Ethno-Medico-Biology of Bān-Aālu (Dioscorea species): A neglected tuber crops of Odisha, India
Explorer Research Article [Kumar et al., 4(12): Dec., 2013] CODEN (USA): IJPLCP ISSN: 0976-7126 Int. J. of Pharm. & Life Sci. (IJPLS), Vol. 4, Issue 12: Dec: 2013, 3143-3150 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY & LIFE SCIENCES Ethno-Medico-Biology of Bān-Aālu (Dioscorea species): A neglected tuber crops of Odisha, India Sanjeet Kumar 1*, Anup Kumar Parida2 and Padan Kumar Jena 1, Department of Botany, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, (Odisha) - India 2, Post Graduate Department of Life Sciences, Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar, (Odisha) - India Abstract Dioscorea – a genus of wild tuber crops is one of the major underground medicinal food sources among rural and tribal populace of Odisha. Twelve species of Dioscorea are reported in Odisha of which all except Dioscorea alata are wild while the latter is a cultivated one. The species are unique for their medicinal, food and economic values. The details in the terms of ethnobotanical values, bioactive compounds