Sanjeet Kumar
Department of Botany
Ravenshaw University,Cuttack,India
Ravenshaw University,Cuttack,India
Dioscorea puber Bl. Enum.
Common name(s) in SBR: Kukai Sanga, Chekka alu
Botanical name: Dioscorea puber Bl. Enum.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym (s): Dioscorea anguina Roxb.
Flowering: Sept to Nov. Fruiting: Dec. to Jan.
Vernacular name (s)
Oriya – Kosa alu
Hindi- Desia alu
Bengoli- Kasa alu
Botany
It is a bulbiferous climbing stout. Leaves pubscent, very broadly ovate-cordate or suborbicular, base cordate, costae 7, pubescent on the nerves beneath. Stem woody with right-twining, densely pubescent or tomentose. Bulbils axillary, greenish or brownish grey without conspicuous eyes. Male spikes less pubescent than female. Outer perianth broadly - oblong or ovate-oblong. Inner ovate, membranous. Stamens 6 perfect, small, adnate to the inner perianth-lobes. Ovary densely pubescent or tomentose. Capsule broadly subcordate, quite glabrous. Seed winged. Tubers are cylindrical or randomly winged form, covered with rootlets, mostly light yellow and inner parts are deep yellowish.
Distribution
It is common throughout Odisha. All forest divisions of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve forest particularly in Kasipani, Kolha, Gurguria, Ghatkumari. Very frequent in Bangriposi Ghati. Himalayan division, Nepal, Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Upper Gangetic plain, Myanmar, Malaysia.
Common use(s)
Tubers are edible mostly in off agricultural season among the tribal community of SBR. They have been eaten as an energy supplement. Many informants such as Sahu Bari, Jambira Bari (Sanoski village), Gunjeram Badra and Sarma alda (Kolha village) of Kolhoo tribal community, Charan Lohar (Ratuda village) of Lohar community told us that this tuber is eaten once in morning than there is no need of other food till night. It indicate that it has some unknown ingredients has ability to give more energy, which could be future supplement food to eradicate malnutrition and food security crisis.
Medicinal value(s)
According to Budhi Ram Lohar, an herbal practicenr (Vedh) of Sanoski village of Gurgria range of SBR, tubers are eaten as tonic for health but not good in cough.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)s
Tubers are rich with Oxalic acid, Tannin and Saponnin.
Economic importance(s)
It is sold in weekly market (Haat) of SBR at the rate of Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 per kilogram.
Dioscorea bulbifera L.
Common name(s) in SBR: Pita aalu, Pita Kanda
Botanical name: Dioscorea bulbifera
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym (s): D. sativa Thunb.; D. anthropophagum Chev.
Flowering: Aug. to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name (s)
Oriya: Pita alu
English: Air potato
Hindi: Pita Kanda
Hawaiian: Ho
Telgu: Nookala gadda
Bengoli: Meta alu
Botany
Stem twining to the left, smooth, sometimes subalate; tuber not deep, usually single, subglobose, without defined stalk. Bulbils common, axillary, roundish, up to 3 cm across, warted. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite,suborbicular or broadly ovate, 5-25 × 3-20 cm, acuminate or caudate, 7-11-ribbed,with very distinct scalariform cross-nervules,usually deeply cordate,sinus usually very wide; petiole as long as or usually much shorter than the blade. Male flowers green or purplish, 1.5-2.5 mm long or more pendulous, in numerous long, very slender axillary and panicled spikes, 5.5-10 cm long ;bracts half to three-fourths as long as the flower with filiform acumen. Perianth-lobes linear, inner narrower than the outer. Stamens very small, 6 perfect, not one-fourth as long as the inner perianth. Female spikes slender, droop-ing, several fascicled at each axil. Perianth as in male. Capsule quadrately oblong, 1.5-2 × 1-1.2 cm, reflexed. Seeds partially winged.
Distribution
It is throughout in SBR and Odisha.Widely distributed in Asia and Africa and naturalized in the tropics and subtropics, including Central and South America. It is cultivated in East Africa to Polynesia.Kumaon region, Western Himalayas.
Common use(s)
The tubers and bulbils are edible as vegetables during off agricultural season (s). the tubers are acrid, but tribal community of SBR used it during famine after much preparation.
Medicinal value(s)
The aqueous extract of tubers is used against different types of skin infections among tribal group of SBR.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
It contains a steroid Diosgenin, which is the principal constitute of Birth-control pills.
Economic Value(s)
It is not traded in SBR or peripheral area of SBR but the tribal people conserve it for famine and off agricultural season, therefore they exchange it for other local vegetables and crops.
