Available online at www.ijpab.com Dev et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (3): 567-574 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5000 ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (3): 567-574 (2017) Research Article Distribution of Grewia species in Kachchh Gujarat, India: Taxonomy, Traditional Knowledge and Economic Potentialities Rahul Dev1*, G. K. Sharma1, Traloki Singh2, Devi Dayal1 and M. Sureshkumar1 1ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Kukma, Bhuj, Gujarat 370105, India 2ICAR- Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kukma, Bhuj, Gujarat 370105, India *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 19.06.2017 | Revised: 28.06.2017 | Accepted: 29.06.2017 ABSTRACT Grewia tenax (Forsk.) Fiori, and G. villosa Willd. (Tiliaceae) are locally known as Gangeti and Luska respectively. These are medium size shrub species with multipurpose uses. Its fresh and dry fruit are utilized as food by the local peoples, leaves as forage for livestock. Plant parts of G. tenax like fruit pulp and root bark are used to cure swelling and dysentery. While fruit of G. villosa is used to cure different ailments like stomach upset, cough, genitourinary infections etc. These species are abundantly distributed in arid and semiarid region of India and have multiple use in food and medicines. However, its systematic utilization and domestication for cultivation is limited and only scanty information about various aspect of species is available. Grewia species is studied in this paper for distribution of diversity, taxonomy, utilization potential. The information with respect to its geographical distribution in Kachchh and potential food values, fodder utilization and possibility of large scale cultivation of this underutilized, wild plant species has been discussed in detail. Key words: Grewia, Distribution, Food, Fodder, Medicine and Utilization INTRODUCTION diversity of plant genetic resources including Underutilized wild fruit species have great rich natural wealth of wild fruit species economic, nutritional value as well as potential distributed in various habitats like scrub forest, source of desirable quality traits. They provide lower hills and valley of Dhinodhar and food for human, fodder for animal and Tapkeshwari hill ranges, Runn of Kachchh and medicine and other ecological survives to Banni grassland. Owing to traditional life-style human and their animals. These fruit have and socioeconomic constraints of Kachchhi exceptionally good adaptation abilities to ethnic communities they depend mostly on the various biotic and abiotic stresses like heat available natural resources and constantly tolerance, salinity/alkalinity tolerance, drought bank upon their traditional knowledge to fulfill tolerance and resistance to various disease and their basic daily needs like medicine, clothing, pest13. Kachchh region of Gujarat holds rich raw materials for house, food etc22. Cite this article: Dev, R., Sharma, G.K., Singh, T., Dayal, D. and Sureshkumar, M., Distribution of Grewia species in Kachchh Gujarat, India: Taxonomy, Traditional Knowledge and Economic Potentialities, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5(3): 567-574 (2017). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5000 Copyright © June, 2017; IJPAB 567 Dev et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (3): 567-574 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 In India, thirty one (31) species of genus well tolerant to harsh climatic conditions Grewia are recorded6. The seven (7) Grewia including salt and drought stress. From species like Grewia abutilifolia Vent. ex beginning, traditional knowledge is Spreng, Grewia damine Sm., Grewia transmitted orally by old men but now, this flavescens Juss, Grewia subincqualis DC., knowledge in depleting among new generation Grewia tenax (Forsk.) Fiori, Grewia tiliaefolia which can hampers sustainable utilization and Vahl var. tiliaefolia and Grewia villosa Willd. documentation of wild underutilized fruit are naturally distributed on sandy, clay, rocky species including Grewia species. Hence, this and gravelly piedmont plains of Kachchh23. paper is an attempt to summarize information The fair diversity of Grewia tenax (Gangeti) with respect to diversity distribution, and G. villosa (Luska) is reported previously documentation and analysis of traditional from different habitats of Kachchh viz. knowledge associated with potential food Tapkeshwari hill range16,22 Dhinodhar hill21, values, fodder utilization, and nutritional Tharawada-Gandher Reserve20, Western aspects of Grewia tenax and G. villosa by the Kachchh22, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary19 and local ethnic population of Kachchh region of Little Rann of Kachchh14. Genus Grewia Gujarat, India. contains many important