, oil, of making extraction toothpaste body used as toothbrush,religious value eye in is eaten root cooked jaundice, problem Leaf juice Leaf fermentation in pain, In nose Herb as as vegetable, eaten shoots Young

em em shoots young Compositae Compositae Leaves paste Leaf manure, green In cuts, Herb Risaiba(T) Dhalekatus (T) Kyakarpalo Musurekatus (R, T) Singar Fagaceae Dhursil (T) Fagaceae Cucurbitaceae Flower,leaves,st Chyanmangre Shivalingi wood Fruit, (T) Fepsel (T) Nigalo wood Fruit, Maha (T) Lamiaceae Dhasingre and firewood as timber Fruit edible, Tree Leaves (R) Chyanchabal Ranunculaceae as tihar festival, used in edible, Fruit Poaceae Root Ericaceae Ghodtapre juice Leaf (R) Ghodtapre fodder,religious In arthritis, leaves, Stem, leaves Fruit, paste Root paste Leaf Apiaceae pain In joint in scabies, as medicine edible, Fruit Leaves juice Leaf Climber decreaseheat of mind, To sharpen Datiwan (R), (R) Phrekphrek Thangmra Banmara Amaranthaceae stem Root, juice Root stem pain, toothache, In stomach Pakhanbed Bhrada (T) Saxifragaceae Root Rootpowder In diarrhea Herb

(L.) L. Bokeghans Kanchimmendo(T) Compositae flower Leaves, paste Leaf edible flower and wounds, In cuts Herb L. Tanki (T) Konar Leguminosae flower Leaves, Fodder Tree (Roxb.) (Roxb.) Lour. Lour. Bhimsenpati T) (R, Pate Loganiaceae Leaves paste Leaf wound and cuts in boils, Fodder, (Roxb.) (Roxb.) Kutmero (T) Chachache Lauraceae Leaves Fodder Tree D. Don D. Uttis (R, T) Bomsing Betulaceae leaves Wood, firewood timber, Fodder, Tree Willd. Willd. Titepati T) (R, Chyenchin Compositae Leaves juice Leaf cuts, religious in cough, incense, As DC. DC. Chutro (T) Chotra Berberidaceae root Fruit, root Cooked in dye, edible,making Fruit L. Bhango (R) Ganja Cannabaceae fruit Leaves, Freshleaves pickle,leaves making edible Fruit (Haw.) L. Pipal (T) Dahu Moraceae plant Whole value Religious Tree Sm. Dudhilo Natroche (R) Moraceae Leaves, fruit edible, fruit Fodder, Tree . (R) Khadabdab Gentianaceae plant Whole paste Plant toothpaste Making Herb List of plants used by Tamang people of Ryale and Pokharinarayansthan VDCs for various purposes for various VDCs and Pokharinarayansthan Ryale of people used by plants Tamang of List Miq. C. Jeffery Cannabis sativa Cannabis indica Castanopsis tribuloides Castanopsis A. DC. (Sm.) Clematis sp. oppositifolia Colebrookea Sm. palmatus Diplocyclos falcatum Drepanostachyum Kengfil. (Nees.) neriifolia Ficus religiosa Ficus fragrantissimaGaultheria Wall. sp Gentiana nepalensis Hydrocotyle Hook. Litsea monopetala Achyranthes bidentata Achyranthes Blume adenophora Ageratina & H. King M. R. (Spreng.) Rob. conyzoides Ageratum nepalensis Alnus indica Artemisia purpurea Bauhinia Berberis aristata ciliata Bergenia Sternb. asiatica Buddleja 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 S.N. S.N. ScientificName Name Nepali Tamang Name Family Parts Used Form of use Uses Life form Table 1: Table

49 2017 Journal of Plant Resources Vol.15, No. 1 Shrub Tree Shrub Tree Tree Shrub Tree Climber Tree Shrub fever, leg sprain sprain leg fever, as in sprain, edible, Fruit anthelminthic, fodder brooms, recovery, making flowers are pickled are pickled flowers firewood seed is of boils, color In wound, used in making polish and dried brooms making for stick problem of animals, plant whole clothes, for as dye Root toothpaste making for used to is juice poison, as fish used preparation cooked and cooked paste is made Firewood, religious value Tree value religious Firewood, paste Leaf purpose, religious In wounds, Tree paste, Plant stick dried whole Paste of plant flower flower plant plant Euphorbiaceae Stem, whole whole Stem, Euphorbiaceae Rosaceae Fruit, stem Fruit juice Fruit stick,edible, alcohol making (T) (T) Kerpal (T) Berberidaceae Fruit Fruit edible Shrub (T) Angeri (T) Champ Leaves manure Kaphal Melastomataceae (T) Chyambe leaves, Green (T) Syungan(R) Setikath (R) Namun Shrub Fruit, Primulaceae Magnoliaceae Bigoniaceae Wood Tatelo Pate leaves, Wood, Myricaceae Timber,firewood wood Fruit, Fruit Tree khareto Yamansara constipation, Fruit edible, firewood Tree Laligurans (R,T) Paramendo Ericaceae flower Wood, juice Flower neckpain, in as medicine Firewood, Angeri Angeri (R,T) Domsin o Ericaceae Leaves,wood juice Leaf timber, diseases, scabies, In skin Mayal (R) Pana Majitho Rosaceae Tirro (T) Fruit Khirro Rubiaceae juice Plant (T) Khalung in eye as medicine edible, Fruit whole Root, Euphorbiaceae leaves Wood, juice Leaf leaves are tungna, theki, Making Ghangaru Baderu (R), Tegarpuju (R), Baderu Ghangaru

