Abstract
Number of wild edible plants is commonly used in the traditional diets of tribal people in many parts of the world. North Maharashtra is well known for its tribal region and tribes from this region partially or fully dependent on the wild resources for their nutritional requirements. The present study was designed to document specifically the wild leafy vegetables from North Maharashtra. A total of 62 traditionally used wild leafy vegetable species were collected, identified and documented. Out of 62 species, 61 species belong to Angiosperms and 1 belong to pteridophyte. With respect to families Amaranthaceae, Araceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae were found to be the largest families with 29 species. Herbs are the major source of wild leafy vegetables with 43 species and forest is the home for the majority of wild leafy vegetables. Due to less awareness, loss of vegetation and fast erosion of traditional knowledge many species are on the line of rarity. The study helps to conserve those wild food species and cultivate them on large scales, to uplift their economic status and sustainable management in near future.
Highlights
Wild edible plants (WEPs) refer to species that are neither cultivated nor domesticated, but are available from their wild natural habitat and used as the source of food (Kiran et al, 2019; Chakravarty et al, 2016)
Alternanthera sessilis, Chenopodium album, Basella alba, Portulaca oleraceae, Rumex vesicarius, Colocasia esculenta are some of the species that occurs in the agricultural field as weed and are widely consumed by rural peoples
Present work defines the diversity of wild edible leafy vegetables used as food by tribal and rural communities of North Maharashtra in order to sustain their life
Summary
Wild edible plants (WEPs) refer to species that are neither cultivated nor domesticated, but are available from their wild natural habitat and used as the source of food (Kiran et al, 2019; Chakravarty et al, 2016). The tribal and rural population of North Maharashtra has a very long tradition of the close relationships with wild plants. Kuvar and Shinde (2019) documented the WEP species used by the Kokni tribal of the Nashik district of Maharashtra. The present study was made to explore, identification and documentation of wild edible leafy vegetables (WLVs) used by the tribal and rural communities of North Maharashtra, from Nashik, Dhule, Nadhurbar district of North Maharashtra, which will help to conserve those plants for future generations and traditional knowledge before whipping out. Documentation of Wild Edible Leafy Vegetable Traditionally Used by Tribal and Rural Communities of North Maharashtra, India. Herbs are the major source for WLV’s with (43 species) followed by trees (07), climbers (07) and shrubs (05) (Fig. 2)
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