Foods from the wild: A review on the diversity and use pattern of wild edible plants of Arunachal Himalaya for sustainable management

Abstract

Wild edible plants are extensively used worldwide to supplement food, nutrition and medicine. To find out the present diversity, status and utility patterns of wild edible plants (WEPS) in the biodiversity-rich Indian Eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, for the purpose of plant identification and conservation of potential species, a systematic review of publication was made. A total of 662 species belonging to 340 genera and 124 families used mostly in the form of vegetables, fruits, medicines, spices and condiments have been reported. These comprise 24 species of Pteridophytes, 6 species of Gymnosperms and 632 species of Angiosperms. When the Angiosperms are put under APG IV classification, Eudicots dominate with 72.65%. Asteraceae represented the dominant taxa with 36 species followed by Urticaceae, Rosaceae, Moraceae and Lamiaceae with more than 20 species in each. Based on the RFC values as well as other inputs, 50 highly used and preferred wild edible species having market potentiality are identified that can be included in various management practices.