Wild Edible Food of Odisha

Some major wild edible fruits in Odisha :

1. Alangium salvifolium (Akola)
2. Antidesma ghaesembilla (Nuniari)
3. Artocarpus lacucha (Jeuta)
4. Calamus latifolius (Beto kodi)
5. Diospyros melanoxylon (Kendu)
6. Ficus auriculata (Raj Dimri)
7. Glycosmis pentaphylla (Chauli)
8. Lannea coromandelica (Jia)
9. Bridelia retusa (Kasi)
10. Opilia amentacea
11. Xantolis tomentosa (Kanta Baula)
12. Toddalia asiatica
13. Streblus asper (Sahada)
14. Pithecellobium dulce (Jilebia, Sima Kaian)
15. Averrhoa carambola (Karamanga)

Sanjeet Kumar
Department of Botany, Ravenshaw University

Food Security

S. Kumar, M. K. Satapathy and P. K. Jena. (2011). Quantitative estimation of total free amino acid among Amaranthus species: Implication for dietary protein. Plant Science Research.  33 (1&2): 127-129.

Quantitative estimation of total free amino acid among Amaranthus species: Implications for Dietary Protein

                            Sanjeet kumar¹, M.K.Satapathy^2ψ and P.K.Jena¹

¹Department of Botany, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack

²Department of Life Science, Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar

Abstract

Total free amino content in five selected Amaranthus species viz. A.caudatus , A.cruentus, A.spinosus, A.tricolor and  A.viridis were evaluated. A.cruentus had the highest amino acid content amounting 0.0231mg per 1 gm fresh leaf. Compared to wild amaranthus, cultivated species possessed higher amino acid content. The work bears relevance in the context of alleviating malnutrition among the tribal and rural populace of Odisha

Key Words: Amaranthus species, Free Amino acid, Amino acid and protein

                      malnutrition

Introduction

Odisha is one of the poor states of the country with about 47 % of the population living below poverty line. The shortage of animal protein and amino acid sources particularly among rural and tribal people of the state has necessitated the search for alternative source of amino acid for possible incorporation into human diet in place of expensive source such as meat, fish, soybean etc (Oke, 1973). Since agriculture came into practice, only about 20 different crop plants have been utilized as the major food source till date. It is estimated that the potential of nearly 1000 wild plant species having food value remains to be exploited. As such, it is not only necessary to use the available rich diversity and wild genetic base to improve the existing conventional cultivars but it is equally important for using those as non-conventional and lesser known food crops (Brenner et al., 2000). The leafy vegetables are the cheapest and the most widely available source of protein, minerals, vitamins etc. However, many of those local green leafy vegetables are underexploited because of inadequate scientific knowledge of their nutritional potential. Amaranthus, an annual erect branched weed, mostly grows in cultivated fields including home gardens, degraded lands, built up areas, along river, road side and forest edges. The leaves of Amaranthus species of both wild and cultivated type are often used as green leafy vegetables. Keeping this in view an attempt has been made in the present study to find out the nutritional value of Amaranthus leaves in terms of total free amino acid content.

Plant Material

Amaranthus is widely distributed among the temperate and tropical regions of the world. The origin of various species of cultivated Amaranthus is not easy to trace because the wild ancestors are pantropical cosmopolitan weeds (Joshi and Rana, 1991).  Amaranthus is an annual herb with three sub-species and 70 species distributed throughout the world. In Odisha, Amaranthus is represented by 06 species ( Saxena and Brahmam, 1995) viz; A.spinosus, A.tricolor, A.graecizans, A.viridis, A.caudatas and A.hybridus. The genetic characters describe the plants as annual herbs with alternate leaves, unisexual flowers in cluster, which may be axillary or erect or drooping, sometimes panicled spikes. Inflorscence is basically cymose, bracteates consisting entirely of dense to lax axillary cluster or the upper cluster leafless and more or less approximate to form a lax or dense spike or panicles. Flowers monocious or dioecious with bracteoles. Perianth free or connate at base, membranous, those of the female flowers sometimes slightly accrescent in fruit. Stamens free usually equal in number to the perianth segment. Carpel 2, ovule solitary, erect. Utricle indehiscent, irregularly rupturing or commonly circumscible seeds usually black and shinning.

Materials and Methods

The plant materials were collected from the forest area of Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC), Chandaka forest area, Botanical garden and   different Haat (local weekly market) of Bhubaneswar. All biochemical investigations were done with support from the Plant Biotechnology Division of RPRC following standard methods. Extraction was done using N-perchloric acid and the free amino acid estimation was done using citrate buffer, glycine and Ninhydrin reagent following Ninhydrin reaction method (Moore and Stein, 1998).

