Ethnobotanical Appraisal on Wild Edible Plants Used by the Monpa Community of Arunachal Pradesh
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol.16 (4), October 2017, pp. 626-637 Ethnobotanical appraisal on wild edible plants used by the Monpa community of Arunachal Pradesh Jambey Tsering1,2, BJ Gogoi3, Pallabi K Hui4, N Tam5 & Hui Tag1* 1Department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh- 791 112, Arunachal Pradesh, India; 2Orchid Research Centre, Tipi, Bhalukpong- 790 114, Arunachal Pradesh, India; 3Defence Research Laboratory, Post Bag No.2, Tezpur- 784001, Assam, India; 4National Institute of Technology, District Papum Pare, Yupia- 791 112, Arunachal Pradesh, India; 5State Forest Research Institute, Van Vihar, P B No-159, Itanagar- 791 111, Arunachal Pradesh, India E-mail: [email protected] Received 16 August 2016, revised 15 September 2016 The present study based on ethnobotanical exploration deals with such aspects as documentation of traditional uses, diversity, distribution, threat status and marketing potentialities of wild edible plants consumed by the Monpa community of Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 187 wild edible species belonging to 137 genera of 76 families were documented, of which almost 82.88 % were recorded from subtropical to temperate region, 11.23 % from tropical areas and 5.88 % of the alpine meadows. Rosaceae (19 species) was the most dominant family distributed in high Montane slopes and temperate to sub-tropical forests of Tawang and West Kameng districts. Among genera, Berberis and Rubus were the most widely consumed genera with 06 species each. Fruits (77 species) happen to be the most common edible plant organ getting consumed mostly raw (81.81 %) whereas leaves and shoots are mostly cooked. As many as 48 wild edible species were found to be extensively exploited by the local residents from wild habitat for food, medicines, rituals, traditional paper making, firewood and construction work. Thirty-two species were found to have local market value and 08 species were identified to be facing high degree of threat in the study area. Twenty two plants are reporting for the first time as edible and many other plant uses are novel. Keywords: Wild edible plants, Monpa community, Arunachal Pradesh IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K 36/00, A47G 19/26, A47J 39/02 Arunachal Himalaya is a part of the East Himalayan variety of wild plants in their diet as food, including biodiversity hotspot where hundreds of wild plants are vegetable, beverage, spice and oil. The Monpas are well collected daily by the native people and consumed versed with native flora and have developed various along with staple crops1. Arunachal Himalaya is innovative practices on wild plant utilization6. Pertinent particularly rich in biodiversity due to prevalence of literature being inadequate and preliminary, the present varied physiographical, climatic and ecological zones. study seeks to appraise ethnobotanical uses and the The Arunachal Himalayan region is the hub of wild diversity of wild edible plants consumed by the Monpa food and medicinal plants. The region is rich in both community of Arunachal Pradesh. the biodiversity as well as the traditional knowledge associated with it. It is the home of 26 major and Study area 110 minor tribes, making it world’s largest abode of The study was conducted in Tawang and West variety of ethnic tribal groups2-3. The Monpa is one such Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh (India) which major tribal groups found in Tawang and West Kameng represents 11.35 % of the total geographical area of districts of Arunachal Pradesh with a population of the state (83,743 km2). Study site is located between approximately 1 lac as per the 2011 Census4. The 26°55' to 27°52′ N latitudes and between 91°32′ to Monpas are good agriculturists and practice both 92°55' to E longitudes (Fig. 1) covering an area of shifting and settled farming systems. They also practice 9,507 km2 with elevations ranging from 200 m in the animal rearing, particularly sheep and yak (locally called foothill region, which gradually ascends to about as Brokpa) for living5. Besides these, the Monpas use a 7,750 m in the upper northern region. The entire __________ region is steep mountainous terrain bounded by two *Corresponding author international borders, China (Tibet) in the North and TSERING et al.: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS USED BY THE MONPA COMMUNITY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH 627 Bhutan in the West. The vegetation can be broadly classified into 6 types: tropical semi-evergreen forest (300–800 m), sub-tropical broad-leaved forest (800–1800), pine forest (1200–2400 m), temperate broad-leaved forest (1800–2800 m), temperate coniferous forest (2800–3500 m) and alpine forest (above 3500 m)7. The overall climatic condition of the study area is moderate and pleasant during the summer and extreme chill and biting cold are experienced during the winter. At altitude above 2500 m, chilling cold climate starts from early November and continues up to late February during which no agricultural crops are grown. Five major tribal