Indigenous Wild Edible Fruits for Kom Tribe in Manipur, India
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Pleione 6(2): 268 - 272. 2012. ISSN: 0973-9467 © East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy Indigenous wild edible fruits for Kom tribe in Manipur, India Reshma Khatoon, P. K. Singh1, Ajit Kumar Das and B. K. Dutta Department of Ecology and Environmental science, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India 1Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, Manipur, India [Received revised 30.10.2012; Accepted 13.11.2012] Abstract A study recorded 36 species of wild edible fruit plants belonging to 26 families used in various ways by the Kom tribe. This present work is the outcome of 4 field studies carried out in different parts of Kom inhabitant districts- Churachanpur, Chandel, Senapati and Imphal East. The Kom is one of those recognized scheduled tribes of Manipur who has acquired a good knowledge about the uses of wild edible fruits. Record of uses like Phyllanthus acidus (Linnaeus) Roxburgh, Docynia indica (Wallich) Decaisne, Antidesma bunius (Linnaeus) Sprengel, Myrica farquhariana Wallich, etc. is interesting. Most of the 36 species of wild edible fruit plants species reported in this paper form a significant component of the economic life of locals. Key words: wild edible fruit, Kom tribe, Churachandpur, Chandel. INTRODUCTION Manipur lying in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and ranks in the 8th amongst the 35 biodiversity hotspots recognized by IUCN round the world. This holds immense potential for occurrence and cultivation of wide range of wild edible fruit plants. Manipur is inhabitant by different ethnic groups. Kom tribe belongs to the old Kuki tribe. They are settled in four districts districts of Manipur, - Churachandpur, Chandel, Senapati and Imphal East. Their population in the year 2001 was 16,463 (Anonymous 2001). They are primarily dependent upon local vegetation for their sustenance. They use different type of plants for their various day to day needs like medicine, food, fuel, timber, etc. to sustain their livelihood linked with agriculture. Kom tribe has acquired good knowledge about the uses of wild edible fruits. Collection of wild edible fruits has been carried out by the villagers as a way of life along with the cultivation of some plants. The Kom tribe belongs to the lowest stratum of the society and their socio-economic condition is very poor. They have no purchase power so they can’t buy cultivated fruits from the market. Instead, they collect different types of fruits and other plant parts from the wild and consume. These also generate some income for them as they sale out the excess collection. Singh & Singh (1985) and Singh et al (1988) reported that the people of Manipur have a tradition to use wild plants as the state is predominantly inhabited by the indigenous people. The natives of the area still gather wild food plants (Arora 1981). Unsustainable ways of harvesting and unrestricted marketing of these plants have led to the reduction in population of some high valued wild edible fruit plants. But we should always remember that these wild fruits in proper combination can meet all our nutritional needs so that the inhabitants are living healthy. This paper deals only the preliminary report and leaves room for further scientific study. Reshma Khatoon et al 269 MATERIALS AND METHODS Field survey was conducted in different areas of Kom inhabitant districts, namely Churachandpur, Chandel, Senapati and Imphal East during 2009 – 2010 to collect information about the wild edible fruits. In this study the method of Singh & Singh (1985) and Singh et al (1988) were adopted. Plants were identified with the help of published literature (Deb 1961; Bentham & Hooker 1862 – 1883; Kanjilal et al 1934 – 1940; Das et al 1968; Hooker 1872 – 1897; Arora 1981). The specimens are deposited in the Herbarium of the Department of Ecology and Environment Science, Assam University, Silchar. RESULTS In the present paper, Botanical names of recorded wild edible fruit plants are arranged alphabetically along with their families, Exsiccatae, local names, references to voucher specimens, and uses are presented in tabular form [Table 1]. Table1. Wild fruit plant used in various ways by the people of Kom tribe in Manipur Name [Family]; Exsiccatae Vernacular Part Used Mode of use Name Antidesma bunius (Linnaeus) Sprengel Theiyong Ripe fruits, tender Eaten raw, cooked [Fabaceae]; Resh 002503 leaves as vegetable Aphanamixis polystachya (Wallich) R.N. Heirangkhoi Ripe Fruits Eaten raw Parker [Meliaceae]; Resh 002505 Artocarpus lakoocha Roxburgh [Moraceae]; Keitaat Ripe Fruits Eaten raw, cooked Resh 002530 as vegetable Averrhoa carambola Linnaeus Theikarher Ripe Fruits Eaten raw, cooked [Averrhoaceae]; Resh 002508 as