Results and Discussion

The percentage of moisture content and dry matter of Amaranthus species have been given in Table- 1. A. cuentus had the highest moisture content followed by A.tricolor. A.spinosus had the lowest level of moisture. The total free amino acid per gram of fresh leaf extract of Amaranthus species has been shown Figure 1. The leaves of the cultivated species showed appreciable amount of amino acid whereas the wild species had less amount. Green leafy vegetables constitute an indispensable component of human diet in developing countries including India. It is presumed that more than 50 species of green leafy vegetables are alone consumed by rural and tribal people of Odisha. However, the food qualities of these plant species are underexploited because of inadequate scientific knowledge of the nutritional values. In the present study, the leaves of A.caudatus and A.cruentus were found to have high amount of amino acid content and possibly can contribute to the nutritional requirement of common man in terms of amino acid / protein supplement in the diet. The leaves of other Amaranthus species having high level of moisture and limited amino acid content can also be useful for human diet. A.cruentus is better than many wild species and thus  can be used to reduce malnutrition and also for defending the deadly diseases like homocystinuria, phenylketonuria(PKU), maple syrup urine disease( MSUD), tyrosinaemia, cystinuria etc (Obradovic et al., 2003).

Table 1:  Mean Percentage and Standard Deviation of moisture and dry matter in the leaves of Amaranthus species.

Name of plant species	Mean Moisture % ± Standard Deviation	Mean Solid % ± Standard Deviation
Amaranthus cruentus L.	87.73 ± 0.022	12.26 ± 0.10
Amaranthus caudatus L.	83.57 ± 0.46	16.42 ± 1.04
Amaranthus tricolor L.	81.10 ±  0.18	18.89 ± 0.45
Amaranthus viridis L.	80.29 ± 0.16	19.70 ± 0.25
Amaranthus spinosus L	75.89 ± 0.28	24. 10 ± 0.55

Analysis of total free amino acid should not be the sole criterion for assessing the nutritional value of this plant and it needs to have a detail study to determine the overall nutritional value intense of proteins, carbohydrate, vitamins, lipids etc. It has been reported (Leung, 1968) that Amaranthus species are good source of protein, vitamin and minerals and especially of lycine. Amaranthus species are considered as promising  non-conventional protein in a modern diet. Further, the high level of lycine highlights the importance of Amaranthus species as a herbal cure for Hepatic infections (Stintzing et al., 2004). Besides the nutritional value of the plant, it also acts as suitable species in the process of crop rotation in sustainable agriculture.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support received from Dr. R.C.Misra, Ms. Suchismita Swain and Director, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar for carrying out the present study.

References

Brenner, D.M., Baltensperger, D.D., Kulakow, P.A., Lehmann, J.W., Myers, R.L., Slabbert, M.M. and Sleugh, B.B.( 2000). Genetic resources and breeding of Amaranthus. Plant Breeding Reviews. 19: 227-285.

Joshi, B.D. and Rana, R.S. (1991). Grain Amaranths: the Future Food Crop. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi. pp.152.

Leung, W.T.W., Busson, F. and Jardin, C. (1968). Food composition table for use in Africa. FAO, Rome, Italy. pp. 306.

Moore, S. and Stein, W.H. (1954). A modified ninhydrin reagent for the photometric determination of amino acids and related compounds. J Biol Chem. 211(2):907–913.

Oke, O.L. (1973). Leaf protein research in Nigeria: a review .Trop Sci 15:139-155.

Saxena, H.O. and Brahmam, M. (1995).. The Flora of Orissa: Acanthaceae to Commelinaceae. Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneswar .3:1507-1512.

Stintzing, CF., Kammerer D., Schieber A., Adama H., Nacoulma G.O. and Carle R. ( 2004). Betacyanins and phenolic compounds from Amaranthus spinosus L. and Boerhavia erecta L..Z. naturforsch. 59(C) : 1-8.

Obradovic, Z., Peng K., Vucetic S., Radivojac P., Brown C.J. and Dunker A.K.( 2003). Predicting intrinsic disorder from amino acid sequence. Proteins: Structure, Function and Genetics. 53: 566-572.