Dioscorea oppositifolia L.
Common name(s) in SBR: Pani alu
Botanical name: Dioscorea oppositifolia L.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym (s)…
Flowering: Aug. to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name (s):
Oriya – Pani alu
Chinise – Huai shan,
Japanese- Yamaimo,
Korean- ma,
Vietnam- khoi
Botany
It is a right twining climber. Stems often purple, swollen at the nodes, unarmed, fleshy below and ending a few inches below the surface in a very small stock and a fascicle of tubers, ends of shoots pubescent. Leaves green and shining both sides, oblong to broadly elliptic, all opposite, 3-5-nerved, margin thinly cartilaginous. Petiole half as long as blade or much less. Fruit capsule with depressed base.tubers proceeding direct from the fleshy end of the rootstock, several, with a narrow neck.
Distribution
It is found throughout SBR, frequent in Gurguria forest division, Orissa, China, Japan, Korea Vietnam.
Common use(s)
The tubers are eaten as vegetables, and this is most esteemed tuber among the tribal community of SBR. Tuber (s) is used as herbal tonic.
Medicinal value(s)
Tuber (s) stimulates the stomach and spleen. Tuber (s) is eaten for the treatment of poor appetite, asthma and cough. It has anti-ulcer activity (Rani et al., 2010). The leaves, flowers, tender shoots. are used for cooling and demulcent. Leaf paste is used to cure leprosy.The leaves are antiseptic; the paste is applied on ulcers and abscesses. The whole plant is used in application for oedematous tumours and the ash extract of flowering twigs along with tender leaves cure cancer. The whole plant extract is used for secondary syphilis and Psorasis.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Tuber (s) has different type of bioactive compounds such as steroids, triterpene, sugar, tannin and amino acid. Felex et al., 2009 reported in Methanol extracts shows the presence of sugar, alkaloid, phenolic group, flavone, catachin, tannin and amino acid and Benzene and chloroform extracts show the presence of steroid, sugar and steroid, triterpene, sugar respectively. In distilled water extract shows the presence of steroid, triterpene, sugar and tannin.
Economic Value(s)
It is traded at the rate of 6 to 15 rupee (s) per kilogram (Weekly Haat of Nahana in SBR)
Dioscorea pentaphylla L.
Common name(s) in SBR: Biom-Sanga, Panja Sanga
Botanical name: Dioscorea pentaphylla L.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym(s): Dioscorea
Flowering: Aug. to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name (s)
Oriya – Kanta alu
Marathi- Chai
Kumaon – Takuli
Rajasthani- Kanta alu
Hawaiian- Pia
Telgu-Yeleru tiga
Botany
It is left twining much more slender climber, more or less prickly below. 3-5 foliolate leaves. Leaves are glabrous or pubescent beneath. Leaflets of lower leaves rarely larger, centre ones obovate or elliptic or acuminate. Costae -1, lateral leaflets sometimes 3-costate, but the lateral costae from the midrib. Capsule large oblong. Elongate obpyriform bulbils. Tubers are oblong or clavate, proceeding direct from the base of the aerial stem and thickening downwards.
Distribution
Throughout SBR, Frequent in Ghatkumari range, Odisha,Deccan, Western Himalayas, Rajasthan, Nasik, Hawaiian,
Common use(s)
Sliced tuber are soaked in running water, and used as a common vegetable in SBR. It is most important tuber crops used in famine. It is frequently present in Kasipani (22º 04’ 13” N, 86º 18’ 25” E) of Bisoi range of SBR
Medicinal value(s)
Leaves are used for poor appetite.It is also helpful in case of indigestion. Tubers have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity (Prakash and Hosetti, 2010).
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Differenet types of alkaloids and tannins. Prakash and Hosetti , 2010 reported that in tuber extract indicate presence of phenols/polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids and saponins.Maridsaa,2010 reported that saponins were invariably present in all the solvent extracts.
Economic Value(s)
Exchange with other cereals or crops due to its high yielding capacity. Tribal people of Ghatkumari are exchange it with vegetables.
Dioscorea wallichii Hook.f.
Common name(s): Suta-alu, Meramtua-sanga
Botanical name: Dioscorea wallichii Hook.f.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym(s): D.aculeata L.
Flowering: Aug. to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name (s)
Oriya – Suta-alu,
Myanmar: Kadat,
China: ying jiang shu yu
Sakai : Yarex
Botany
It is a right twining climber. Stems very stout and woody, often throny below and characterized by the hard thick bases of the articulate petioles which are also frequently thorny. Leaves all alternate or some opposite, rather coriaceous and shiny or dull, large, suborbicular or broadly ovate with a large broad basal sinus, usually cuspidate or caudate, nerves between the costae rarely somewhat scalariform, petiole long. Capsules have obconic base, depressed at the apex. Seeds are winged all round. Tubers attached directly to the base of the stem without the intervention of long fibers or roots.
