Tripti Bouri.pmd - An International Quarterly Journal of ...

ISSN: 0974 - 0376
NSave Nature to Survive
: Special issue, Vol. III: 69 - 74; 2013
AN INTERNATIONAL QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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DOCUMENTATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND
INDIGENOUS USE OF NON- TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN
DURGAPUR FOREST RANGE OF BURDWAN DISTRICT, WEST
BENGAL
Tripti Bouri and Ambarish Mukherjee
KEYWORDS
Non timber forest products
Burdwan District
Santhal communities
Conservation
Sustainable use
Prof. P. C. Mishra Felicitation Volume
Paper presented in
National Seminar on Ecology, Environment &
Development
25 - 27 January, 2013
organised by
Deptt. of Environmental Sciences,
Sambalpur University, Sambalpur
Guest Editors: S. K. Sahu, S. K. Pattanayak and M. R. Mahananda
69

NSave Nature to Survive
QUARTERLY
TRIPTI BOURI* AND AMBARISH MUKHERJEE
Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Botany,
University of Burdwan, Burdwan - 713 104, West Bengal, INDIA
E-mail: tbouribot@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study documents the non timber
forest products used by the tribal people of
Basudha beat of Durgapur Forest Range under
Burdwan District, West Bengal. The local
people mainly belong to Santhal communities.
Their activities include collection of different
non-timber items of forest resources and
cultivation. This work records 131 plant species
of angiosperms belonging to 60 family and
118 genera. The taxonomic analysis shows
that the dicot and monocot ratio is 114:17.
Habit analysis shows that the herb: shrub:
climber: tree composes the forest in the ratio
of 29: 27: 16: 59 respectively. A precise account
of their habit, common name and use category
has been prepared which as a document might
prove useful in stock-taking of biodiversity and
their conservation through sustainable use.
INTRODUCTION
Forests around the world provide a massive variety of valuable products aside
from the timber we use. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) are defined as anything
that is harvested or collected from forests that are not trees to be cut into timber.
This includes a large variety of foods, medicines, fuel, forage, plants used for dye,
and much more. The forest dwellers mainly belong to tribal communities and
they mainly depend on forest flora for their livelihood. Some NTFPs are highly
valuable in local and global markets. For exhaustible involvement of non timber
forest products in commercial sphere directly from the forests as very valuable
commodities, many species have been perceiving threat of extinction and
necessitating immediate conservation and protection. In view of the importance
of the non-timber forest products and their implications with forest conservation
and livelihood of forest dwellers the present work was undertaken in the forested
areas of Basudha Beat in Durgapur Forest Range of Burdwan district, West Bengal.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out since 2009 in the forested areas of
Basudha beat under Durgapur Forest Range of Burdwan District to collect the
primary data pertaining to phytoresources more or less following the standard
methods (Rao, 1989). Pertinent plant specimens were collected which were
processed for herbarium preservation as voucher specimens for future references
as well as for identification using authentic literature (Prain, 1903; Guha-Bakshi,
1984; Bennet, 1987). The voucher specimens have been preserved in the
Herbarium of the Ecotaxonomy Laboratory of the Department of Botany, Burdwan
University.
Study site
Basudha beat is located at 23º26’’N L and 87º27’’ E L under Kanksa Block of
Durgapur forest range of Burdwan District. This beat is located between the rivers
Ajoy in the north and Kunur in the south. The local people are mainly Santhals
and dependent on non-timber forest products for their livelihood (Bouri and
Mukherjee, 2011; Mukherjee and Bouri, 2011). Their dependence on NTFPs is
very high especially during subdued agricultural production. The soil is lateritic
in nature. Annual rainfall is 1500 mm.
RESULTS
This work records 131 plant species of angiosperms (Table 1) belonging to 60
families and 118 genera. The taxonomic analysis shows that the dicot and monocot
ratio is 114:17 (Fig. 1). Habit analysis shows that the herb: shrub: climber: tree
composes the forest in the ratio of 29: 27: 16: 59 respectively (Fig. 2).
