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NSave Nature to Survive QUARTERLY SOMA CHANDA* AND AMBARISH MUKHERJEE Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Burdwan Burdwan - 713 104, West Bengal, INDIA E-mail: somac10@gmail.com ABSTRACT During the course of an ethnobotanical study undertaken in tropical dry deciduous forest in Matha of Purulia district, West Bengal, the authors recorded through an intimate contact with the different tribal communities of the area (viz. Santhal, Bhumij, Munda) their knowledge about the non-timber use of 35 species belonging to 27 families of which 28 are dicotyledonous, six monocotyledonous and one pteridophytic. A precise account has been prepared in this work of their habits, ethnic names, present status in the study site and use, an analysis of which shows11 different use categories. The knowledge of the tribes which traditionally concerns medicinal use of 20 species is noteworthy. It is interesting to find three species linked with their religious and cultural activities. Sustainable use of these plants for conservation and economic benevolence of the indigenous communities are necessary. INTRODUCTION India is a country which is flourished with profound forest resources. However the annual loss of Indian forests is presently about 1.5 million hectares (Ahmed, 2004) so that the existing forests cover is about 20% of the total geographical area of the country. Since this value needs to be elevated nearly to one third of the total geographical area, efforts are launched on war-footing for aforestation collaterally with restoration and conservation of the existing forests utilizing the self designing capacity of the nature. The non-timber forest products (NTFP), i.e. “Any commodity obtained from the forest that does not necessitate harvesting trees” (Anon., 2008) have now started getting consideration in matters of conservation through their sustainable economic use. In view of the foregoing, the present work was undertaken in such an area as Matha a forest of Ayodhya hill which is rich in both density and diversity of tribal populations. The present work, new of its kind for the area, adheres to the objective of documenting from primary sources the indigenous knowledge about the use of forest plants associated with the lives of the hill tribes. This work is in conformity with the earlier work of the present author on the Sikari tribe settled in Ayodhya Hills (Chanda, 2010). Study Site Purulia, lying between 22º60’ and 23º50’ north latitude and 85º75’ and 86º65’ east longitude, is one of the draught prone and economically backward districts of West Bengal. The district occupies an area of 6259 sq km with forests covering nearly 87.60 thousand hectares and ranks second in West Bengal so far tribal diversity and density are concerned. The present work was undertaken in Matha forest of Ayodhya hill, which is a tribal dominated area. The climate of the area is of tropical monsoon type with three seasons, viz. pre-monsoon (mid-February to mid-June), monsoon (mid-June to mid-October) and post-monsoon (mid-October to mid-February).The soil is of lateritic type and the temperature ranges from 26ºC to 44ºC during summer and from 11ºC to 24ºC during winter. Annual rainfall is more or less 1033mm and .relative humidity is highest during July to September. MATERIALS AND METHODS *Corresponding author Field work was performed during 2010 and 2011 in Matha forest range to document the primary data concerning the plants species used as sources of food, fuel, forage, medicine and drugs, dyes, fibers and other essentials as classified under non timber forest produce (NTFP) by Neggi (2002). The primary data were based on the knowledge and experience gained from knowledgeable informants, middleaged women and medicine men of different tribal community following standard ethnobotanical methods (Rao, 1989). Pertinent plant specimens were collected adequately some of which were taxonomically worked out to identify them using relevant literature (Prain 1903; Guha-Bakshi 1984; Bennet 1987; Panigrahi and Murti, 1989; Murti and Panigrahi, 1999) and the rest were processed for herbarium preservation as voucher specimens following Jain and Rao (1977). 66