Distribution
It is throughout SBR, Odisha,Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia. Thailand,China
Common use(s)
Tubers are eaten during July to October after large number of successive boiling to remove acrid principle.
Medicinal value(s)
The tubers are used to treat stomach pain and used as herbal health tonic among Mankidias tribal group of SBR.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Different types of Polyphenols and saponnin are presents with calcium oxalate in tubers.
Economic Value(s)
It is traded at the rate of 4 to 10 rupee (s) per kilogram
Dioscorea glabra Roxb.
Common name(s) in SBR: Konta-alu
Botanical name: Dioscorea glabra Roxb.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym(s): D.nummularia Lamk.
Flowering: Sept.- Nov Fruiting: Nov.- March.
Vernacular name (s):
Oriya : Konta alu
Kolho: Piska Sanga
Sakai: Luntak
Botany
Stem twining to the right, quite glabrous,often with numerous prickles,sometimes quite unarmed;swollen at the nodes and with swollen petiole-bases(but these are not much hardened and aculeate as in D.wallichii) rhizomes woody superficial from which proceed long,stout,fleshy fibres ending in tubers;tubers more or less cylindric. 12.5-30(75) × 2.5-(7.5) cm. leaves opposite or lower alternate,variously shaped,commonly ovate,ovate-oblong,ovate-hastate,sometimes suborbicular,glabrous, glaucousbeneath,5-9-ribbed,secondary nerve not scalariform between the costae , base cordate,those towards the inflorescence with base straight,rounded,sagittate or truncate-subcordate;petiole from half as long as to as the blade. Male spikes dense or lax, 1.2-3.2 cm long,opposite or finally whorled on axillary rachises, 2.5-8.7 cm long or in long terminal more or less leafless panicles;rachis always quite glabrous;bracts lanceolate , acuminate , about half as long as the perianth,base not decurrent on rachis;bracteole much shorter than the bract. Buds somewhat oblong-globose,with very broad, often pulvinate base. Flowers yellowish, subglobose or oblong, 1.5 mm long. Outer perianth-lobes ovate-oblong,obtuse,gibbous at the base,inner obovate or oblanceolate,very thick.stamens 6 perfect. Pistillode very minute. Flowers rachis quite glabrous . perianth quite sessile on ovary, 1 mm long. Capsules glabrous,subquadrate or obcordate,1.5-2.2 cm long and 2.5-3.7 cm wide,depressed at apex,with short stout beak. Seeds winged all round.
Distribution
Fairly common in open forests. South of Ganges in the moister parts, the Himalayas from China, Nepal eastwards, the plains of Bengal and Assam; Bihar. SE. Asia.
Common use(s)
The tubers are largely eaten by tribal community at Barhaipani, Ghatkumari and Kasipani.
Medicinal value(s)
The leaves are used against different types of skin infections.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Different types of Polyphenols and saponnin.
Economic Value(s)
It is traded at the rate of 2 to 5 rupee (s) per kilogram
Dioscorea hamiltonii Hook.
Common name(s) in SBR: Suta alu, Tarenga
Botanical name: Dioscorea hamiltonii Hook.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonyms: Dioscorea
Flowering: Sept- Oct Fruiting: Dec.- Feb.
Vernacular name (s)
Oriya- Suta alu
Santhal of SBR- Piska sanga
Munda- Burujharia
Botany
Stem twining to the right,reddish when dry,angled, sometimes subacute, unarmed and often twisted;tubers long-stalked, deep under ground. Bulbils 0. Leaves closely resembling those of D.belophylla but less blue green and when dry the cross nervules are less scalariform,opposite or subopposit,ovate, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate,base cordate,subcordate-truncate or sagittate,9-18 × 5-11 cm, acuminate, 7-9-nerved with 5 nerves reaching the apex and decurrent on petiole,secondary nerves close,rather regular and subparallel, upper leaves smaller and narrower;petiole 2.5-6.2 cm long. Male spikes short, 1-4-nate or subverticillate on slender axillary branchlets, 1.2-2.2 cm long,with markedly zigzag rachis with a flower at each angle. Flowers yellow, 1.2 mm long;buds globose. Outer perianth-lobes ovate-oblong, rounded,concave,obscurely keeled, inner smaller,oblong,not thick. Stamens about as long, 6 perfect. Female spikes axillary, 3.7-22.2 cm long. Flowers much larger than in D.belophulla. Outer perianth-lobes very thick,crescentic,concave inside and with a very thick keel outside,attaining 2.5 mm length, inner lobes thick,oblong,only half to three-fourths as long. Capsule glabrous, 2- 2.8 × 2.5-4 cm, retuse, wings distinctly margined. Seeds winged all round.