*Corresponding author
DISCUSSION
During an ethnobotanical study in Basudha beat of Durgapur Forest Range
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NON- TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN BURDWAN, W. B.
Table 1: An enumeration of Phytoresources and their uses as revealed from indigenous knowledge
S. No. Name of the Plant Family Common name Habit Use category
1. Abrus precatorius L. Fabaceae Kunch Shrub M, O
2. Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn Mimosaceae Akashmoni Tree Fue, Sy, HI
3. Acacia catechu Willd. Mimosaceae Khoyer Small tree G
4. Acacia holoserica A. Cunn Mimosaceae - Shrub Pp, Fue
5. Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. Mimosaceae Babla Tree G, Fue, Fod, Ts,HI
6. Acacia sinuate (Lour.) Nerrilla Mimosaceae Saptala Shrub Sy, M
7. Achyranthes aspera L. Amaranthaceae Apang Herb E, M
8. Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. Rutaceae Bilva Tree C, E, BP
9. Ailanthus excelsa Roxb Simarubaceae Mahanimbi Tree M
10. Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wangerin Alangiaceae Ankura Tree M, Fue, E, Ms
11. Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth Mimosaceae Sirisha Tree Fod, HI
12. Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. Apocynaceae Chhatim Tree M, O
13. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wallich Acanthaceae Kalmegh Herb M
14. Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Kuntze Lamiaceae Gopali Herb M, Fue
15. Annona squamosa L. Annonaceae Ata Tree E, Pes, M
16. Anthocephalus chinensis (Lamk.) Rich. Rubiaceae Kadamba Tree M, O, E
17. Argyreia nervosa (Burm.f.) Bojer Convolvulaceae Guguli Climber M, O, E
18. Aristida adscensionis L. Poaceae Shipri mullo Herb Sb, Brm, Th
19. Aristolochia indica L. Aristolochiaceae Iswarmul Climber M
20. Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk. Moraceae Kanthal Tree Fod, E, Fue, Lp
21. Asparagus racemosus Willd. Liliaceae Satmul Shrub M, E
22. Azadirachta indica L. Meliaceae Nim Tree E, Ts, Pes, M
23. Bambusa arundinacea Willd. Poaceae Vansh Tree M, Ms, E, Pp, HI, Bskt
24. Bauhinia purpurea L. Caesalpiniaceae Vanraja Tree Dy, Fod, E
25. Bauhinia vahlii Wight and Arn. Caesalpiniaceae Chehur Climber Fib, Lp, E
26. Bixa orellana L. Bixaceae Sinduri Shrub Dy
27. Bombax ceiba L. Bombacaceae Simul Tree M, Fue, C, HI
28. Borassus flabellifer L. Arecaceae Tal Tree E, M, Th, Fue, Fib,
BP,Mt,HF, Brm
29. Bridelia retusa Spreng Euphorbiaceae Mahavira Tree E, Fod
30. Buchanania lanzan Spreng Anacardiaceae Piyal Tree M, E, Fod
31. Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub Fabaceae Palas Tree M, Dy, Lp, Fod
32. Butea superba Roxb. Fabaceae Latapalas Climber C, Dy, M, Fod,
33. Canscora decussate (Roxb) Roem and Schult Gentianaceae Dankuni Herb M
34. Capparis sepiaria L. Capparaceae Kaliakara Shrub M
35. Careya arborea Roxb. Lecythidaceae Kumba Tree E, Fib, Bidi
36. Carissa carandas L. Apocynaceae Karamcha Shrub E
37. Cassia fistula L. Fabaceae Banarlathi Tree M, Cos