NON PRODUCTS T TRIBALS IN MATHA FOREST Table 1: Plants recognized as Non-timber Forest Produce during ethnobotanical studies in Matha forest region of Purulia district, West Bengal Plant species Family Vernacular Name Habit Present status Use category Buchanania lanzan Anacardiaceae Piyal Tree Very Common M, WE, Fo Butea monosperma Fabaceae Palash Tree Very common M, Be, R and C, Dy, Fu Calotropis gigantea Asclepiadaceae Dhutra Shrub Less common M Careya arborea Lecythidaceae Kumbhi/ Astha Tree Common M Dioscorea alata Dioscoreaceae Chupri alu Climber Common WE, M Diospyros melanoxylon Ebenaceae Kend Shrub Very common Be Dolichos biflorus Fabaceae Kurti kolai Climber Common M, We Helicteris isora Sterculiaceae Gamochra Shrub Less Common M, Fu Lagerstroemia parviflora Lythraceae Sidha Tree Common WM, Fu Sida cordata Malvaceae Berela Herb common M Andrographis paniculata Acanthaceae Kalmegh Herb Common M Asparagus racemosus Liliaceae Satmul Climber Very common M, Be Bauhinia vahlii Caesalpiniaceae Chihor Climber Less common Ro, Gh, Fu, PL Boswellia serrata Burseraceae Salai Shrub Rare M Cassia fistula Caesalpiniaceae Banar pichal Tree Less common M Costus speciosus Costaceae Geo Herb Common M Dendrocalamus strictus Poaceae Bans Tree Very common M, WE Dillenia pentagyna Dilleniaceae Chalta Tree Common WE Holarrhena antidysenterica Apocynaceae Kurchi Shrub Very common M, Fu, Tha Indigofera tinctoria Fabaceae Nil Herb Less common DY Lygodium flexuosum Schizaeaceae Durga japhi,Kalijar Herb Less common M, WE Madhuca indica Sapotaceae Madkom Tree Very common Be, M, R and C, Fu. Melia azedarach Meliaceae Mahanim Tree Less common M, Ins Phoenix acaulis Palmae Bhui khejur Shrub Common WE Pterocarpus marsupium Leguminosae Piyasal Tree Common PW Semicarpas anacardium Anacardiaceae Vela Shrub Common WE Shorea robusta Dipterocarpaceae Sal Tree Very Common M, R andC, Smilax macrophylla Smilacaceae Ramdatun Climber Very common M Symplocos racemosa Symplocaceae Loth Tree Less common M Syzygium cumini Myrtaceae Jam Tree Very common M, WE Terminalia chebula Combretaceae Hartaki Tree Less common M Tylophora indica Asclepiadaceae Antamul Climber Very common M Urginia indica Liliaceae Bonpiyaj Herb Common M, Ins Woodfordia fruticosa Lythraceae Dhatki Shrub Common M, WE, Fu Ziziphus mauritiana Rhamnaceae Kul Tree Common WE, M M= Medicinal, WE= Wild edible, Dy=Dye yielding, Be= Beverage, Oy= Oil yielding, Fu= Fuel wood, Ins= Insecticidal use, PL= Plates from leaves, R and C= Religious and cultural activities, Wm= Wood for minor purposes without felling/harvesting of trees, Pw= Pole wood, F= Forage, Ro=Rope making, Pl= Plate making RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A taxonomic analysis of the phytoresources, thus scored (Table1), shows concern of 34 species of 27 families from Magnoliophyta (angiosperm) and one from Pteridophyta, with the life and livelihood of the tribal communities of Matha area. The dicotyledonous plants are more used than monocots. The ratio of tree, shrub, herb and climber species used by them was found to be 15:8:6:6 which is somewhat at par with the physiognomy of the forests with which they are in traditional bondage. The indigenous knowledge thus recorded, especially about the medicinal use of 27 species, deserves great appreciation since no less than14 use categories could be analyzed. To strengthen programmes of conservation of the concerned phytodiversity there is a need to convey economic benevolence to the indigenous people through their sustainable use. Leaves and tender shoots of three species are used to feed the domestic animals. For making beverage four species are used. As many as 11 wild edible species have also been documented. The proximate principles of wild edibles, documented in this work, need scientific evaluation, to address issues of food security of the tribals and cater our nutritional requirements. Perpetuation of religious and cultural activities of the tribals linked with the indigenous phytoresources is also deemed essential for ensuring long term sustainability of the noosystem in concern. REFERENCES Ahmed, M. 2004. Deforestation effects on species diversity index of terrestrial vegetation of Goalpara (Assam) and East Garo Hills District (Meghalaya), India. Plant Archives. 4: 53-60. Bennet, S. S. R. 1987. Name changes in flowering plants of India and adjacent regions. Triseas Publishers, Dehradun,. Chanda, S. 2010. Plants in ‘Sikari’ medicine from Ajodhya hills, Purulia district, West Bengal; Envis Newsletter, BSI, Kolkata. 15: 2. Guha Bakshi, D. N. 1984. Flora of Murshidabad District West Bengal, India. Scientific publishers, Jodhpur, India. Jain, S. K. and Rao, R. R. 1977. A Handbook of Field and Herbarium Methods. Today and Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi. Murti, S. K. and Panigrahi, G. 1999. Flora of Bilaspur District, M.P., Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. 2: 397-906. Neggi, S. S. 2002. Forest Products and Their Utilization, International Book Distributors, Dehradun. Panigrahi, G. and Murti, S. K. 1989. Flora of Bilaspur District, M. P., Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta 1:1-396. Prain, D 1903. Bengal Plants, Calcutta, West Bengal. 67
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