Ethnobotanical Study

 S. Kumar, P. K. Jena, M. K. Satapathy, D. Dash and M. Kumari. (2011). Sonari (Cassia fistula L.): A medicinal and ethno-cultural plant at Niyamgiri Hills ranges among a primitive tribe (Dongaria Kandh) of Odisha, India. International Journal of Biological Technology. 2: 15-19.

  (Special issue under International Year of Forest -2011)                                     

 

Sonari (Cassia fistula L.): A medicinal and ethno-cultural plant at Niyamgiri Hills ranges among a primitive tribe

(Dongaria Kandha) of Odisha, India.

S. Kumar
sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com

 Department of Botany, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack

Abstract

Sonari (Cassia fistula L.), a common tree species of Niyamgiri Hill ranges of Odisha, belongs to the family Caselpinaceae, the plant parts of which are used as traditional medicine to cure different diseases by a primitive tribe Dongaria Kandha also called “Jivant Bhuta” (Live Ghost) living in this locality. The traditional indigenous knowledge of the primitive tribes and the ethnocultural practices of the locality in gradually loosing its importance due to lack of proper documentation. Keeping this in view an attempt has been made in the present study to gather data from literature and from field survey to establish the pharmacological and ethnomedicinal importance of this plant for creating a special awareness to conserve the ethic knowledge and the plant as well.

Keywords: Cassia fistula, Dongaria Kandha, Ethnobotany, Ethno-cultural uses, Niyamgiri Hills ranges

Introduction

World health Organization reported that the traditional medical practitioners treat about 85 % of patients in India (WHO survey,1993), which shows the significant valuable relation between local tribal people with medicinal plants.Odisha claims a prominent position among the states and Union Territories of India for having the largest varieties of tribes that is 62 in number including 13 vulnerable tribal groups as well as the third highest tribal populations numbering over 8 millions, about 9.7 % of the country’s total population and constituting 22.13 % of the state’s total population as per 2001 census. It means among every five persons one belongs to a scheduled tribe community in the state (Ota and Mohanty, 2008). Every tribal group represents unique indigenous ethnobotanical systems that include the mode of taking or applying externally or internally plant parts as a cure and specific plants for specific uses. Cassia fistula L. (Sonari) a common plant in Niyamgiri Hills regions and utilized in various aspect in medicinal as well as ornamental. It is also used to make different types of utilizing thing among Dongaria Kandha. It is a tree belongs to family Casealpinaceae with very handsome in flower, with large, closely veined ovate, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong acuminate or acute leaflets. Light bright yellow flowers with long pendulous racemes, succeeded by long cylindrical drooping pods. The wood is hard, strong and heavy and much in demand for carts and agricultural implements. The flowers are eaten (Haines, 1922). It gives medicine in the form of bark, leaves, roots, seeds and fruits as well as timber for domestic uses. Without proper documentation of such traditional values, the cultural and traditional heritage of Odisha is loosing its importance and indigenous knowledge is being lost and tribal communities are forced to change their livelihood which leads to ethoncultural degradation. Therefore an attempt has been made to explore the traditional healthcare system and domestic uses of Cassia fistula L of the Dongaria Kandha of Niyamgiri Hills, Odisha. They are one of the primitive tribes of the state and enjoy a critical and symbiotic relation with the Niyamgiri forests. The Dongaria Kandha inhabits the lofty Niyamgiri Hill ranges spread across Bissamcuttack, Kalyansinghpur and Muniguda blocks in Rayagada district. In this paper authors presented the importance of Cassia fistula L. among this community to conserve the ethic knowledge and explore their survieness.

Methodology

As a part of Eastern Ghats of India, the Niyamgiri Hills ranges, situated on the borders of Rayagada and Gunupur subdivision of southwest part of Odisha, rise steeply from 1.000 feet having number of peaks, of which the highest is 4,970 feet above the sea level. Niyamgiri, about 250 sq. Km. in area lying between 19^º 26^’ to 19^º 43^’ N latitude, and 83^º 18^’ to 83^º 28^’ E longitude(Patnaik and Daspatnaik, 1982). Topographically, 75 % of the Niyamgiri hills landmass is covered with dense forests with evergreen and semi- evergreen in nature where the average forest density of Niyamgiri is around 0.6, which are 1300 to 1400 trees per acre. Eight distinct types of vegetation are seen in Niyamgiri, depending on the local microclimate, plant density, species association and effect of biotic and edaphic factors, among which deciduous forests predominate. Terminalia tomentosa, Shorea robusta and Cassia fistula are the most dominant species. Culturally and ecologically the Niyamgiri Hills are extremely rich and significant. Most important aspect of Niyamgiri Hills is that rich in Mountain Rivers which give the location are unique Phytogeographical zone. Therefore it was declared as Nature Conservation or Game Sanctuary. It has been proposed as a Wild Life Sanctuary in the working plan of district Kalahandi forest division. The state Wildlife Organization has a proposal to declare this area as South Odisha Elephant Reserve as mentioned in the vide memo no. 4643/ 3 WL (Cions) 34 / 04 dated 20.08.2004 (Dash et al., 2009, Vasundhara report) An ethnobotanical and ethno-cultural survey at Niyamgiri of District Rayagada was carried out from 26-03-2010 to 31-03-2010 .The information on Cassia fistula L. was collected based on interactions with Dongaria community. The medicinal property of plant was confirmed by at list 4 informants by cross checking and group discussions with these community. The plant species was identified by Dr. R.C.Misra, Plant Taxonomist, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resource, Base Centre, Cuttack.

