Ethno Taxonomy of Angiospermic Weeds of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Available online at www.ijpab.com Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.2362 ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) Research Article

Pasupuleti Neeraja* and B. M. Reddy Department of Botany, Kakatiya Government College, Hanamkonda, Warangal, Telangana, India *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 25.08.2016 | Revised: 30.08.2016 | Accepted: 31.08.2016

ABSTRACT An ethno taxonomy or folk taxonomy is a vernacular naming system. It is a localized naming and classifying system, which is the way native people traditionally describe and organize their natural surroundings and also it can be contrasted with scientific taxonomy. Ethnobotanical data collected during ethnobotanical survey carried out throughout the study area, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, during 2008- 2016, a total of 448 plant folk species were identified. The data from folk botany provide evidence for the concept of rank in ethno biological classification, and angiospermic weed taxa of Chittoor district can be naturally accommodated into one of the six ethno biological ranks like kingdom, (the unique beginner), which is zero, lifeform 9, intermediate zero, generic 448, specific 302, and varietal 21.The generic rank can be linguistically analyzable into Monotypic genera 145 (32.36 %) Polytypic genera 303 (67.64 %).

Economically useful genera are polytypic. The analysis of ethnobotanical data of ethno

biosystematics of the angiospermic weeds of study area agree by and large the general principles

of folk taxonomy by Berlin, and in many respects it is close to Tzetal folk taxonomy.

Key words: Ethnotaxonomy, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, Concept of rank, Angiospermic weeds.

INTRODUCTION respect to class inclusion is termed as Categorization is thought to be basic human taxonomy. Folk taxonomies are generated quality, driving from experience with the from social knowledge and are used in every world, and defines and expresses relationships day speech also can be distinguished from among living things, aids in learning and scientific taxonomies that claim to be communication serves as cognitive and disembodied from social relations and thus are semantic devices for storing and retrieving objective and universal. Folk taxonomies exist information, reflects evolutionary relationships to allow popular identification about classes of and illuminates what is important to specific objects, and apply to all areas of human groups of people3,7. With named categories of activity. All parts of world have their own things that are hierarchically juxtaposed with systems of naming the local plants.

Cite this article: Neeraja, P. and Reddy, B.M., Ethno Taxonomy of Angiospermic Weeds of Chittoor

District, Andhra Pradesh, India, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4(4): 77-83 (2016). doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.2362

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 These naming systems are vital aid to survival particular group. Folk categories are viewed as and include information on habit and habitat, unstable and shifting, subject to idiosyncratic flowering and fruiting pattern, hues of plant variation and patterned according to variables parts, plant part from which cure for the such as gender, age or social context. In other ailment can be had etc. Theophrastus recorded words, cultural groups name and classify evidence to Greek folk taxonomy of plants for living things based on local history, experience the first time. Folk taxonomy is the cognitive and primarily practical value. A culture's study, of how people classify and reason about general purpose folk taxonomy is composed of organic world. Ethno taxonomy divides a stable hierarchy of inclusive taxa which are between intellectualism versus utilitarianism. mutually exclusive at each level of the Intellectualism highlights the folk taxonomic hierarchy. These absolutely distinct levels or principles that are marginally influenced by ranks are 1. Folk kingdom or Unique beginner people’s needs and uses to which taxonomies 2. Life form 3. Generic species 4. Folk specific are put3. Utilitarianism emphasizes those 5. Folk varietal. Ranking is a cognitive structures and contents of folk biological mapping that projects living kind categories on categories that are fashioned by cultural to fundamentally different levels of reality. interest, experience, and use. Categorization is Ranks, not taxa are universal. Taxa of the thought to be basic human quality, driving same rank tend to display similar linguistics, from experience with the world, and allowing psychological, and biological characteristics. for structured order within which people can In contrast subordinate specifics are very describe and interpret reality. Categorization usually labelled binomially unless culturally defines and expresses relationships among very salient. Nomenclature is often a near living things, aids in learning and perfect guide to folk taxonomic structure4. communication serves as cognitive and Man’s continued existence depends on semantic devices for storing and retrieving his ability to recognise similarities and information, reflects evolutionary relationships differences among objects and events in his and illuminates what is important to specific physical universe. Thus man is by nature, a groups of people3,7. Traditional systems of classifying animal and shows remarkable skill classification are thought to develop from to mark the similarities and differences basic human tendency to recognize linguistically. Recently, through combined “information chunks” are groups of living efforts of ethnographers and biologists the things that are imposed by nature. In other study of ethnobiological classification has words, cultures name and classify things become focus of research and a number of independently of practical value. Cross regular patterns have been observed which cultural studies tend to support the appears to be wide spread, if not universal4. intellectualist position consistently showing Local people have learnt over a millennium that folk categorization follows highly similar how to identify plants for various purposes, as patterns in different cultures and that is most they have had to rely on their ambient cases folk genera corresponds with those of vegetation for food, medicine and all other western science. Major proponents of necessities of life. Wealth of knowledge or utilitarianism argue that human mind information on properties and use of non- constructs reality, essentially imposing an timber forest products exist among the rural arbitrarily defined order on the natural world7. communities bordering forests. This Rather than recognizing objective natural knowledge, which is unique, is the key to the patterns, systems of classification are thought indigenous plant use. This knowledge that to develop from unique history and culturally accumulated over thousands of years of direct defined beliefs, behaviors and preferences of a contact with nature is location specific and on Copyright © August, 2016; IJPAB 78