Distribution
Similiphar, frequent in forests: Batipathar, Gandhmardan, NE. India. Laos, Tenasserim.
Common use(s)
The tubers are very testy and used as vegetables and desserts.
Medicinal value(s)
Tubers are good for health due to presence of antioxidant compounds and used as health tonic.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Different types of Polyphenols and saponnin.
Economic Value(s)
It is traded at the rate of 7 to 10 rupee (s) per kilogram
Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
Common name(s) in SBR: Bainya alu, Banya alu
Botanical name: Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Synonym(s): Dioscorea daemona Roxb, D. mollissima Blume.
Flowering: Aug. to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name(s)
English: Asiatic Bitter Yam
Malaysian: Ubi Gadong
Bengoli- Ban alu
Burmese- Kywe
Thailand : Kloi
Botany
It is as strong climbing plant with glaborous leaves ;stem twining to the left, with few small, weak prickles young tomentose;tubers subglobose or irregular., covered with root-fibers. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 5-30 cm, sometimes prickly, glabrous or finely pubescent; the central one elliptic or obovate,caudate-acuminate, 3-5-costate, more or less permanently pubescent on the nerves, base tapering, those on the flowering branches small with rounded, suddenly apiculate apex, lateral leaflets very oblique, sometimes shortly 2-lobed,sometimes gibbous and broader than long;petiolule 2.5-18 mm long. Male flowers in very dense,short,oblong or cylindric spikes, 6.2-7.5 mm long, in long,narrow,axillary,pubescent panicles, 15-20 cm long; rachis pubescent or villous, more or less prickly; bracts under the flowers very small, orbicular with broad base, 1.2-1.5 mm diam.,concave,pubescent. Inner perianth lobes oblong-obovate,incurved,1-1.2 mm long and about twice as long as the rounded membranous outer perianth-lobes.Anther 6 perfect, minute,globose-oblong;filaments hardly any . Female spikes usually 2-nate, simple, pubescent or tomentose, 20-30 cm long; bracts lanceolate, 2.5-3 cm long. Ovary oblong, 3.7 mm, tomentose. Capsule quadrately oblong, 3.7-5 × 1.8- 2.5 cm, ends truncately rounded, smooth. Seeds winged at the base only.
Distribution
It grows under shaded areas or near streams. Throughout the SBR, India, Malaysia,
Common use(s)
Tubers are nauseous even after boiling but often said to be edible after boiling and repeated washing. It serves as a fasten food for a tribal community of SBR and millions of people in tropical and subtropical countries (Udensi, 2008).
Medicinal value(s)
Tubers are used to birth-control among women.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Different types of Polyphenols and saponnin. Tubers contain dioscorine a lactonic alkaloids which is used to manufacture birth-control pills.
Economic Value(s)
It is not traded among the tribal community.
Amorphophallus campanulatus Blume.
Common name(s) in SBR: Ola, Ban Ola
Botanical name: Amorphophallus campanulatus Blume.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): A.Paeoniifolius Nicolson.
Flowering: April. To June. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya: Oluo
Hindi: Suran
Rajasthan: Jamikand
English: Elephant foot yam
Tamil: Senai kizhangu
Kannada: Suvarna gedde
Malayalam: Chena
Botany
It is a aroid, stout herb. Leaves 3-partite with the lateral segments 2-furcate, pinnatifid with oblong lobes.petiole long mottled dark and light green, very stout, rough with small tubercles. Peduncle much shorter than the spathe. Spathe with a campanulate tube suddenly widening into an irregular spreading plicate and undulate recurved limb. Spadix very stout. Male inflorescence subturbinate. Fruit red obovoid berries with 2-3 seeds. Tubers depressed hemispherical with diameter 6 to 15 inch.
Distribution
Throughout SBR.In India it is grown mostly in West Bengal, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa,Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and other South-East Asian Countries.
Common use(s)
The tuber(s) is eaten as vegetables and very popular in south part of SBR. It is good for liver; therefore they use it as liver tonic.
Medicinal values
It is used in gastric troubles and in rheumatic pain; tubers are used to treat piles. It is reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-protease and anthelmintic activity.
Phytochemicals constituents
Dey and Ghosh, 2010, reported, the tubers have rich quantity of Alkaloids and steroids.