communities inhibit the study area (the Monpa, Sherdukpen, Sajolang, Hrusso and Bugun). Among these tribes, the Monpa is the largest community in 5,8 terms of population and area of inhabitance . Fig. 1Location of study area Materials and methods Regular field trips in different rural areas of Tawang collected from wild habitats linked with the Monpa and West Kameng districts were conducted during the community of Arunachal Pradesh (Table 1). The list years 2010–2015 to investigate the ethnobotany of wild of species includes 78 species of herbs, 48 species of edible plants following the methods suggested by trees, 47 species of shrubs, 12 species of climbers and Martin9 and Stepp10. A total of 240 informants of 2 species of fungi (Auricularia auricula-judae and different age groups were interviewed during field Ophiocordyceps sinensis). These two edible fungi exploration in 96 villages and visits to 140 forest sites. species were included in our study due to their high The local markets were also visited to draw food values market and cultural values. Rosaceae with 19 species of wild plants. The key informants during the study was the most dominant family getting consumed in were the farmers, village heads, herders and traditional high mountain slopes and in temperate to sub-tropical hunters. Semi-structured questionnaire set was used to forests. Some other dominant families were record the abundance and harvesting frequency of wild Asteraceae, Berberidaceae and Urticaceae (8 sp edible plants. Observance of abundance was measured p. each), Polygonaceae (7 spp.), Brassicaceae and at 05 levels (DAFOR scale), i.e., dominant, abundant, Rutaceae (6 spp. each), Ericaceae and Lamiaceae frequent, occasional and rare11, whereas, harvesting (5 spp. each). Berberis and Rubus represented the two frequency was identified at 03 levels (frequent, largest genera with 06 species each. Almost 83 % of moderate and rare). The natural habitat of each species wild edible plants were traced from areas of was visited and one or two voucher specimens were subtropical (800–1800 m) to temperate forests collected for Herbarium preservation following the (1800–3500 m) and nearly 11 % of wild edible plants method of Maden12. The plants were identified with the were of tropical origin (300–800 m). At the altitude help of specialists, relevant taxonomic literatures and above 3500 m, which forms subalpine to alpine e-flora websites. The plants were authenticated at the forests, only 06 % of wild edible plants received Botanical Survey of India (ARUN), Itanagar and support out of a total 187 species. Among different deposited at Plant Systematic and Pharmacognosy plant parts used, fruit-diversity consumed was the Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Rajiv highest with 77 species (41.18 %). Leaves, shoots and Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. flowers of a good number of species were also recorded as edible. Stems, seeds, roots, tubers, nuts Results and barks were rarely reported as edible. Majority of fruits were raw edible (63 spp.). Leaves and shoots Diversity of wild edible plants were mostly cooked for consumption. In case of A total of 187 edible species belonging to 137 flowers, approximately 50 % species were seen to be genera of 76 families have been identified which were eaten raw and 50 % cooked (Fig. 2). 628 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 16, No. 4, OCTOBER 2017 Table 1 Current status and traditional uses of wild edible plants used by the Monpa community S No Botanical name & family Local name; Family Elevation OA HF Traditional uses Vchr. Spm. No. (m) 1 Acer campbellii Hook.f. & Shoblela (T) Sapindaceae 2000-2400 A Fermented tender leaves used as tea Thomson ex Hiern** JT/HT/047/2011 beverage (butter tea) 2 Achyranthes aspera L. – Amaranthaceae 2300 F Tender leaves used as ingredient in JT/HT/380/2012 curries 3 Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K. Marsang (W) Asteraceae 1600 F Young shoots eaten boiled, mostly Jansen JT/HT/277/2012 preferred to gastritis patient 4 Actinidia callosa Lindl. Thum-mrep (T) Actinidiaceae 2400-3000 F Fruits edible JT/HT/066/2011 5 Allium cepa L. Tschong (T) Amaryllidaceae 4400 R Bulb eaten cooked JT/HT/435/2013 6 Allium hookeri Thwaites Maan (T) Amaryllidaceae 2050 O Whole plant eaten raw as salad or JT/HT/439/2013 cooked 7 Alnus nepalensis D. Don** Mhu-sheng (T) Betulaceae 1800-2600 D Fermented tender leaves used as tea JT/HT/011/2011 beverage 8 Amaranthus spinosus L. Khutuka (H) Amaranthaceae 1200-1600 O Tender shoots used as vegetable JT/HT/355/2012 9 Amaranthus viridis L. Fara (T) Amaranthaceae 1300-1600 F Tender shoots used as vegetable JT/HT/077/2011 10 Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Khoebi (H) Araceae 800-900 O Tender leaves used as ingredient in (Dennst.) Nicolson JT/HT/357/2012 curries 11 Ardisia macrocarpa Wall. – Primulaceae 2100-2400 F Berries eaten raw JT/HT/110/2011 12 Arisaema concinnum Wange (T) Araceae 2100-2400 F Leached (boil) tubers serve as food Schott JT/HT/045/2011 13 Asparagus racemosus Ngalangma (T) Asparagaceae 1400-1600 O Fermented leaf used as tea beverage Willd.* JT/HT/418/2013 14 Aspidocarya uvifera Hook.f.