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 the whole socio-culturally bound. Traditional local names or vernacular names of folk knowledge, which is the sum of the angiospermic weed plants of Chittoor district, attitudes, opinions, beliefs and customs handed and applied general principles of folk down from generation to generation in a given taxonomy to the vernacular nomenclature society is neither often found in written form which is in Telugu the native language of the nor organized and structured in ways study area. Andhra Pradesh.India. accessible to science. This knowledge is Folk biological classification has been dynamic and not static. It changes through approached as if information about plants and indigenous creativity and innovativeness and animals were stored in people's head in through contact with other knowledge systems. taxonomically organised domains4. One of the It will not be there for long for us to salvage major findings of ethnobiology stated by since traditional usage and folk knowledge of Berlin, Breedlove & Raven4 is that folk plants is disappearing, along with the taxonomies have a limited number of levels. traditional lifestyles, due to copying of Typically, five levels can be distinguished in a westernized lifestyles and economic system folk taxonomy4. At about the same time that support them.. Berlin, Breedlove, Raven4 elaborated their Folk classification of plants, for general principles of folk taxonomy based on instance is based on criterion that may differ ethnobotanical studies in central and South markedly from those of scientific America and drew convincing parallels with classification. The knowledge of plants is the taxonomic thinking among European perhaps most refined indigenous information. people, which became the basis of taxonomy One of the earliest systematic investigations of in western science. In the following years folk botanical knowledge was carried out by several authors of ethnological papers used 5 Harold Conklin among the Hanunoo, a Berlin's principles as the best available system 5 horticultural people of Philippines . He found to present ethno taxonomic data. During Haunoo ethnobotany to be incredibly rich botanical field work in Eipomek valley in lexical domain, containing more than 1800 1976 about 400 Eipo plant names were 5 specific plant terms. Conklin and later recorded and vouchers collected. The study of ethnobiologists focused much of their research Eipo folkbotany confirmed the existence of efforts on plant and animal terminological universals in folk classification system as system and especially the taxonomic elaborated by Berlin et al3. groupings of plants. Study Area Handy and Pukui's characterisation of Chittoor, the southern district of Andhra native Hawaiian ethnobiology noted that Pradesh is situated in the south eastern Ghats “every biological, zoological or inorganic form of peninsular India. Its location on globe is that is known to have been named was between 12o37'-14o8' North latitudes and something use in some way". For the latter 78o3'-79o55' East longitudes. It has boundaries half of the 20th century the primary vehicle with Potti Sriramulu Nellore district of for examining the general patterns of thought Andhra Pradesh on the East. Chikkaballapura in ethnobiological and cognitive research was and Kolar districts of Karnataka on the West; 3,5 categorization . Anantapuram and Y.S.R. Kadapa districts of At the beginning of the research in Andhra Pradesh on the North; Krishnagiri, ethno taxonomy researchers tried to analyze Vellore and Thiruvallur districts of Tamil nomenclature from the linguistic point of Nadu on the South (MAP -1). The district 5 view , in the present study an attempt is made spreads over an area of 15,152 Sq. Km having and studied etymology and philology of the 4,513.4 Sq. km of forest land (30.09 %). Copyright © August, 2016; IJPAB 79