multipurpose plant Taxonomy of the plant species, among them Grewia tenax and G. Kingdom: Plantae villosa are most important. Both are utilized as Division: Angiospermae food, fodder, fuel wood, timer and formulation Sub-division: Dicotyledons Class: Polypetalae of different traditional medicines for treatment Series: Thalamiflorae of different human and animal ailments. Order: Malvales Grewia tenax and G. villosa species are Family: Tiliaceae closely related to Phalsa (Grewia subincqualis Genus: Grewia DC.), popularly eaten fruit in North India and Species: G. tenax, G. villosa Botanical name : Grewia tenax (Forsk.) Fiori Grewia villosa Willd. Synonyms : Chadara tenax Forssk., Grewia corylifolia, Grewia heynei G. populifolia Vahl. Common Name : Phalsa Cherry, White Crossberry, Round leaf grewia, mallow-leaved ross Raisin bush, Gangara, Gangu, Kanger berry, mallow raisin, Hairy-Leaf Crossberry Hindi Name : Gondni, Gangeran Baliogangarin, Gangeti, Lankas Gujarati Name : Gangeti Luska Botanical description, habitat and yellow, sometimes sweet scented. Sepals 8-16 distribution mm long, greenish on the outside, Petals white G. tenax is a multi-stemmed sub-erect to erect oblong to narrowly lanceolate, 5-12 mm long. shrub up to 3 m tall. Stem bark is ash-grey in Stamens yellow and numerous, filaments colour, branches are glabrescent, young twigs white slightly shorter than style or sub-equal. stellate hairy. Leaves 3-5 costate, Leaf-lamina Ovary 4-lobed, glabrous or glabrescent; style up to 4-6 × 2-4 cm, hairy on both sides, petiole 10 mm long, glabrous. Fruit is drupe usually 2-14 mm long and hairy. Flowers occur 1-4 lobed, 8-12 mm wide, the lobes 6-8 mm solitary or rarely paired and pedicel together long, 5–6 mm wide, orange, yellow or red-dish appearing like a jointed pedicel, 5-35 mm tinge, shining, glabarous12,26. long. Flower colour are white, rarely cream to Copyright © June, 2017; IJPAB 568 Dev et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (3): 567-574 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 G. tenax commonly found in arid and semi- MATERIAL AND METHODS arid plains, piedmont plain, lowlands and The sixteen comprehensive botanical surveys lower mountains upto 1250 m a.s.l. and in were conducted and observations were regions with mean annual rainfall of 200-1000 recorded on 150 informants in different mm. Plant prefers eroded rocky, sandy, habitats and Kachchhi ethnic communities of gravelly, stony and lateritic soils. Common Kachchh, Gujarat in monsoon and post 8,17 habitat of plant are tropical forest piedmont monsoon season of the year 2015 to 2016. plain, lowlands, farmer‘s field boundaries in Data collection was made using Key association with Ziziphus nummularia Informants Interview, Participatory Rural (Rhamnaceae), Grewia villosa (Tiliaceae), Appraisal (PRA), House Hold Survey and Salvadora oleoides (Salvadoraceae), Focus Group Discussion. First-hand field data Salvadora persica (Salvadoraceae), Prosopis and observations were collected. The juliflora (Mimosaceae), Acacia senegal information on traditional use of Grewia sp. (Mimosaceae), Euphorbia caducifolia were asked as well as the data were also added (Euphorbiaceae), Premna resinosa through scrutiny of available literature on (Verbenaceae) etc5,24. these species. The village elders, head-men G. tenax is widely distributed in Saudi and other experienced persons of the village Arabia Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, were selected as key informants. Traditional Iran, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, plants healers and Hakims were interviewed Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Zimbabwe4,7,8,15, Oman, Yemen, Namibia, Questions were focused on the traditional South Africa, Sudan, Pakistan and Sri utilization of the different plant parts of the Lanka6,7,8,15. In India, G. tenax found in Grewia sp. Focus Group Discussion in each Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, village were held with farmers, pastoralists Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & and local Hakims. Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, West Species specific collections were made Bengal and Assam; and abundantly distributed on targeted area, selected by screening of in the arid north west region of India6,24. available literature. Exploration were Grewia villosa is a deciduous shrub or small conducted at the time of fruit ripening to trees, 2 - 5 m in height. Stems are ash-grey in collect seed material and repeat visits were colour with very distinctive leaves, young also made in areas where mature fruits were parts covered with pale silky hairs. Leaves absent in previous visits. Additionally almost round, opposite, cordate to subcordate vegetative propagated materials like hard at base and more hairy below, 5 prominent wood cuttings were also