Economic Values
The cultivated tuber of this species is traded in peripheral area of SBR and the tribal people of SBR are utilizing it.
Amarphophallus bulbifera (Roxb.)
Common name(s) in SBR: Amla-bela
Botanical name: Amorphophallus bulbifera Roxb.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): Arum bulbiferum Roxb.
Flowering: May to July.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya:
English: Devil’s Tongue
Bengoli: Dadunga
Tripuri: Ul Hugo
Jainta: Jaihynrew
Bangla Desh: Chung Muru
Botany
It is a stout herb. Leaves usually with a large bulbil above the petiole at the fork, leaflets obovate or lanceolate. Peduncle mottled. Spate erect, ovate-cymbiform, greenish or yellowish mottled pink without, pink or salmon deepening to scarlet. Spadix long, female portion scarlet, style very short. Broad tubers having diameter 6- 12 cm.
Distribution
Throughout SBR, Odisha, Bengal, Sikkim, Tripura Khasia Hills, Bihar, Jharkhand, Bangladesh, Myanmar.
Common use(s)
Fresh petiole, bulbils and tubers are edible among the tribal community of SBR.
Medicinal values
Bulbils and rhizome is used as vegetables against muscular rheumatism and joint pain. It is used as antidote in animal bite.
Phytochemicals constituents
Different types of poly phenols and Alkaloids are present in the tubers.
Remusatia vivipara Schott.
Common name(s) in SBR:
Botanical name: Amorphophallus campanulatus Blume.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): Arum viviparum Roxb.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya:
Marathi: Lalkand
Australia- Hitchhiker Elephant Ear
China: Yan Yu
Bengoli: Banj ka pindalu
Botany
It is a commonly known as Hitchhiker Elephant Ear. Leaves broadly ovate, usually solitary but sometimes 2, cordate with rounded lobes at base, obtuse and shortly acuminate, distinctly peltate; lamina ca. 20 cm long with a 15-25 cm long petiole, erect. Bulbiferous shoots at first stole like, ultimately erect or inclined and bearing clusters of scaly bulbils, scales with hooked awns. It has erect, simple stolons and the inflorescence appearing before the leaf. Spathe 7-11 cm long; tube ovoid, 2-4 cm long and strongly constricted above; blade subcircular, 6-8 cm long, cream coloured, reflexed. Spadix 3-4.5 cm long; basal female region ca. 2 cm long; middle sterile region ca. 1-1.1 cm long and the upper male region 1-1.2 cm long, club-shaped, without sterile tip.
Distribution
It extends from Africa, Madagascar, south-eastern Arabian Peninsula, and the Himalaya to southern China, and tropical Asia to Malaysia, northern Australia, and the Pacific islands. Northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. Usually occurs in primary or secondary rainforest on rocks or trees, or as a terrestrial. Altitudinal range recorded from 50 to 400 m.
Common use(s)
Tubers are edible as vegetables. It has high amount of antioxidant components. The tubers of are used to treat mastitis, traumatic injuries, abscesses, and swellings
Medicinal value(s)
It is found throughout in hilly regions and used in folk medicine to treat whooping cough and used for wound to dispel any worms and germs. Leaves are used as folk medicine for treating inflammation and arthritis. Leaves were used as analgesic, on the wound to dispel any worms and germs, for disinfecting genitourinary tract and for promoting conception(Bhurat et al.,2011).
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Tubers are rich in Lactin.This plant will be a good candidature in a Neurological treatment. It also has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It belongs to the "monocot mannose-binding" lectin family, which consists of proteins of high sequence and structural similarity
Pueraria tuberosa DC.
Common name(s) in SBR: Bhui Kokharu
Botanical name:Pueraria tuberose DC.
Family: Fabaceae
Synonym(s):
Flowering: Feb. to April Fruiting: May to June.
Vernacular name(s):
Santhal:Patal Kokharu
Oriya:Bhui Kokharu
Hindi:Ban Kohda, Vidarikanda
Bengoli:Handiphuta
English: Indian Kudzu
Marathi: Bhui Kohla
Telgu : Nela Gumadi
Botany
It is very large woody climber with tuberculated stem, flowering when leafless and then very handsome. Leaflet large, roundish or, more usually, the terminal one rhomboid longer than broad and the lateral very obliquely ovate, easily recognized from other similar woody climbers in the biosphere. Flower bisexual, blue-purple ternate on the nodes of racemes. Calyx purple or green, silky. Stamens usually diadelphous. The fruit pods are linear, about 2–5 cm (0.79–2.0 in) long and constricted densely between the seeds. They have silky, bristly reddish-brown hair. Seeds vary from 3 to 6 in number. Tubers attached to the base of the stem by stout lateral roots and again ending in roots, globose or pot-like, about 28 cm across and the insides are white, starchy and mildly sweet. The tubers sometimes attain an enormous size.