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051

The district is divided into 3 revenue divisions useful species receive consistent linguistic viz., Chittoor, Tirupati and Madanapalle. Each designations. Vernacular names provide the revenue division is divided into mandals. only valid key to folk taxonomy. Under District has 66 mandals under these 3 revenue linguistic studies etymology and philology of divisions (Map 2). Ethnic people comprise selected weeds in local language were native tribes and ethnic communities. deciphered with the help of eminent people in Ethnobotanical studies started with linguists of local Telugu which takes its origin identification of ethnic groups of the study from Dravidian language. In addition to that area consists of tribal people namely Yerukala, dictionaries like Shabdaratnakaram and Yanaadi, Nakkala, Irula, Sugali, and native Amarakosam1 are a few to name were communities like Reddy, Kamma, Balija, consulted for authentication of the phonetics Kaapu, Brahmin, Karnam, Gondla, Kummari, in vernacular language. The study of Kamsali, Aachari, Sale, Vadde, Maala, etymology and philology of the nomenclature Maadiga, Golla, Valmiki, Saatanu, Ligayat, of weeds in vernacular language led to the Psakali.etc., Yanadis constitute major tribe and formulation of folk taxonomy of the study area are landless labourers, their main occupation is Chittoor. snake charming. Nakkalas, Jakal hunters, are The study of Etymology, philology of another nomadic tribe, move in bands and vernacular names of Angiospermic weeds in camp under the shade of trees at popular local Telugu language is the basis for centers. Sugalis constitute chief immigrant understanding the folk taxonomy of weeds of tribe in the district, they have settled in the Chittoor district. The study of the folk upland mandals of the district and their main taxonomy gives clear insight in to the cultural occupation is agriculture. The Yerukalas are association of plants with native people which semi-nomadic tribe, chiefly engaged in making forms essential part of Ethnobotanical studies. baskets, brooms and mats and also involved in Physiographically the study area is divided fortune telling Irulas constitue agriculture into hilly, plateau and plains with red, black, labourers migrated from northern pockets of and laterite soils and has dry climate. Tamil Nadu. Even non tribal ethnic people are Vegetation of the region is influenced by both well versed with local vegetation and its utility south west and north east monsoons. There and the tribes constitute less than 2% of the are no perennieal rivers. The average total population. o o Linguistics plays an important role in temperature ranges from 30 C to 42 C in o o studying the Ethnography of an area. As estern mandals and 19 C to 32 C in western o nomenclature in native language provides clue mandals and temperature soars up to 47 C to ethno botanical studies especially culturally during summer season.