vegetable Baccaurea sapida Mueller-Argoviensis Moto-khei Ripe Fruits Eaten raw [Euphorbiaceae]; Resh 002520 Calamus tenuis Roxburgh [Arecaceae]; Resh Teengpira Ripe Fruits Eaten raw 002527 Castonopsis armata Spach [Fagaceae]; Resh U- Thangjing Nuts Roasted nuts are 002537 eaten Citrus australis Linnaeus [Ulmaceae]; Resh Heikreng Young leaves, Used in fresh, 002532 Ripe Fruits mixed vegetable salad, eaten raw Citrus macroptera Montrous [Rutaceae]; Sorom Juicy sac, rind of Eaten fresh, spice Resh 002542 fruits Citrus medica Linnaeus [Rutaceae]; Resh Masir Juicy sacs in fruits Eaten fresh 002512 Dillenia indica Linnaeus [Dilleniaceae]; Resh Heigri Leaves, fleshy Decoction as 002546 acrescent calyx medicine, eaten raw Docynia indica (Wallich) Decaisne Theitup Fruit Ripe and unripe [Rosaceae]; Resh 002553 fruits are eaten Elaeagnus conferta Roxburgh Heiyei Fleshy part of Ripe fruits eaten [Elaeagnaceae]; Resh 002527 fruit raw Elaeocarpus floribundus Blume Zorphon Ripe /unripe fruit Eaten raw, roasted [Elaeocarpaceae]; Resh 002551 or cooked Ficus cunia Buchanon-Hamilton [Moraceae]; Theichang Ripe Fruit Eaten raw Resh 002513 Ficus glomerata Roxburgh [Moraceae]; Resh Theibong Ripe Fruit Eaten raw 002555 Ficus pomifera Wallich ex King [Moraceae]; Bajil Ripe Fruit Eaten raw Resh 002543 Flacourtia jangomas (Loureiro) Raeuschel Theitung Fleshy part of Eaten raw [Flacourtiaceae]; Resh 002518 fruit Garcinia pedunculata Roxburgh ex Heibung Fleshy part of Eaten fresh, Buchanon-Hamilton [Clusiaceae]; Resh fruit cooked as curry 002554 Grewia abutilifolia Ventenat ex Jussieu Ching-boroi Ripe Fruit Eaten raw, boiled [Teliaceae]; Resh 002521 extract in medicine Myrica farquhariana Wallich [Myricaceae]; Nongang-hei Ripe Fruit Eaten fresh or Resh 002535 make into pieces to make local liquor 270 Wild edible fruits for Kom tribe in Manipur Name [Family]; Exsiccatae Vernacular Part Used Mode of use Name Flacourtia jangomas (Loureiro) Raeuschel Theitung Fleshy part of Eaten raw [Flacourtiaceae]; Resh 002518 fruit Garcinia pedunculata Roxburgh ex Heibung Fleshy part of Eaten fresh, Buchanon-Hamilton [Clusiaceae]; Resh fruit cooked as curry 002554 Grewia abutilifolia Ventenat ex Jussieu Ching-boroi Ripe Fruit Eaten raw, boiled [Teliaceae]; Resh 002521 extract in medicine Myrica farquhariana Wallich [Myricaceae]; Nongang-hei Ripe Fruit Eaten fresh or Resh 002535 make into pieces to make local liquor Passiflora edulis Sims [Passifloraceae]; Resh Krapolthei Ripe Fruit and Leaves and fruits 002530 tender twigs eaten raw; tender twigs as vegetable and as medicine for diabetes Phoenix sylvestris (Linnaeus) Roxburgh Thangtup Fleshy part of Mature fruits [Arecaceae]; Resh 002557 fruit eaten raw Phyllanthus acidus (Linnaeus) Roxburgh Gihori Fleshy part, Ripe fruits eaten [Euphorbiaceae]; Resh 002541 leaves raw; leaves antidote to snake- bite Phyllanthus emblica Linnaeus Sulhu Fleshy part of Fruits eaten raw, [Euphorbiaceae]; Resh 002560 fruit pickled; prepare local hair lotion (Chinghi) Prunus armeniaca Linnaeus [Rosaceae]; Monhei Fleshy part of Ripe/unripe eaten Resh 002526 fruit raw Prunus cerasiodes D. Don [Rosaceae]; Resh Wild Cherry Fleshy part of Ripe fruits eaten 002542 fruit raw Prunus domestica Linnaeus [Rosaceae]; Resh Theikha Fleshy part of Ripe/unripe eaten 002549 fruit raw Prunus persica (Linnaeus) Batsch Chumpri Fleshy part of Ripe/unripe eaten [Rosaceae]; Resh 002516 fruit raw Rhus elliptica Thunberg [Rosaceae]; Resh Theiker Berries Ripe fruit eaten 002559 raw Rhus javanica Linnaeus [Anacardiaceae]; Khonghma Tender leaves, Salad (Singju), Resh 002504 Flowers, ripe fruit eaten fresh or powdered Spondias pinnata (Linnaeus) Kurz Tito Ripe fruits, Bark Eaten fresh, [Anacardiaceae]; Resh 002525 pickled and in medicine Tamarindus indica Linnaeus Mangke Pulp of ripe fruits Eaten raw, cooked [Caesalpiniaceae]; Resh 002533 as curry “Hei- thongba” Tetrastigma bracteolatum Planchon Monjam-hei Ripe fruits and Eaten raw, cooked [Vitaceae]; Resh 002556 tender leaves as vegetable Vangueria spinosa Roxburgh [Rubiaceae]; Theipui Fresh and tender Leaves used for Resh 002520 leaves, fleshy part making Singju, of ripe fruits ripe fruits eaten raw, used as body lotion Ziziphus jujuba Miller [Rhamnaceae]; Resh Boroi Fleshy part of Eaten fresh, 002523 ripe/unripe fruits pickled Reshma Khatoon et al 271 DISCUSSION Most of the 36 species of wild edible fruit plants reported in this paper form the significant component of the economic life for the people of Kom tribe. Use of some little known wild fruit species like Phyllanthus acidus, Docynia indica, Antidesma bunius, Myrica farquhariana etc. is interesting. As the wild fruits are the favourite food of the Kom tribe, it may be encouraged in the consumption of these fruits by other tribes and communities. Fruits of some plants like Spondias pinnata, Rhus javanica, Phyllanthus acidus,