Distribution
It is native to India.Throughout SBR, but very rare, most frequently in Kasipani division, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Nepal, Pakistan.
Common use(s)
Tubers are used as vegetables. It is used as strong herbal tonic.
Medicinal value(s)
Fruit is used as appetizer among the tribal community. Tanwar et al., 2008 reported the hypolipidemic effects of the tuber. In Ayurveda system the flowers are used as cooling agent and as aphrodisiac, while roots act as a demulcent and refrigerant in fevers. The root tuber is sweet, oily, cooling, tonic, and effectively used in aphrodisiac, galacatagogue and diuretic. It is also used to cure leprosy, diseases of blood and urinary discharges. It is employed as an emetic, tonic and also believed to be a lactagogue (Kirtikar and Basu, 1933). the root tuber is applied for blood purification and to improve sperm production. The shade dried root powder controls overgrowth in stomach. The consumption of raw root for one month leads to sterilization in women (Venkata Ratnam, 2006).
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Isoflavonoids such as puerarin, daidzein, tuberosin, genistein and genistin are present in the tubers.
Economic Value(s)
Kudzu is facing extinction in the wild because of herb hunters who trade the tubers illegally to agents of pharmaceutical or Ayurvedic companies. In the black market, the red variety kudzu tuber of about 10 kg is believed to be very expensive ranging up to lakhs of rupees. The tubers are not disturbed from the plant, but the agents draw the juice of the tuber using syringes.
Solena amplexicaulis Lam
Common name(s) in SBR: Ban Kundri, Makrila
Botanical name. Solena amplexicaulis Lam
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Synonym(s): Melothria heterophylla Lour, Zehneria umbellate Thw.
Flowering: April-Oct Fruiting: May to Jan.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya: Ban Kundri
Kolho: Karakia
Sanskrit:Chengor
Bengoli: Ban Kundri
Botany
Prostrate or climber herb; stem angled, smooth; root tuberous. Leaves polymorphic, ovate,3-5-angled or lobed, cordate, hastate or sagitate at base , denticulate, usually 5-nerved and pale beneath ,upper surface punctate, rough or hispid; petiole short, sometimes pubescent; tendril simple. Male flowers; Articulate, Calyx tube-greenish. Corolla compaunulate, white; petals5, small, triangular. Stamens 3, inserted at the base of calyx-tube; connective papillose on the top. Female flowers: solitary, short-peduncled from the same axil as the males. Ovary narrow. Fruit ellipsoid, scarlet with red pulp, apically beaked, smooth; fruiting peduncles stout. Seeds 12- 20, ellipsoid, slightly compressed, white, and smooth, sometimes with a corrugated margin. Tubers are mostly fusiform.
Distribution
Common in hedges, thickets and also in forests.Throughout India. Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Indo-China, SW, China, Taiwan, Malesia, Australia.
Common use(s)
Tubers are edible due to sweetness taste. Tender leaves are edible in Kasipani range of SBR.
Medicinal value(s)
The tubers, leaves and seeds of the plant are extensively used in traditional system for various ailments like hepatosplenomegaly, spermatorrhoea, thermogenic, appetizer, cardiotonic, diuretics, haemorrhoids and invigorating . Tubers have hepatoprotective effect. Solena amplexicaulis used to treat gonorrhea, dyspepsia, asthma, constipation and spermatorrhea. The leaves of solena amplexicaulis have good anti-inflammatory activity.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
β-sitosterol and different types of anti-oxidant compounds.
Lasia spinosa Thwaites.
Common name(s) in SBR: Kanta Saru
Botanical name: Lasia spinosa Thwaites.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): Dracontium spinosum L.
Flowering: Dec to Jan. Fruiting: Jan. to Feb.
Vernacular name(s)
Oriya: Gola Kanta
Thai: Phak naam
Tripura: Pachak
Malay: Geli-geli
Bangladesh: Kalo- Kata
Botany
Lasia spinosa is a very prickly stout perennial herb with thick rhizome and hastate, pinnatifid leaves. Petiole erect prickly. Peduncle prickly, about as long as the petioles, with a deep purple thick and rather brittle twisted spathe. Flowers with pink imbricate lobes hooded over the stamens. Inflorescence in elongated spadix. Stigma orange, sessile. Heads of fruits oblong with spongy axis, berries more or less 4-sided, muricate. Seeds large in a coriaceous testa.
