Ethnobotanical survey and documentation of wild edible plants used by the tribals of Tripura, northeastern India

Tripura is a hilly state located in the south-west extreme corner of the north eastern region of India with a long international border (nearly 84%) surrounded on three sides by Bangladesh and stretches from latitude 22°56' and 24°32'N to longitude 91°10' and 92°21'E with a total geographical area of about 10,491 km² of which 70% is hilly with dense forest and 27% is under cultivation. Like most of the Indian subcontinent, Tripura lies within the Indomalaya ecozone. The present communication deals with the status of wild edible plants and their traditional utilization as diet recipes by 19 ethnic communities of Tripura. A total of 27 plant species belonging to 15 families were reported from the study area. Different customary recipes were identified which were mostly prepared with wild edible plants. Among the recipes, Gudak, Chakhwi, Muya Awandru and Kosoi Bwtwi were found to be most preferred diet compliments among the communities. Some edible plants have great economic value and are highly linked with socio-economic development of tribal communities of the state. The importance of documenting the use of wild edible species in this hotspot region is especially important because of rapid loss of biodiversity due to anthropogenic disturbance. The present findings suggest further investigation on nutritional and commercial aspects, pharmacological prospects and conservational needs.