Results and Discussion

The traditional knowledge of Dongaria Kandha of Niyamgiri has high ethnobotanical and ethno-cultural importance. They utilize Sonari (Cassia fistula L.) in various purposes. The findings of the  field survey (Table 1) emphasized  ethno-cultural values of  Cassia fistula L. among Dongaria Kandha such as flowers were used for worship, wood used in making agricultural tools and domestic utensils as well as the other domestic purposes. The literature survey ( Table 2) showed its etnomedicinal properties such as fruit pulp used among children to cure cough (Jadhav,2009), bark useful in leprosy(Kumar and Chitra ,2009), fruit soup is used in liver disorder (Maliya, 2009), seeds are used to treat jaundice (Maliya ,2009) flowers are used in rheumatic pain(Reddy,2010 ) .Table 4 showed its anti- microbial activity against different pathogens. Table 3 showed their most potential active compounds such as Caprylic and Myristic acids (Sayeed et al., 1996), Lupeol (Sen and Shukia, 1968), Rhamnetin-3-O- gentiobioside (Kumar et al., 1996), Oxanthraquinone (Vaishnav and Gupta, 1996), are major.

Conclusion

The findings of the field survey and literature emphasized that Cassia fistula L. has great potentiality to cure different diseases as well as used in other socio-cultural aspects among Dongaria Kandha. They have been using in cough, leprosy, liver disorder, Jaundice, rheumatic pains etc. As a socio-cultural, it is used as ornamental and in domestic utensils as well as agricultural tools.  The present study emphasizes new incentive to the traditional system of healthcare and cultural traditions. Moreover the detail pharmacological studies are required and need pay attention towards the conservation of these types of plants species which will help in developing the strategy for conservation of biodiversity, which is essential for the coming generation.

Ethnobotanical Study

Sanjeet Kumar and M. Kumari. (2012). Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological study of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.): A brain tonic at our feet in Odisha. Emerging Science. 4(1): 21-23. (ISSN: 0976-4100)

 

Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological study of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.): A brain tonic at our feet in Odisha.

S.Kumar
sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com
Department of Life Science, Regional Institute of Education, Sachivalaya Marg Bhubaneswar- 751022

Abstract

Odisha is rich in biodiversity of medicinal flora. “Thalkudi” (Centella aciatica L.) is a common important traditional herb have been  utilizing as brain tonic and purpose of memory enhancer among the tribal group and rural community of different rural and forest divisions of  the state. The present study deals with the documentation from literature and field survey for highlighting the medicinal properties and pharmacological activity of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.).

Kew words: Thalkudi, Tribal Community, Ethnomedicinal value, Pharmacological

                     activity.