(It is a semi-shade plant with creeping along the stream of small mountain river)
Distribution
It is found along the muddy streams and frequently near the Gurguria in SBR, Sambalpur, Jharkhand, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Southern China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malayasia, Papua New Guina.
Uses
The tender leaves and rhizomes are used as a vegetable in SBR and other parts of India and world as different types of dishes. The roots are boiled with water used to bath new born babies. Suthikrai et al., (2007), reported that powder of whole plant is very effective in the growth of domestic cattle.
Medicinal values
Yadav and Temjenmongla (2011) reported that leaves juice has excellent anthelminthic activity.
Fruits and rhizomes are used to treat sore or swollen throat. Stem is used as antitussive and expectorant. Stem boil with water and used to bathe to relieve itching from roseolar infantum, measles, rubella and other skin diseases. Leaf juice is used to relief abdominal pain. Leaves are used to treat cough and various muscular pains.
Phytochemicals constituents
Shefana and Ekanayake (2009) reported tubers contain wide range of antioxidant compounds and Maisuthisakul (2008) reported that tubers are rich with Polyphenolic compounds. Hydrogen cyanide, poisonous compound, was found in fresh leaf and petiole. Calcium oxalate is in abundant quantity in tubers.
Specific information:
Lasia has been believed to be a monotypic genus until 1997 when a wild species, Lasia concinna, was discovered in a paddy field in west Kalimantan in Indonesia.
Costus speciosus Smith.
Common name(s) in SBR:
Botanical name: Costus speciosus Smith.
Family: Costaceae
Synonym(s):
Flowering: July to Sept. Fruiting: Nov. to Dec.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya:
Bengoli: Kemuk
Hindi: Keu Kand
Sanskrit: Pushkarmula
Tamil: Kostam
Botany
It is an ornamental cum medicinal plant with 2-7 ft height. Stem usually spiral so that the distichous leaf arrangement is no longer apparent. Leaves elliptic-oblong. Flowers white, clustered in very dense spikes with a short corolla tube and are characterized by large and brown and red bracts. Fruits globose or ovoid capsule with obovoid or sub globose seed (Khanna et al., 1977). Root stock is tuberous and the stem is sub woody at the base.
Distribution
Throughout SBR and Odisha, Jharkhand, Native to south East Asia, Greater Sunda Islands of Indonesia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii.
Common Use(s)
Rootstock is edible in SBR and other place of the state. Leaves are used as curry.
Medicinal value(s)
Rhizome is used to treat intestinal worms and increase sexual attractiveness. Verma and Khosa (2009) reported the whole plant has antistress activity. Leaf powder with cow’s milk is used to treat Diabetes. Rhizome is used as expectorant and is used in asthma and its juice is used to cure leprosy with turmeric. Juice is also used in urinary complain.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
Pandey et al., (2011), reported that Tubers and roots contain diosgenin, sitosterol, dioscin, prosapogenins A and B of diosceins, gracillin, and quinines. Various saponins, many new aliphatic esters and acids are reported from its rhizomes, seeds and roots. Rhizomes yield diosgenin (2.12%) and tigogenin. Essential oil from rhizome show anti microbial activity (Asolkar et al., 1992).
Economic Value(s)
Curcuma aromatica Salisb.
Common name(s) in SBR: Palo, Ban haldi
Botanical name: Curcuma aromatic Salisb.
Family: Zingiberaceae
Synonym(s): Curcuma zedoaria Roxb.
Flowering: May to June
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya: Banhaldi
Hindi: Jangli Haldi
Sanskrit: Aranyaharidra
Botany
Leaves not mature at the time of flowering, mature lower ovate, upper elongated to oblong with the base passing gradually into the winged petiole. Flowering stems distinct with a stem or peduncle. Flowers 2 inch reaching about level with the mouth of their bracts. Ovary and calyx hairy. Corolla white, upper lobe pubescent truncate emarginated with a short horn or cusp from the sinus. Rhizomes horizontal branched, with aromatic ginger smell, dirty white or yellowish inside, lateral tubers sessile.
Distribution
Very frequent in SBR, Hilly regions of Mayurbhanj, Parasnath Hills ranges, India and S. E. Asia. The plant grows wild in the Eastern Himalayas and in moist deciduous forests of coastal tract of Kanara and Kerala
Common use(s)
Arrowroot is prepared from the tubers which is edible. Particularly Khadia tribal group of Gurguria range is collected it and make arrowroot. It comes under Non Timber Forest Product (NTFP) among tribal community.
