Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 9(3), July 2010, pp. 419-429 Minangmose (Gymnocladus assamicus ) and Dekang (Gymnocladus burmanicus ): Culturally important and endangered trees of eastern Himalayas-conservation perspectives Ranjay K Singh 1, R C Srivastava 2, Adi tribe 1, Monpa tribe 1 , Khasi tribe 1, Manipuri Community 1 & T K Mukherjee 3 1College of Horticulture & Forestry, Central Agricultural University Pasighat 791102, Arunachal Pradesh; 2Botanical Survey of India, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh; 3 NISCAIR, CSIR, New Delhi110012 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Received 12 March 2009; revised 28 August 2009 The paper deals with different aspects of three species of a legume genus, viz. Gymnocladus Lamck. ( G. assamicus, G. burmanicus and G. chinensis ). The identity, taxonomic account, phenology, habit, habitat, distribution, indigenous uses, biocultural values among different tribes and communities of Northeastern India, affinities, regeneration potential, major threats and conservation strategies are discussed. Efforts made at grassroots level to collect primary data from community forest with Adi, Monpa, Khasi and Manipuri communities of Northeast India, are also presented. Conservation strategies are additional information with the paper. Keywords: Gymnocladus assamicus, Gymnocladus burmanicus, Gymnocladus chinensis, Biocultural value, Ethnomedicinal value, Conservation, Eastern Himalaya, Adi, Monpa, Khasi, Manipuri IPC Int. Cl. 8: A61K36/00, A61P1/02, A61P17/00, A61P17/08, A61P29/00, A61P31/02 Northeast region of India, covering parts of Eastern and ecosystems of eastern Himalayan region 3. Among Himalaya (Sikkim state, Darjeeling district of West these, species of Gymnocladus genus are considered Bengal and Upper ridges of Arunachal Pradesh), is one culturally and ethnomedicinally important legumes of of the hot-spots of biodiversity in the world 1 Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Manipur states. (Fig. 1). This region has been endowed with five This region has three species namely, Gymnocladus climatic conditions (tropical, sub-tropical, sub- assamicus, Gymnocladus burmanicus and temperate, temperate and alpine) that provide an array Gymnocladus chinensis . Gymnocladus assamicus is of habitats to wet evergreen, dry evergreen and known by different tribal communities of Northeastern deciduous forests 2. People of Northeastern regions still India by different local vernacular names or even depend on indigenous biodiversity, forests and dialects. In Tawang Monpa dialect (Tawang district, associated ecosystems to meet out their multifarious Arunachal Pradesh), it is known as Nyangbi ; while needs 3. The tribal communities of regions are rich in Dirang Monpa (West Kameng district, Arunachal traditional ecological knowledge required for Pradesh) call it Minangmose or Mirangma . In Khasi harvesting plant species for their sustainable management. However, in recent past some anthropogenic and biophysical factors have affected the conservation status of biodiversity of region 4. It is important to recognize their traditional ecological knowledge through which resource-poor and tribal communities have been conserving indigenous plant resources based on their location specific traditional practices of a particular ecosystem 5. Many unexplored indigenous species are found in the diverse climates _________ *Corresponding author Fig.1 ―Location map of study area 420 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 9, No. 3, JULY 2010 language (Meghalaya), it is known as Pyrah whereas; respectively 18-20 . An exhaustive account of this Manipuri communities name it as Kekru. G. economically and biologically important legume burmanicus is known by Dikang among Adi tribe (East genus has been provided for the first time 10 . Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh); people of Galo tribe call it Dika . These two species are considered most Gymnocladus Lamarck. important bioculturally plants among local tribes, and Encycl. Méth. Bot. 1: 733 (in part). 1785: Tableau found in the wild conditions 6-8. However, now it is Encycl. Méth . II. 5(1): l. 823. 1703; Ibid. III. 412. being reported that G. assamicus and G. burmanicus 1796. Guilandina L. Sp. P1 . 381 (in part). are critically endangered species and facing threats 1753. Flyperanthera Vahl , Symb. Bot. 1: 30 (in part). from various sources and needs conservation 8,9 . 