Introduction

Traditional medicine system is an important part of Odisha’s culture. The demands for medicinal plants are increasing in both urban and rural areas due to less or no side effect and easy availability in our environment. Most often the medicinal plants are collected by tribal communities from forest with uncontrolled harvesting has resulted in the extinction of many plants and created huge issues regards medicinal plants and their conservations. Keeping this in view we have attempted to collect the information from field and review about Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.) belong to family Apiaceae, It is a herb with long creeping stems rooting at the nodes. Leaves, orbicular to reniform, margins entire to repand dentate, venation palmate. Inflorescence a loose to subcapitate simple umbel. Style short. Young leaves and petioles villous, below, simple L orbicular-transform never lobed but often with large rounded crenatures or sometimes coarsely dentate or sub-entire. Umbels usually several at a node, perhaps representing a sessile compound umbel, each with a pair of ovate sub –amplexicaul bracts, Flowers, sub-sessile, petals reddish white ovate acute or obtuse imbricate. Stamens red. Fruit with very narrow commissure, didymous, cocci, seed laterally compressed (Saxena and Brahmam, 1995).It is locally known as Thalkudi among urban or rural people of the state, Banda Cocha among tribal group of Niyamgiri such as Desia Kandha and Dongaria Kandha, Chake Dopa among the tribal group Kolha of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest. In many parts of the country including among the tribal and rural community of  Odisha , it  often is used as a brain tonic for promoting brain growth and improving memory and also used in mentally retarded children to improve general mental ability.. It has been used widely in folk medicines for thousands of years to treat a wide range of illness among the tribal people of the state. It has been also used as a support for faster healing of small wounds; the treatment of burns, itching and insects bites. In contrast with other medicinal plants, this plant has been subjected to quite extensive experimental clinical investigations due to its ability to heal relieve and recover human being from various pain and sickness. Authors highlighted the traditional and pharmacological properties of Thalkudi.

Methodology

A literature survey was carried out for collecting the information on the ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Thalkudi. In addition an ethnobotanical survey was carried out from different forest block of Odisha such as Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Niyamgiri Hills ranges and Karlapat sanctuary.

Ethnobotanical uses among tribal community in Odisha

Centella asiatica is a very common and most utilized plant among the tribal communities in Odisha. Whole plant is used to instant treatment of headache on one side; Plant juice is used for clear vision of eyes in children, Leaf is used as growth tonic and to enhance the power of memory. The whole plant crushed with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) and the extract gargled for month ulcers by tribal community.

Review of Ethno botanical Values

• In Blood disorders. Leaves are boiled with water and a cup of the decoction is taken with honey every morning and evening.
• In Fever. Leaf juice is mixed with leaf juice of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis and taken every morning on an empty stomach till cure. (Nawaz at al, 2009).
• Juice of whole plant is used in fever. (Manadhar, 1992).
• Whole plant parts are used to cure leprosy, tuberculosis and asthma. (Sajem et al, 2010.).
• Whole plant paste is taken with a glass of milk to treat diabetic ulcers (Jaykumar et al 2010).

Specific uses of Thalkudi among rural and tribal peoples

·         Used in Syphilis: The leaves are used to cure Syphilis among the tribal group of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve forest.

·         Used in Dysentery: the whole plant basically roots are used to cure dysentery.

·         Used in common cold and fevers: Leaves with Ocimum (Tulsi) species is used to cure common cold and fevers.

Chemistry of Thalkudi

Centella asiatica contains several bioactive constituents such as triterpene acids, thankunie acid, brahmiz and isobrative, hydrocotylin. In addition, it also contains other components including volatile oils, tannins, phytosterols, amino acids, and sugars. Asiaticoside, a trisaccharide triterpene, has been identified as the most active compound in the plant associated with the healing of wounds and duodenal ulcers, whilst the triterpene saponins are also reported to possess immunomodulatory properties and show efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacillus leprae and Entamoeba histolytica (Plohmann et al., 1994).

Pharmacological uses of Thalkudi

It has many therapeutic uses such as depression, impotence, leueorrhoea, dropsy, headache, vertigo, filcociasis, leprosy, syphilis, psuriasis, eczema, urticoria, weakness of memory. In classical Indian Ayurveda literature, it is considered to be one of the ‘Rasayana’ (rejuvenator) drugs. (Jayashree et al, 2003). Centela asiatica has also been reported to be useful in the treatment of inflammations, diarrhea, asthma, tuberculosis and various skin lesions and ailments like leprosy, lupus, psoriasis and keloid. In addition, numerous clinical reports verify the ulcer-preventive and antidepressive sedative effects of Centela asiatica preparations, as well as their ability to improve venous insufficiency and microangiopathy (Zheng and Qin, 2007).

Results and Discussion

The findings of the literature survey revealed its ethnomedicinal values. The whole plant juice is used to cure eye problems, leaves are used as memory booster and to cure syphilis. Therefore Thalkudi play an important role as the traditional medicine populace of Odisha. Its therapeutic and ethnic values shown the ethnobotanical and pharmacological potential but further more research work is needed to finding the pharmacological and ethnobotanical properties.

