Ethnobotanical Survey of Wild Edible Plants of Leh District, Ladakh

Abstract

Ethnobotanical exploration was undertaken to document the Wild edible plants (WEPs) utilised by the inhabitants of the Leh district. Traditionally exploited WEPs are an indispensable part of every household culinary. This place is known for its unique culture and cuisine which diversifies it from the rest of India. Pre-structured questionnaires, guided field visits, field examinations, and group discussions were conducted to gather ethnobotanical data. Detailed inquiries were made on the plant’s part used, time of collection and method of food preparation. In the present study, 40 wild consumable plants were documented, these belong to 18 families and spreads to 31 genera; out of which four are new records as wild food plants. They are Cotoneaster integerrimus, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Astragalus frigidus, and Turritis glabra. Diverse use of wild leafy plants was observed and some of the most famous dishes are ‘Shangsho tsodma’ and ‘Kabra tsodma’ vegetables. The utilisation of wild plants helps enrich diet diversity and enhances the availability of green vegetables hence broadening food choices. Our study also reveals that the gathering of wild plants is confined to village people, shepherds, and farmers, and a majority of this knowledge exists in the memory of the elderly and these wild resources are under threat due to various anthropogenic activities. Therefore, the present finding highlights the value of these plants along with maintaining regional traditional knowledge and preserving the old ethnic traditional way of living and eating. Further, this information will provide baseline data to upcoming researchers dealing with nutrition and nutraceutical aspects. In addition, these wild plants are nutritionally rich and their consumption should be encouraged.