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<p>Wild edible vegetables (WEVs) play a significant role in ensuring nutritional security and supporting the subsistence of indigenous communities in Northeast India. However, these resources are increasingly threatened by environmental pressures and the gradual erosion of traditional knowledge. The present study aimed to document and evaluate the ethnobotanical diversity of wild edible vegetables utilized by the Garo communities of Meghalaya. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across selected villages, documenting 520 use reports from 15 informants. A total of 42 species belonging to 33 genera and 27 families were recorded. The most represented families included Araceae, Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Acanthaceae, Gesneriaceae, Orobanchaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Piperaceae, and Rubiaceae. Species were primarily consumed in cooked, raw, or fish-based preparations, and their availability ranged from early spring to winter, with only a few species accessible year-round. Various plant parts, including leaves, shoots, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds, were utilized. Quantitative analysis showed that the Use Value (UV) ranged from 0.27 to 2.07. The highest UV values were recorded for <i>Begonia roxburghii</i> (Miq.) A.DC. (1.80), <i>Clerodendrum colebrookeanum</i> Walp. (1.73), <i>Colocasia affinis</i> Schott (1.60), and <i>Bauhinia purpurea</i> L. (1.47). High Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values were observed for raw consumption (0.95), cooked with fish (0.94), and cooked as vegetables (0.93), indicating strong agreement among informants. These findings highlight the rich diversity and cultural importance of wild edible vegetables in the Garo Hills and emphasize the need to prioritize multipurpose species for conservation, as well as to conduct detailed nutritional and pharmacological research to support their sustainable utilization.</p>

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Wild edible vegetables of Garo hills of Meghalaya, Northeast India: ethnobotanical study and implications for biodiversity conservation

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月29日

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  • Monika Jha,
  • Subarna Hajong,
  • Vartika Srivastava,
  • Trudy Tengse A. Sangma,
  • Soyimchiten Longkumer,
  • Sudhir Pal Ahlawat,
  • Kailash Chandra Bhatt,
  • Praveen Kumar Singh

摘要

Wild edible vegetables (WEVs) play a significant role in ensuring nutritional security and supporting the subsistence of indigenous communities in Northeast India. However, these resources are increasingly threatened by environmental pressures and the gradual erosion of traditional knowledge. The present study aimed to document and evaluate the ethnobotanical diversity of wild edible vegetables utilized by the Garo communities of Meghalaya. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across selected villages, documenting 520 use reports from 15 informants. A total of 42 species belonging to 33 genera and 27 families were recorded. The most represented families included Araceae, Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Acanthaceae, Gesneriaceae, Orobanchaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Piperaceae, and Rubiaceae. Species were primarily consumed in cooked, raw, or fish-based preparations, and their availability ranged from early spring to winter, with only a few species accessible year-round. Various plant parts, including leaves, shoots, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds, were utilized. Quantitative analysis showed that the Use Value (UV) ranged from 0.27 to 2.07. The highest UV values were recorded for Begonia roxburghii (Miq.) A.DC. (1.80), Clerodendrum colebrookeanum Walp. (1.73), Colocasia affinis Schott (1.60), and Bauhinia purpurea L. (1.47). High Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values were observed for raw consumption (0.95), cooked with fish (0.94), and cooked as vegetables (0.93), indicating strong agreement among informants. These findings highlight the rich diversity and cultural importance of wild edible vegetables in the Garo Hills and emphasize the need to prioritize multipurpose species for conservation, as well as to conduct detailed nutritional and pharmacological research to support their sustainable utilization.