Reference

1. Nawaz Mahabub A.H. Md, Maruf Hossain, Masud Karim, Mujib Khan, Rownak Jahan, Mohammed Ra hmatullah.; An ethnobotanical survey of Rajshahi dis trict in Rajshahi divis ion, Bangladesh, Am.-Eurasian J. Sustain. Agric., 3(2): 143-150, 2009.
2. Sajem AL, ,Kuldip gosai jan 2010,Ethnobotanical investigations among the Lushai tribes in North Cacher Hills district of Assam, Northeast India,Indian journal of Traditional knowledge, Vol. 9(1),pp108-113.
3. Jayakumar G et all.2010, “Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in the treatment of Diabetic”,Indian journal of traditional knowledge,Vol 9(1) pp-100-104.
4. Jayashree, G., M. Kurup, S. Sudarslal and V. B. Jacob, 2003. Anti-oxidant activity of Centella asiatica on lymphoma-bearing mice.Fitoterapia. 74, 431-434.
5. Manandhar N.P., “Ethnobotanical note on folk-lore remedies of Baglung district, Nepal”,research note, 1992.
6. Plohmann, B., Bader, G., Streich, S., Hilter, K. and Franz, G. (1994). Immunomodulatory effects of triterpenoid saponins.Eur. J. Pharm. Sci. 2, 120.
7. Zheng, C.J. and L.P. Qin, 2007. Chemical components of Centella asiatica and their bioactivities. Chin Integr Med / Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 5(3), 348-351.
8. Saxena HO and Brahmam M, The Flora of Orissa, Rosaceae to Martyniaceae,  Regional Reserch Laboratory and Orissa Forest development Corporation Ltd., 1995. II : 778.

HERBACEOUS FLORA OF REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, BHUBNESHWAR, ODISHA, INDIA

sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com
Flora of RIE followed by Family and uses