38. Cassia sophera L. Caesalpiniaceae Kasamarda Shrub M,
39. Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. Apiaceae Thankuni Herb M, E
40. Cinnamomum tamala Nees Lauraceae Tejpata Tree Spice
41. Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. Verbenaceae Ghetu Shrub M, BP
42. Cocculus hirsutus (L.) Diels Menispermaceae Jol jamani Shrub E, M
43. Combretum roxburghii Spreng Combretaceae Burilathi Shrub Fue, Fib
44. Costus speciosus (Koenig) Smith Zingiberaceae Kushtha Herb E, O
45. Croton roxburghii Balak. Euphorbiaceae Bhutankusa Tree M
46. Cryptolepis buchanani Roem and Schult Asclepiadaceae Karanta Shrub Fib, M, Fib
47. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn Hypoxidaceae Kalimusli Herb M
48. Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. Convolvulaceae Sarnalata Climber M
49. Desmodium triflorum DC. Fabaceae Kodali Herb Sb, Fod
50. Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. Dilleniaceae Chalta Tree E, Lp, Ts, Th
51. Dioscorea pentaphylla L. Dioscoreaceae Kanta alu Climber M, E
52. Diospyros melanoxylon Willd. Ebenaceae Kendu Tree E, M, Bidi, HI
53. Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc Fabaceae Kurti kalai Climber E
54. Drosera burmanii Vahl. Droseraceae Pan-peak Herb M
55. Ehretia laeyis Roxb. Boraginaceae Papri Tree Fod
56. Elephantopus scaber L. Asteraceae Gojialata Herb M, BP
57. Emblica officinalis Gaertn Euphorbiaceae Amlaki Tree M, E
58. Eragrostis tenella L. Poaceae - Herb Sb, Fod
59. Eulophia nuda Lindle Orchidaceae - Herb M
60. Evolvulus nummularius L. Convolvulaceae Sankhapuspi Herb M
61. Ficus hispida L.f. Moraceae Kak dumur Tree M, E
62. Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.) Merr. Flacourtiaceae Bouchi Shrub M, E
63. Gardenia gummifera L.f. Rubiaceae Dikamali Shrub M, G
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TRIPTI BOURI AND AMBARISH MUKHERJEE
S. No. Name of the Plant Family Common name Habit Use category
64 Garuga pinnata Roxb. Burseraceae Rohora Tree M
65. Gelonium multiflorum Juss. Euphorbiaceae Ban naringa Tree Fue, M
66. Gliricidia sepium (Jacq) Kunth ex Walp. Fabaceae Saranga Tree M, Sb, HI
67. Gloriosa superba L. Liliaceae Bishalanguli Climber M
68. Gmelina arborea Roxb. Verbenaceae Gambhar Tree E, Pp, HI
69. Grevillea robusta A. Cunn Proteaceae - Tree HI, Fue, O
70. Grewia asiatica L. Tiliaceae Phalsa Tree E
71. Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. Asclepiadaceae Ajasringhi Climber M
72. Haldina cordifolia (Roxb.) Ridsdale Rubiaceae Haldu Tree C, HI
73. Helicteres isora L. Rubiaceae Mrigashinga Shrub M, Fue, Fib, Pp
74. Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Brown Asclepiadaceae Antamul Climber M, E, BP
75. Holarrhena pubescens (Buch-Ham) Wall. Apocynaceae Kurchi Tree M
76. Holoptelea integrifolia Plunch Ulmaceae Chhalla Tree E
77. Ichnocarpus frutescens (L.) R. Br. Apocynaceae Dudhilata Climber M, O, Fence
78. Imperata cylindrical (L.) Roems Poaceae Ulu Herb Sb, Pp, M