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 MATERIALS AND METHODS people in the study area was collected from An ethnobotanical exploration was carried out demographic record. A number of interactions, covering all seasons like pre- monsoon, and interview sessions were conducted in monsoon, post-monsoon, winter and summer groups or with individuals involving both male in almost all mandalas of the Chittoor district and females above the age of 40 years. A.P., during the years 2008-2016. The Information was sought on the ethnic uses of methods suggested by Jain and Goel8 were plants. Later the respondents were exposed to adapted to survey Angiospermic weeds of visual stimuli of weed specimens, firstly Chittoor district. Specimen collection, field herbarium specimens were shown and notes, processing of material was followed interviewed for identification, nomenclature according to the standard protocol suggested and folk uses of weed specimen showed, by Botanical Survey of India. Identification of involving male and female in the age group of plant specimens were done with the help of 18- 80 in groups of 5-20 members. Next stage regional floras6 and e-floras. Voucher photos replaced actual specimens due to specimen were Compared with herbarium extreme changes in color that occur when specimens of BSI, DRC, Hyderabad and plant specimens are dried and pressed and deposited in the Herbarium of SVU, Tirupati. mounted on the herbarium sheet. This For enumeration APG III Plant Classification elicitation procedure asked informants to name 2012 was followed. The botanical name of the and describe the uses of weeds, habit and taxa have been verified with International habitat ecological relationship and uses of Plant Name Index (IPNI). weeds having medicinal uses, finally each day Documentation of Ehnobotanical and in late afternoons after field collections and folklore data formal interviews were complete, several men The methods suggested by Jain and Goel8 were and women from the community would visit adopted to survey the ethnobotanical aspects the field camp and view freshly collected of Angiospermic weeds of the study area. weeds and begin to actively debate and discuss Repeated field visits were undertaken to tribal about its morphological characters, fruiting hamlets to familiarize with the local tribes habits, and uses of the species gathered. namely Yerukala, Yaanadi, Sugali, Nakkala, Author felt that this type of research was and Irulas in particular and common folk in essential to the development of an general which paved the way for free understanding of Chittoor rural folk perception discussion about various aspects related to and utility of angiospermic weeds. utilization of plant resources, vernacular names, identification of plants, categorization RESULTS of life forms. To study folk taxonomy, Ethnobotanical data collected during interactive and interview methods were ethnobotanical survey carried out throughout followed. The informants involved were from the study area, a total of 448 plant folk both the sexes and with the age groups generics were identified. The data from folk between 18-80. Discussions and interviews botany provide evidence for the concept of were recorded. Present study was undertaken rank in ethno biological classification, and in view of urgent need to document traditional angiospermic weed taxa of Chittoor district ethnobotanical knowledge of the ethnic people can be naturally accommodated into one of the who are fast getting modernized. The field six proposed ethno biological ranks like work in the remote villages is the most kingdom, (the unique beginner), lifeform, important part of the ethnobotanical study. intermediate, generic, specific and varietal. Before starting field work necessary (as shown in Table .1). information about the distribution of ethnic

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 TABLE 1 DISCUSSION S.No. Ranks Number From the present work, it has become apparent 1 Unique beginner 0 that, while individual societies may differ 2 Life Form 9 considerably in their conceptualization of 3 Intermediate 0 plants there are a number of strikingly regular 4 Folk genera 448 structural principles of folk biological 5 Folk Specific 302 classification which are quite general. If the 6 Varieties 21 patterns which have been observed continue to be confirmed by further research, this study There is no unique beginner in the sense promises to reveal important aspects of man’s similar to most other plant folk classifications conceptual organization of the natural world. this group is unnamed. Of the total 448 generic The result of present study promises to reveal classes are immediately included in one of the important aspects of man’s conceptual nine life form categories. 1. Mokka (Herb) 2. organization about the natural world. The Poda (Shrub) 3. Chettu (Tree) 4. Teega result of present study confirms that telugu (Climber/Creeper) 5. Gaddi (Grass) 6. Aaku speaking native people of Chittoor district (Leaf) 7. Gadda (Tuber) 8. Puvvu (Flower) 9. prescientific conceptual organization of Kaaya (fruit) (Table 2). angiospermic weeds agrees the general principles of classification and nomenclature in TABLE 2 folk biology by Berlin4, Berlin et al2. In all Life Form Number Richness (%) languages it is possible to isolate linguistically Mokka (Herb) 122 27.00 recognized groupings of plants of varying Poda (Shrub) 86 19.00 Chettu (Tree) 25 06.00 degree of inclusiveness, these classes are Teega (Creeper) 58 13.00 referred to as taxa; hence ranks are universal Gaddi (Grass) 30 07.00 but not taxa which are indicated by vernacular Aaku (Leaf) 72 16.00 names. Since most work done on this subject Gadda (Tuber) 13 03.00 Puvvu ( Flower) 23 05.00 reveals that names provide only valid key to Kaaya (Fruit) 19 04.00 folk taxonomy. It is worthwhile to think about the folk taxonomy of angiospermic weeds of study area on the basis of their vernacular Intermediate rank: Intermediate rank is not plant names. The nomenclatural situation is found in Chittoor indigenous classification. somewhat complicated due to an extensive Generic rank: The folk generics form the core name taboo system causing a double name of of folk taxonomy, is a fact typical for all folk many plants. The local medicine men or the systematics is true for in the case of study area herbal healers of study area maintain secrecy also. regarding the plants which are used in the The distribution of inventory of generic taxa preparation of traditional medicine, to cure over these nine categories, the generic rank diseases. The local people also believe that if can be linguistically analysable the name of the plant is revealed then it will Monotypic genera : 145 (32.36 %) not be useful for treatment and drug prepared Polytypic genera : 303 (67.64 %) will not work. Hence some plants were given Economically useful genera are polytypic. only common names like gobbi, gummadu, Specific rank: 303 Chittoor weed folk generic gummadi, beera, casitha etc. These names give classes are divisible into two or more smaller indirect hint for the cure. The naming of the taxa which will be referred to as specific taxa. taxa which occur as members of The names of several specific taxa are ethnobiological categories can be reduced to a linguistically analysed as secondary lexemes. small number of nomenclatural principles Varietal rank: Specific taxa are further which are essentially identical in all languages. subdivided into 21 varietals. Folk plant taxa are of several distinguishable Copyright © August, 2016; IJPAB 82