Name	Family	Abundance	Habit	Type	Uses
Abrus precatorius (L.)	Fabaceae	++	Wild , climber	Medicinal	Seeds are used for avoiding conception during menstruation
Acalypha indica (Linn.)	Euphorbiaceae	++++	Wild, annual shrub	Medicinal	Fresh leaves are used to cure ulcer
Acalypha spp.	Euphorbiaceae	+++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Achyranthes aspera (L.)	Amaranthaceae	+++	Wild , herb	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in liver problems
Aerva lanata (L.)	Amaranthaceae	+++++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in cholera.
Ageratum conyzoides (Linn.)	Asteraceae	+++++	Wild, weedy herb	Medicinal	Leaves are used to treat fever and gastrointestinal ailments
Allamanda cathartica (L.) Mant.	Apocynaceae	++	Cultivated	Ornamental	It is a ornamental flowering shrub
Aloe vera (L.)	Liliaceae	+++	Cultivated	Medicinal	Leaf juice is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome.
Amaranthus viridis (L.)	Amaranthaceae	+++++	Wild, herb	Leafy vegetables	Leaf is used as leafy vegetables.
Asparagus racemosus (Willd.)	Asparagaceae	+	Wild, climber	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in night blindness.
Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell.	Scrophulariaceae	+	Wild , prostrate	Medicinal	Whole plant are used as  memory enhancer
Biophytum sensitivum   (L.) DC.	Oxalidaceae	+++++	Wild, herb	Weed	Whole plant used as anti-tumor activity and it inhibit metastasis
Boerhavia diffusa (L.)	Nyctaginaceae	+++++	Wild, prostrate	Medicinal / Leafy vegetable	Roots are diuretic and expectorant
Boreria spp.	Rubiaceae	+++	Wild , herb	Weed	Common weed at garden of RIE
Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.)Sw.	Caesalpiniaceae	++	Wild , shrub	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Caesalpinia pulcherrima(L.) var flava	Caesalpiniaceae	++	Wild , shrub	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Calotropis prostrate (L.) R. Br.	Asclepiadaceae	++	Wild, shrub	Medicinal/ Toxic	The root powder is used to cure eczema, and leaf is toxic for grazing animals, also Root is used as fish poison(Murthy et al.,2010)
Canna glauca (L.).	Zingiberaceae	+++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Canna indica (L.)	Zingiberaceae	+++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Cassia occidentalis (L.)	Caesalpiniaceae	+++	Wild,. Herb	Medicinal	Paste of leaves is externally applied on healing wounds
Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don.	Apocynaceae	++++	Wild , under shrub	Ornamental and medicinal	Fresh twig with hot water is used to cure diabetes
Celosia argentea (L.)	Amaranthaceae	++	Wild, herb	Weed	Common weed
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.	Apiaceae	+++	Wild, shrub	Medicinal	Whole plant is used as memory enhancer
Christella dentate Forssk.	Thelypteridaceae	++	Wild,	Weed	Leaves are used in skin disease among Dongaria Kodho of Niyamgiri.
Cissampelos pareira (Linn.)	Menispermaceae	+	Wild, climbers	Medicinal	Leaves are used in asthma
Cleome monophylla (L.)	Cleomaceae	+++++	Wild, herb	Weed/ Medicinal	Seeds were used as a condiment.
Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt.	Cucurbitaceae	++++	Wild, climber	Weedy climber	Common climber weed
Codiaeum spp.	Euphorbiaceae	+++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Commelina benghalensis (L.)	Commelineae	+++++	Wild, herb	Weed	Leaf used ad leafy vegetables
Commelina erecta (L.)	Commelineae	+++	Wild, herb	Weed	It is a common  weed
Croton bonplandianum Baill.	Euphorbiaceae	+++	Wild, under shrub	Toxic Weed	Repellent property against the insects
Cyperus rotundus (L.)	Cyperaceae	+++++	Wild, grasses	Weed	Whole plant powder boiled in ghee and applied as ointment in ulcers
Datura stramonium (L.)	Solanaceae	+++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	The juice of leaves are used as anti-dandruff
Desmodium pulchellum (Linn.)	Fabaceae	++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	Stem is used in hemorrhages
Desmodium triflorum	Fabaceae	++++	Wild, prostrate	Weed	Found in Wet areas as a weed
Dioscorea alata(L.)	Dioscoreaceae	++	Cultivated, climber	Edible	Tubers are edible
Dioscorea puber Bl. Enum.	Dioscoreaceae	+	Wild, climber	Edible	Bulbils and tubers are edible
Dipteracanthus rostrates (Poir.) Nees.	Acanthaceae	++++	Wild	Weedy ornamental	Roots are used in syphilis and renal affections.
Duranta repens (L.)	Verbeneaceae	++++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Eclipta rostrate (L.)	Asteraceae	++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	Juice of leaves are used as hair growth enhancer
Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.	Asteraceae	+++++	Wild , erect herb	Weed	Leaves are used in eye inflammation
Epipremnum aureum (L.)	Araceae	+	Cultivated	Ornamental	It is a epiphytic plant
Euphorbia hirta (Linn.)	Euphorbiaceae	+++++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	Roots are used to nourish feeding mother when production of milk is deficient
Euphorbia milii Desmoul.	Euphorbiaceae	++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Evolvulus alsinoids (L.)	Convolvulaceae	+++	Wild, prostrate	Medicinal	Whole plant with mustard oil is used as hair growth enhancer
Evolvulus nummularius (L.)	Convolvulaceae	++++	Wild , Prostrate	Medicinal	Whole plant paste is used externally to reduce tonsillitis pain