79. Indigofera tinctoria L. Fabaceae Bon nil Herb Dy
80. Ipomoea aquatic Fors Convolvulaceae Kalmi sak Herb E
81. Justicia adhathoda L. Acanthaceae Vashaka Shrub M
82. Lannea coromandelica (Hutt) Merrill Anacardiaceae Jiwal Tree E, G, Pp
83. Lantana camara L. Verbenaceae Putus Shrub Fue, M
84. Limonia acidissima L. Rutaceae Kathbel Tree E, M
85. Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng Verbenaceae - Shrub M, Fue
86. Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq) Raven Onagraceae Bhulavanga Herb M
87. Madhuca longifolia (Koenig) Macbride Sapotaceae Mahua Tree C, BP, E, M, Oy, HI
88. Mallotus phillippinensis Muell. Euphorbiaceae Sinduri Tree Dy, Pp
89. Meyna spinosa Roxb Rubiaceae Moyena Shrub E, Fue
90. Mimosa pudica L. Mimosaceae Lajja Herb M, O
91. Mimosa rubicaulis Lamk. Mimosaceae Shaik-kanta Herb M
92. Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth Rubiaceae Chakalda Tree C, HI
93. Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. Fabaceae Alkusi Climber E, M
94. Naringi crenulata Roxb. Rutaceae Beli Tree M
95. Ochna obtusata DC. Ochnaceae Kanaka champa Shrub M
96. Phoenix acualis Buch- Ham. Arecaceae Bhui khejur shrub E, Mt, Brme
97. Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb. Arecaceae Khejur Tree E, Fue, BP,Ts, Fens, Brm
98. Physalis minima L. Solanaceae - Herb M
99. Piper longum L. Piperaceae Pipul Herb M, E
100. Plumbago zeylanica L. Plumbaginaceae Chitra Shrub M
101. Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre Fabaceae Karanj Tree Sy, E
102. Psidium guava L. Myrtaceae Mansala Tree E, M, Ts
103. Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. Fabaceae Bijiak Tree M, E, G, Pp, Ms
104. Rauvolfia serpentine (L.) Benth ex Kurz Apocynaceae Sarpagandha Shrub M
105. Saccharum munja Roxb Poaceae Shar Herb Th, Sb, Fib, Bskt, Brm,
Arw, Mt, HF
106. Saccharum spontaneum L. Poaceae Kush Herb Sb, Th, Brm,
107. Semecarpus anacardium L.f. Anacardiaceae Bhelataka Tree E
108. Shorea robusta Gaertn. Dipterocarpaceae Sal Tree C, Lp, Ts,E,I, Lo, R/G,HI
109. Sida cordata Burm.f. Malvaceae Junka Herb M, Fib
110. Sida rhombifolia L. Malvaceae Atibala Shrub M, Fib
111. Smilax zeylanica L. Smilacaceae Kumarika Climber E
112. Spermacoce hispida L. Rubiaceae - Herb M
113. Spilanthes acmella L. Asteraceae Akarkara Herb M
114. Stephania japonica (Thumb) Miers Menispermaceae Aknadi Climber M
115. Strychnos potatorum L. Loganiaceae Kuchila Tree M
116. Symplocos racemosa Roxb. Symplocaceae Lodh Tree M, Dy
117. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels Myrtaceae Jambu Tree E, Fod, Ts,
118. Tamarindus indica L. Caesalpiniaceae Tetul Tree M, E
119. Terminalia arjuna (Roxb ex DC) W. and A. Combretaceae Arjuna Tree M, HI, Ts
120. Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn) Roxb. Combretaceae Bohera Tree M, E
121. Terminalia tomentosa Bedd. Combretaceae Asan Tree HI
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NON- TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN BURDWAN, W. B.