Neeraja and Reddy Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 4 (4): 77-83 (2016) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 types, the so called ethno biological ranks are study area agree by and large the general basically five in terminology of Berlin et al2,4. principles of folk taxonomy2,4 and in many As it is evident that the vernacular names respects it is close to Tzetal folk taxonomy. provide the only valid key to folk taxonomy. Present studies show that the ethnic people of The present study is also based on local names the study are keen botanists and they identified in Telugu which is a Dravidian language. (with 21 varietals when compared with scientific mixed accent of Tamil and Kannada as the studies where we have only two varieties. study area borders with Tamil Nadu and Ethnobotanical study of the Chittoor district Karnataka). The nomenclatural situation is confirms the operation of Utilitarianism and universalism. somewhat complicated due to an extensive REFERENCES name taboo system causing a double naming 1. Amarasimha, T.C. and Paramesvara of many plants.In the study area the majority Mussat, marak am marakosam of native folk depend on magico-religious Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society. beliefs for the treatment of snake bite, (1959). migraine, fertility, vigor and vitality by using 2. Berlin, B., Breedlove, D.E. and Raven, plants. It is believed that if the name of the P.H., Principles of Tzeltal Plant plant is revealed, then medicine will not work Classification: An Introduction to the hence the person who cures the disease Botanical Ethnography of a Mayan maintains secrecy regarding the name of the Speaking People of Highland Chiapas. plant may be the reason behind name taboo. New York: Academic Press. (1974). The sub divisions of folk generics of 3. Berlin, B., Ethnobotanical Classiﬁcation angiospermic weeds are distinguishable Principles of Categorization of Plants and through their binomial nomenclature. Most Animals in Traditional Societies. common specifics of many folk generics are Princeston University Press, Princeston, labelled with monomial name of the generics NJ. (1992). only. 4. Berlin, B., Folk Systematics in Relation to CONCLUSION Biological Classification and Folk classification of plants for instance is Nomenclature. Annual Review of Ecology based on criterion that may differ markedly and Systematics, 4: 259-271 (1973). DOI: from those of scientific classification. The 10.1146/annurev.es.04.110173.001355. knowledge of plants perhaps the most refined 5. Conklin, H.C., Ethnobotanical problems in indigenous information. Evidence of richness comparative study of folk taxonomy. Proc of this information exists and has been 9th Pacific Sci Cong, Pacific Sci Assoc recorded through various studies and was Bot., 4: 299-301 (1962). noted that through traditional knowledge the 6. Gamble, J.S. and Fischer, C.E.C., Flora of local communities often understand their the Presidency Madras. Vols. 1–3. situations better than the educated experts do. Calcutta: Botanical Survey of India. 2017 The value of traditional environmental pp. (Reprinted 1957; London: Adlard & expertise is rapidly gaining recognition. There Co. London). (1915–1936). is a growing appreciation that much of that 7. Hunn, E., The utilitarian factor in folk knowledge is useful in identifying new biological classification. American resources and achieving conservation goals. Anthropologist, 84(4): 830–847 (1982). The taxonomic, biological, nomenclatural, and 8. Jain, S.K. and Goel, A.K., Workshop psychological characteristics associated with Excercise-1: Proformas for fieldwork taxa of each rank tend to support the (Form & B) in “A Mannual of hypothesis that the concept of rank but not Ethnobotany” (Ed S K Jain) taxa is fundamental to all systems of folk Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur. 171 - 183 biological classification. As such folk (1987). biosystematics of the angiospermic weeds of