Medicinal value(s)
Aqueous extract of rhizome is taken as juice orally in empty stomach to cure dysentery and pain due to food poisoning. Raw rhizome is taken to cure constipation. Panda et al., 2011, reported that paste of rhizome is used to treat skin infections and naval infections in new-born babies and rhizome paste with Leaf of Datura metal (Durdura) is externally applied to reduce breast swelling among tribal women.
Chemical compound(s)
Himaja et al, 2010 reported that tubers have terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides and tannins. It has also anti-microbial activity. Essential oil from rhizomes contains a-pinene, d-camphene, cineole, d-camphor etc (Husain et al, 1992). The novel sesquiterpenoids which have been isolated and characterised are cuzerenone, epi-cuzerenone, iso-furanogermerene, curcumadiol, curcumol, curcumenol,iso-curcumenol, procurcumenol, dehydrocurdione (Hikino et al, 1968, 1971, 1972) Insecticidal constituents were identified by Pandji et al (1993). The root extracts are tested at against Entamoeba histolytica (Ansari, 1993) was good.
Economic Values
The arrowroot is very costly (Approximately 350 rupee per kilogram) in the weekly market of SBR
Colocasia esculenta L.
Common name (s) in SBR: Bansaru
Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta L.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): Arum esculentum L, Colocasia antiquorum Schott.
Flowering: Aug. to Oct.
Vernacular name (s):
Oriya: Ban Saru
Kondha: Gowsingo
Bhunia : Kanchi-Kanda
Hindi: Ban Kanda, Kacchu
Sanskrit:Alookam
English: Elephant Ear
Botany
It is perennial aroid with thick shoots from a large corm, slender stolons also often produced, along with offshoot corms. Leaves ovate, sub-triangular or sub-orbicular, cordate. Petioles large, succulent, often purplish near top. Inflorescence on a fleshy stalk shorter than leaf petioles; part of fleshy stalk enveloped by a long yellow bract .Spathe peduncled, yellow. Spathe peduncled, yellow, mostly over 11 inch long convolute, never widely open. Spadix much shorter than the spathe, rather slender, appendix much shorter than the inflorescence. Stigma discoid. Flowers tiny, densely crowded on upper part of fleshy stalk, with female flowers below and male flowers above. Fruit a small berry, in clusters on the fleshy stalk.
Distribution
Throughout SBR and Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, throughout the hotter parts of India up to 2200 meter on the Himalaya. Great diversity in North-eastern and south region of India. subtropical and tropical regions of the world. South Africa.
Common use(s)
Different cultivars are cultivated for the edible tubers. Corm is used as vegetables. Leaves are used to cook some vegetables cakes.
Medicinal value(s)
Rhizomes are used in Diabetes mellitus in SBR and Edison et al., 2006 reported juice of petiole is used as a stimulant and corm juice is used against Scorpion sting.
Phytochemicals constituent(s)
The main constitutes is oxalic acid which produce itching activity. Eddy, 2009 reported that aqueous extract of rhizome is rich of saponins and tannins. It has different types of toxins such as Hydrogen Cyanide, Steroid saponin and different types of inhibitors.
Economic Value(s)
It is sold and grown in many villages of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest.
Alocasia macrorrhizos Roxb.
Common name(s) in SBR: Maan saru
Botanical name: Alocasia macrorrhiza Roxb.
Family: Araceae
Synonym(s): Alocasia odora Koch., Arum odorum Roxb.
Vernacular name(s):
Oriya: Man kanda, Maan Saru
English: Giant Taro
Manipuri: Hongoo
Vietnam: Ray rung
Botany
It is largest aroids, forming a considerable aerial stem. Robust herb, more or less clothed with aerial roots. Leaves broadly ovate-sagittate, triangular-sagittate or ovate-cordate, peltate or not, repand, acute or rounded with a deflexed cusp, basal lobes shortly connate or not, ovate or semiovate, rounded. Fruit berry red.
Distribution
It is native to tropical Southeast Asia, India, and Sri Lanka. It is commonly found in tropical Himalayas, Malaysia, Queensland, Hawaiian, Australia.
Uses
Tuber and leaf are edible in SBR as vegetables along potato, and throughout India and abroad. It is a popular food during famine.
Medicinal values
Jaanne Packer et al.,( 2012) reported that the tubers used in various skin infections. Stem juice is effective against scorpion sting, leaves paste are used to cure joint pain. Root juice used as ant-malarial herbal drugs.
Phytochemicals constituents
Alocasin present in the plant has antifungal activity. The sap and the rhizome are very acrid, enriched with raphides which are Ca-oxalate crystals.
