Medicinal Uses of Wild Edible Plants by the Wancho Tribe in Longding District of Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

Wancho tribe is one of the major tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and uses various plants to cure different diseases traditionally. The main aim of the study was to document the wild edible plants used for medicinal purposes. The field survey for data collection was carried out from July 2019 to July 2021 in 23 Wancho tribe-dominated villages of the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh through questionnaires and interviews. A total of 51 plant species belonging to 40 genera and 36 families were recorded. Clusiaceae was the most dominant family with 5 species. Use value (UV) was observed highest in Clerodendrum glandulosum Lindl., Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott., Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw., Paederia foetida L., Solanum indicum L.and Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The highest ICF was observed in disease categories, namely bone fracture, liver problem, malnutrition, gynecology, antidote, cold & cough problem. The highest Fidelity level (FL) was found in Erythrina stricta Roxb. (100%), Clerodendrum glandulosum Lindl. (100%) and Euphorbia neriifolia L. (100%). The current study revealed the importance of wild edible plants in treating various diseases for day to day life of the Wancho tribe.

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“…This plant is gathered from the hilly forest mainly by the Galo women. It is devoured in the daily food locally called "shag" (Gogoi & Sharma, 2022).…”