S. No. Name of the Plant Family Common name Habit Use category
122. Trema orientalis (L.) Blume Ulmaceae Jiwanti Tree E, Fib
123. Trewia nudiflora L. Euphorbiaceae Pindare Tree E, M, Pp
124. Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. Tiliaceae Jhinjhirita Herb Fib
125. Tylophora indica (Burm.f.) Merrill Asclepiadaceae Anantamul Climber M
126. Ventilago denticulata Willd Rhamnaceae Raktapita Climber M
127. Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash Poaceae Bena Herb Oy, Sb
128. Vitex negundo L. Verbenaceae Nishinda Shrub Pes, I
129. Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz. Lythraceae Dhatki Shrub Dy, G/R
130. Zizyphus mauritiana Lam. Rhamnaceae Bonkul Tree E, Fue
131. Zizyphus oenoplia (L.) Mill. Rhamnaceae Siakul Shrub E, Fue
M- medicinal; O- ornamental; E- edibles; Dy- dye yielding; Fue- fuel; Ms- musical stick; Pp- paper pulp; C- cultural; Fib- fibre; BP- beverage and its processing; Lo-lamp oil; Lp-Leaf plate;
Sb- soil binder; Ts- tooth stick; Cos- cosmetics; ; Fod- fodder and forage; I- incense; Pes- pesticide; Sy- soap yielding; Oy- oil yielding; G/R- gum/resin; HI- house hold goods and implements;
Spic- spice; Brm- broom; Th/Fence- thatching/fencing; Bidis- bidis leaf; Mt- mat, Arw- arrow, Bskt- basket; HF- hand fan.
Table 2: Analysis of the use potential of the concerned plant species
S. No. Use category Total no of Commercial
species used prospect
1 Medicinal 81 +
2 Edible 53 +
3 Ornamental 8 _
4 Dye yielding 7 _
5 Fuel 18 _
6 Paper pulp 9 +
7 Cultural 7 -
8 Fibre 12 +
9 Beverage and 7 +
its processing
10 Leaf plate 5 +
11 Soil binder 8 _
12 Tooth stick 8 +
13 Cosmetics 1 _
14 Soap yielding 3 _
15 Pesticides 3 +
16 Oil yielding 2 _
17 Gum /Resin 7 +
18 Fodder and forage 12 _
19 House hold goods 15 +
and implements
20 Fencing/Thatching 7 _
21 Spice yielding 1 +
22 Bidis leaf 2 +
23 Miscellaneous 20 +
Table 3: Details of miscellaneous use potential
S. No. Use category Total no of Commercial
species used
prospect
1. Lamp oil 1 -
2. Incense 2 +
3. Broom 6 +
4. Mat 3 +
5. Arrow 1 _
6. Basket 2 +
7. Hand fan 2 +
8. Musical stick 3 +
Burdwan District, the authors recorded through an intimate
contact with the tribal people that there are at least twenty
three (23) types of use categories of the plant species (Table 2).
The first four mostly used categories are medicinal, edible,
miscellaneous and fuel with 81, 53, 20 and 18 species
respectively.The commercial prospects of many of the
Dicot
Monocot
Figure 1: Concern of eicot and monocot taxa in non-timber forest
products of the study site
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Herb Shrub Climber Tree
Figure 2: Species distribution among different categories
medicinal plants seem to be very bright. A scientific study of
wild edible plants is important for assessment proximate
principles which could be utilized in addressing the
contemporary issues of nutrition and future issues of food
security especially in developing countries. Seven species were
found to be linked with cultural activities and three species in
making musical instruments for use in such programmes. A
perpetuation of cultural activities is certain to ensure
conservation of phytoresources in concern.
73

TRIPTI BOURI AND AMBARISH MUKHERJEE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are thankful to the tribal people of Basudha
Forested areas for giving us the opportunity to record their
indigenous knowledge during field work.
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Bouri, T. and Mukherjee, A. 2011. Biological spectrum of Bankati
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Guha Bakshi, D. N. 1984. Flora of Murshidabad District West Bengal,
India. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India.
Mukherjee, A. and Bouri, T. 2011. Indigenous knowledge about the use
of non-timber phytoresources as documented from forest areas under
Durgapur Forest Range, Burdwan District. The Ecoscan. 1: 59-62.
Prain, D. 1903. Bengal Plants, Calcutta, West Bengal.
Rao, R. R. 1989. Methods and techniques in ethnobotanical study and
research: some basic consideration. In: Methods and Approaches in
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