L. kans Ushir (T) (R), Higuche Poaceae root Leaves, root Dried pregnancy for in post eaten is Root

DC. Jamanemandr (L.) (Wall.) (Wall.) L. Amala (T) Ammal Euphorbiaceae Fruit pickle edible, Fruit making Tree D.Don. D.Don. Painyu Pyursing(R, T) Rosaceae Fruit Fruit bark is (L.) (L.) Spreng. halhale (R) Haledo Polygonaceae Root paste Root in allergy skin Medicine Herb Buch.- (Wall.) (Wall.) Wall. Nundhiki (R, T) Nundhiki Santalaceae leaves Young powder Leaf in as medicine Tea preparation, Sargent. Khotesalla Thamsing dong(T) Pinaceae Fruit, wood Fruit edible, preparefirewood, wax Tree Thunb. Thunb. Phalat (T) Sulsing Fagaceae Wood firewood carpentry, for Timber, Tree Smith. Smith. Ainselu Polang(T) Rosaceae Fruit toothpaste edible, Fruit making Shrub

Sm. ex Roxb. Banjh Verkap (R, T) Fagaceae leaves Wood, timber, firewood Fodder, Tree Ainjeru Lamiaceae Fruit Fruits edible Epiphyte Fruits Fruit Ainjeru Lamiaceae Buch.-Ham. m

Baill. ex Pierre Pierre ex Baill. Mez Loranthus sp. Loranthus ovalifoliaLyonia Drude napaulensis Mahonia melabathricum Melastoma L. champaca Magnolia Myrica esculenta exD.Don. Ham. capitellata Rapanea indicumOroxylum Kurz. Osyris wightiana roxburghii Pinus Prunus cerasoides emblica Phyllanthus parvifoliusPhyllanthus Buch.-Ham. exD.Don. crenulata Pyracantha (D.Don) Roe Pyrus pashia glaucaQuercus Quercuslanata Rhododendron arboretum Smith. manjith Rubia ellipticus Rubus nepalensis Rumex spontaneum Saccharum insigne Sapium ex D.Don. Fleming exHook.f. (Royle)Benth. Pers. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

50 2017 Journal of Plant Resources Vol.15, No. 1 Herb Herb Herb Tree Tree shampoo shampoo delivery, making broom, fodder fodder broom, making delivery, paste is pressure, lactation, in sugar, and legs hands in broken used clothes, religious purpose, making making purpose, religious clothes, bir of dhyangro kill worms of horn of animals. of animals. horn of kill worms Fresh leaves leaves Fresh during given to cow Leaves are Fruit edible, fodder, washing Fruit bark Fruit bark and soap making In toothache, leaves leaves wood Rhamnaceae Fruit, leaves, Fruit, Rhamnaceae Dangding (T) Unyu (T) Unyu Leaves Pteridaceae Fodder Pteridophyte phitiphiya Petepye (T) phitiphiya Petepye leaves Buxaceae Wood, firewood Fodder, Amriso Tree Sarji (R), Sarchyu(T) Poaceae Inflorescense, Buddha chitta (T) Threngba Rhamnaceae Fruit purpose Religious Shrub Chilaune Kyasing (R) (R) Chilaune Kyasing Theaceae Wood Firewood Tree Clos. Dandekanda (T) Thurpanglapuju Flacourtiaceae Leaves, fruit fruit edible Fodder, Tree

KR Burn.f. Kantakari Golombi (T) (T) Kantakari Burn.f. Golombi Solanaceae

Roxb. Hade bayar Kandakosi (R),

L. Kukurdino (R, T) Nagikre Liliaceae Leaves fodder Making dhangro, Herb M.Roem. Tooni Kyabai (T) Tooni M.Roem. Kyabai Meliaceae Wood carving In Tree L. L. Sisnu Polo (R, T) Urticaceae Young shoots paste Leaf increase vegetable, Eaten as

Sarcococca coriacea coriacea Sarcococca Sweet (Hook.) wallichii Schima aspera Smilax surattense Solanum maxima Thysanolaena (Roxb.)O. Kuntze Toona ciliata Urtica dioca Xylosma controversum Ziziphus incurva Ziziphus buddhensis Pathak Bhattarai & (DC.)Korth 45 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 (unknown) 55 Fern T= Pokharinarayanthan VDC, Timal; R= Ryale VDC R= Ryale VDC Timal; VDC, T= Pokharinarayanthan

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