Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 832-40. 2008. Ethnobotanical
Studies on Some Lower Plants of the Central Development Kunjani Joshi* and Ananda Raj Joshi** *Department of Botany,
Patan Campus, **Former Director
General, E-mail: kunjanijoshi@hotmail.com, joshi_ananda@yahoo.com Issued 30 October 2008 Abstract
Forty-eight lower
plants used by the local communities of the villages of the Central
Development Region, Keywords: Lower plants, mushrooms, pteridophytes, traditional knowledge, conservation. Introduction The Central
Development Region of Nepal are phytogeographically a diverse terrain and
very rich in biodiversity and offers immense scope for ethnobotanical
studies. In spite of the fast modernization process, the local communities of
these areas still hold on to their traditional faith and depend on indigenous
plants for their various domestic needs and traditional medicine. However, at
present, the useful plants and their ethno-information are being eroded as a
result of loss or degraded of appropriate habitats of the plants,
unsustainable land use activities and over-exploitation of natural resources.
Hence priority should be given to document the useful
plants and their uses along with local knowledge and practices before
these plants are eliminated from the areas. During the ethnobotanical survey
of Materials and Methods The ethnobotanical study was carried out in
the villages and surrounding areas of
the Sundarijal, Mahakal, Okharni, Mulkhadka,
Tokha, Nagarjun, Nagarkot, Suryabinayak, Nala, Bajrajogini, Changu, Phulchoki,
Godavari, Lele, of Kathmandu valley and Kakani, Thansing, Talakhu, Matragau,
Thanapati, Likhu of Nuwakot district
and Syabru of Rasuwa district. Several field trips in and around the study
areas were undertaken during the years
2005 to 2007 with a view to document the indigenous practices and uses
of plant resources. Ethnobotanical
information was gathered mainly through repeated interview and open-ended
participatory discussions with local informants, such as traditional healers
/ “jkankri”, teachers and experienced village elders including midwives and
by direct observations on the way different plant materials were being
collected and used (Joshi and Edington, 1990). Voucher specimens are deposited
in the office of Biodiversity Management Programme (BMP), Environmental
Management Action ( Results During the field survey,
ethnobotanical information of 48 species of
plants have been collected from various habitats of the study areas.
In the following enumeration, the species are arranged alphabetically in two
groups (Mushrooms and Pteridophytes), Botanical name followed Nepalese name ( Enumeration
of Species Mushrooms Amanita caesarea (Scop. ex Fr.) Pers.
ex Schw. Nep. Salla chyau; Suntale chyau; Dhar shyamo;
Phul chyau Uses: edible, use in culinary purpose, mostly preferred by Tamang community. It is also sold in Asan
market, hemibapha, Habitat: Moist places, dominantly found in the pine forest, Nagarkot and Tokha,
Amanita hemibapha (Berk. et Nep. Dhar shyamo, Suntale chyau, Phul chyau Use: whole aerial parts are eaten as vegetables.
It is also sold in market mixed with Amanita ceasarea, Amanita hemibapha subsp.similis and Aminata hamibapha subsp. javanica, Habitat: moist shady places of pine forest, Nagarkot. Amanita hemibapha (Berk. et Nep.Dhar shyamo Use: edible. It is also sold mixed
with Amanita ceaserea, Amanita hemibapha var. hemibapha in market,. Habitat: moist soil in pine forest, Nagarkot Amanita hemibapha (Berk et. Nep: Dhar shyamo. Use: edible. It is also sold in Kathamndu
market (Asan) with Amanita hemibapha subsp. hemibapha, . Habitat : moist soil in pine forest, Nagarkot
Auricularia auricula (Hook.) Underwood Nep. Kane chyau; Mushkane chyau; Naryang shyamo, Chiple chyau Use: edible, few people used for culinary purpose. Habitat: rotten stump of Gravelia robusta, Nagarjun, Boletus edulis Bull ex Fr. Nep. Pho shyamo Use: edible, mostly used by Tamang community. Habitat: moist shady places in mixed forest, Suryavinayak Cantharellus cibarius Fr. Nep. Ura shyamo; Kukhure Ko phul chyau Use: edible. It is also sold in Asan
market, Habitat: moist places in mixed forests of pine and other decedious trees, Sundarijal Cantharellus subalbidus Fr. Nep. Ura shyamo, Kurkure chyau Use: edible. It is also sold in Asan market, Habitat: moist places of mixed forests, Sundarijal Cantharellus tubiformis Fr. Nep. Budhi chyau Use: edible Habitat: moist places of mixed forests, Sundarijal Clavaria cristata (Holmsk) Pers Nep. Thokre chyau; Thakre chyau Use: edible. It is also sold in Asan
market, Habitat: moist places of mixed forests .Godavari. Clavulina cinera (Fr.) Corner Use: edible/ It is also sold in
market with Laccaria laccata,
Habitat: moist places in mixed forest, Suryavinayak and Nala.