Gymnema sylvestre R.Br.	Asclepidaceae	+	Cultivated	Medicinal	Leaves are used in diabetes
Gomphrena serrata (L.)	Amaranthaceae	+++++	Wild, erect herb	Weed	Common weed at RIE
Hedyotis corymbosa (Linn.)Lam.	Rubiaceae	+++	Wild, herb	Weed	Whole plant is used as Liver tonic
Helianthus annuus (L.)	Asteraceae	++	Cultivated	Edible / ornamental	Seed oil is edible
Heliotropium indicum (L.)	Boraginaceae	+++	Wild , herb	Weed	Decoction of root with honey is taken as vitamin for iron deficiency by woman against anemia during pregnancy period.
Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br.	Asclepiadaceae	+++++	Wild, shrub	Medicinal	Roots are used in kidney problems
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Linn.)	Malvaceae	+++	Cultivated	Ornamental / Ethical / Medicinal	Flowers are used in colouring and hair growth
Hyptis suaveolens (L.)Poit.	Lamiaceae	++	Wild, shrub	Medicinal	Leaves are sued to cure diarrhea
Ichnocarpus frutescens (L.) W.T.Aiton.	Apocynaceae	+++++	Wild, Shrub	Medicinal	Root is used  to cure diabetes
Ipomoea carnea Jacq.	Convolvulaceae	+++	Wild, shrub	Weed	Toxic for animals
Ipomoea hestata L.	Convolvulaceae	++++	Wild, climber	Weed	Common weed
Ixora arborea Roxb. Ex Sm.	Rubiaceae	++++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Jatropha gossypifolia (L.)	Euphorbiaceaec	+++	Wild, shrub	Weed	Stem and bark is used to cure blood dysentery
Jatropha podagrica	Euphorbiaceae			Ornamental	Used for gardening
Kalanchoe pinnata Lam.	Crassulaceae	++	Cultivated	Ornamental/ Medicinal	Whole plant with peepers is used to cure diarrhea
Lantana camara (L.)	Verbeneaceae	+++++	Wild, shrub	Toxic , Weed	Toxic for animals, whole plant is used as antidote to snake bite
Leonotis nepetiifolia (L.) R.Br.	Lamiaceae	+++	Wild , herb	Weed	Leaves are used in Malaria
Lawsonia inermis (L.)	Lythraceae	+	Cultivated	Ritual and medicinal	Strong fungitoxicity
Meremia hestata	Convolvulaceae	+++	Wild	Weed	Common ornamental weed
Mikania micrantha Kunth.	Asteraceae	+++++	Wild, climber	weed	Leaves are used in septic ulcers
Mimosa pudica (L.)	Mimosaceae	+++++	Wild , herb	Medicinal	Whole plant decoction with milk is taken to treat bleeding in piles
Mollugo pentaphylla (L.)	Aizoaceae	++++	Wild ,herb	Weed / medicinal	Whole plant is used as diuretic agent
Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.	Fabaceae	++	Wild, prostrate	Itching weed and medicinal	Seed powder is used to cure Parkinson diseases
Murraya  paniculata L. Jack.	Rutaceae	+++	Wild	Edible	Used as curry leaf
Ocimum basilicum (Linn.)	Lamiaceae	++	Wild , herb	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in fever
Ocimum sanctum Linn.	Lamiaceae	++	Wild, herb	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in gastric and hepatic disorders
Oxalis spp	Oxalidaceae	+++	Wild, her	Weed	Common at RIE
Paederia foetida (L.) Mant.	Rubiaceae	+++	Wild	Medicinal	Leaves juice used in diarrhea
Parthenium hysterophorus (L.)	Asteraceae	+++++	Wild , herb	Toxic	Toxic weed for other plant
Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.	Poaceae	+++++	Wild, grasses	Weed	Common weedy grass
Panicum equitans Hochst. ex  A. Rich.	Poaceae	++	Wild, prostrate grass	Weed	Uncommon at RIE
Peperomia pellucida (L.)HBK.	Piperaceae	+++	Wild,	Weed / Medicinal	Whole plant is used to cure abdominal pain
Pergularia daemia Forssk.	Asclepiadaceae	++	Wild	Medicinal	Leaves are useful in Liver disorder
Phyllanthus reticulates Poir.	Euphorbiaceae	++++	Wild, shrub	Edible	Fruits are edible
Piper nigrum (L.)	Piperaceae	+	Cultivated	Spices / Medicinal	Whole plant is used to cure sore throat
Rauwolfia serpentine (L.) Benth.	Apocynaceae	++	Wild , herb	Medicinal	Whole plant act as an active tranquilizer, Pregnant women avoid this herb
Ricinus communis (L.)	Euphorbiaceae	+++	Wild, shrub	Weed	Toxic for grazing animals
Sansevieria roxburghiana Schult.	Agavaceae	++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Sida acuta Burm.f.	Malvaceae	++++	Wild, under shrub	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in Elephantiasis and dandruff
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.)	Verbenaceae	+	Wild, shrub	Ornamental	Leaves are used as emetic
Synedrella nodiflora (L.)	Asteraceae	+++	Wild , shrub	Medicinal	Leaves are used in rheumatism
Tabernaemontana divaricata (Linn.) R.Br.	Apocynaceae	++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Flowers are used in worship of god in Odisha
Tagetes erecta (L.)	Asteraceae	+++++	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Tridax procumbens (L.)	Asteraceae	+++++	Wild , herb	Weed	Leaf juice is used as insecticidal and piscidal
Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.	Asteraceae	+++	Wild , shrub	Medicinal	Whole plant is used in asthma
Vernonia cinerea (L.)Less.	Asteraceae	+++	Wild	Weed	Common weed at RIE
Vitex trifolia (L.)	Verbeanaceae	+++++	Wild , climber	Weed	Common weed at RIE
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.	Solanaceae	+	Cultivated, shrub	Medicinal	Leaves are used in spermatorrhoea and nocturnal emission
Zamia furfuracea L.f. ex Aiton.	Zamiaceae	+	Cultivated	Ornamental	Used for gardening
Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.	Rhamnaceae	+++	Wild	Weed / Medicinal	Fruit pulp with curd and Punica granatum, with Sesame  oil is taken to cure blood dysentery

Sanjeet Kumar