The study of the variety of ethnobotanical plants and spices used in the cuisine of the Indian tribes of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to identify and document herbs and spices used by the tribal communities for culinary purposes in the district of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. It is a report about this field using an ethnobotanical viewpoint, and it includes a quantitative analysis of the plants that were reported. A questionnaire was used to gather data from the indigenous communities in the study area. The collected data was analyzed through fidelity level (FL) and use value (UV). The plant samples were collected identified and then processed as voucher specimens following standard ethnobotanical practice. In total, there are 24 species of plants belonging to 15 families and 22 genera. These plants were mainly used as fruits (34%), leaves (23%), seeds (17%), rhizomes (10%), aril (4%), barks (3%), bulbs (3%), flower buds, and stigmas (3%). There are many medicinal and commercially significant plants in the region, which have a wealth of greenery. The tribal communities still regularly use these plants to produce herbs and spices for both culinary and medicinal uses. However, the traditional indigenous knowledge of these plants is gradually disappearing among the younger population. As a consequence, it will be useful as a reference as well as a way to record and keep alive the local knowledge of these herbs and spices in the district of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.