1790. Unarmed trees. Leaves deciduous, bipinnate, the In the paper, an attempt has been made to give an stipules lanceolate to obovate, or absent; leaflets insight into the identity, taxonomy habit, habitat, obovate, oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, the two phenology, distribution, various cultural and stipels small, awl-shaped and persistent, or absent. traditional uses among different tribal communities Inflorescence racemose to painculate, terminal or (Monpa, Adi, Khasi and Manipuri ) of Northeastern axillary. Flowers regular predominantly dioecious to India, and the conservational aspects of the different polygamous, pedicellate, the bracts and bracteoles species of Gymnocladus . Biocultural and traditional minute, pointed, deciduous or not; calyx tubular, values of G. chinensis are recorded from China 10 . The ridged, 5-lobed; petals 5 or 4, creamy white or basic objective of this study is to create awareness purplish; stamens 10, inserted on the calyx tube, with about the correct identity, importance and fertile anthers or not; ovary sessile, 4- to many- conservation of these critically endangered species of ovuled, rudimentary or absent in the staminate Gymnocladus , among the local communities, flowers. Fruits oblong to falcate, turgid to foresters, beaurocrats, researchers, students and compressed, woody, pulpy inside, 1- to several- teachers, leading to better monitoring of the seeded, dehiscent along the placental suture. Seeds conservation strategies of these critically endangered ovoid to subglobose, with stout funicles and thick, species which have been associated with the culture bony, dark brown testa; endosperm present. of the local tribal communities since remote epoch. Type species : Gymnocladus canadensis Lam. = (L.) The genus Gymnocladus was established in 1785 K. Koch by Lamarck, with reference to the naked branches of 11 The original description of the genus includes both the trees in winter . Lamarck cited two species under Gymnocladus canadensis and G. arabica , but later the genus, G. canadensis from eastern Canada and G. exclusion of G. arabica leaves G. canadensis (G. arabicus from Egypt. The plant which Lamarck called dioicus ) as the type of the genus. G. canadensis was known by some earlier botanists. It was mentioned by Linnaeusas Guilandina dioica 12,13 . Key to the species of Gymnocladus Lamck. in India In Traite’ des Arbres the plant is described and 1a. Leaflets oblanceolate to lanceolate, acute to illustrated under the generic name Bonduc . Both pointed; pinnae usually in 3 pairs…………… Guilandina dioica and Gynnocladus canadensis were 14 ………. G. burmanicus also referred as Hyperanthera dioica . Later 1b. Leaflets oblong, obtuse to slightly retuse; pinnae Guilandina dioica was transferred to Gymnocladus in 3-7 pair…………………….…….2. and recognized as an earlier name for Gymnocladus 15 2a. Fruit falcate, the pericarp with apparent ridges canadensis . On the other hand, Gymnocladus and grooves showing seeds within……………… arabicus , the second species of the genus described ……………G. assamicus by Lamarck, is now considered to be synonymous 2b. Fruit oblong to subfalcate, the pericarp more or with Moringa aptera of the Moringaceae. G. 16 less smooth…………………………G. chinensis chinensis from Shanghai, China was described . Gymnocladus williamsii , described from Peking, Gymnocladus assamicus U.N. Kanjilal ex P.C. China, has been placed in synonymy with Gleditsia Kanjilal, Assam For. Rec. Bot. 1:t .1. 1934 & Fl sinensis Lam 17 . Two other species viz., Gymnocladus Assam 3:125. 1934; Lee in J. Arn. Arb. 57:91- burmanicus and G. assamicus , have been described 112.1976; Hu in Fl. Reipub. Pop. Sin. 39:79-80.1988. from Burma (Myanmar) and from Assam region, (Figs. 2 to 13) SINGH et al .: CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED TREES OF EASTERN HIMALAYAS 421 422 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 9, No. 3, JULY 2010 Type: INDIA: Assam. Meghalaya Khasi Hills, nepalensis, Illicum griffithii, Rhododendron Laitkesh, Marngor, 1800 m, 1922 (1920), U.N. arboretum, colocassia sp, timbur, ferns and wild Kanjilal 7624 (Holotype: DD; Isotype: ASSAM, strawberry are the most common species associates CAL, K). (Fig. 16). A specimen collected in southeastern Trees, up to 17m tall, the bark yellowish to reddish Yunnan also also found to belong to this species, brown, reticulate. The rachis of the leaves 30-40 cm suggesting a wider distribution than previously long, glabrate to obscurely glandular, with 6-7 pairs indicated 10 . of pinnae 11-22.5 cm long; pinnae 12-14-jugate; Notes: Gymnocladus assamicus is closely related to leaflets oblong to obovate-oblong, 2-3×0.6-1.5 cm, other Asiatic species of the genus. It is characterized glabrate above, minutely pubescent beneath on the by its more or less falcate fruit, which is transversely midrib, the apex rounded to obtusely mucronate, the ridged and grooved on the surface. base rounded to coneate, slightly oblique, the stipel 1, ca. 1 mm long, awl-shaped and persistent. Biocultural value Inflorescence racemose, 11-17 cm long, densely gray, Monpa tribe densely pubescent, the bracts and bracteoles minute or The dry ripe pod is used as soap for bathing new absent. Flowers