Craterellus cornucopoides (L. ex. Fr.) Pers Use: edible. It is also sold in Tarkari market, Daubahal with Cantharellus cibarius, Habitat: moist places, Godavari. Grifola frondosa
(Dick ex Fr.) S.F. Gray Nep : Sulshing marmo, Nagroom, Bhalu chyau Use: edible. It is also sold in Sundarijal market,. Habitat: moist places in mixed forests, Sundarijal and Lele. Hericium erinaceus (Bull) Pers. Nep. Thokre chyau; Thankar shyamo. Use: edible. It is sold in Ashan
market, Hydnum repandum L. Nep.
Chwali shyamo, Ura shyamo, Chwali ura shyamo. Use: edible, sometime eaten raw, preferred by Tamang community. Habitat: moist places covered with pine litter, pine forest, Tokha Laccaria laccata (Scop. ex Fr.) Berk & Br. Nep.
Budhi chyau; Jhari chyau, Kurkure chyau, Bhuinbapale chyau, Chinmrukan Use: edible, mostly preferred by Tamang and Newar ethenic cast. It is also sold in Habitat: moist shady and open places in Pinus roxburghii forest and in mixed forest, Tokha, Sundarijal, Lele , Bajrayogini and Suryavinayak.
Lactarius piperatus (Fr.) S.F. Gray Nep. Dudhe chyau, Nghe shyamo Use: edible, but not preferred. Habitat: pine forest,
Nagarkot Laetiporus
sulphureus (Fr.) Murr Nep. Wala shyamo; Sulsingwala marmo Use: edible. It is also sold in Asan market ,. Habitat: moist places, Sundarijal. Lentinellus sp Use: edible. It is also sold in cornucopiae,. Habitat:
forest, Tokha. Lycoperdon pyriforme Schaeffer ex Fr. Nep. Phusphure chyau; Nagala Phum shyamo. Use: edible; Habitat: moist places in mixed tropical forests, Kakani and Changu. Meripilus giganteus (Fr.) Karst Use: edible Habitat: Quercus stump, Phulchoki Oudemansiella radicate (Rehl ex Fr.) Singer Nep. Kagkhutte chyau, Tang shyamo Use: edible, roasted on fire or fried with various things. Habitat: soil in open moist places, Suryavinayak, Lele and Kakani. Pleurotus cornucopiae (Paul ex Pers)
Rolland Use: edible, The mushrooms are sold
in Asan market, Mangal Bazar, Patan, Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel Nep. Kande chyau Use: edible. It is sold in and Lentinellus spp.,
Polyporus arcularius Fr. Use: edible. It is also sold at Asan market, Habitat: moist places of forest, Phulchowki Polyporus varius Fr. Use: edible. This species is sold in Ramaria aurea (Fr.)
Quel. Nep.
Thakre chyau Use:
edible It is also sold in Habitat: moist places of pine forests, Nagarkot and Lele . Ramaria botrytis (Pers.) Ricken Nep. Thekre chyau Use: edible. It is also sold at Asan
market, Habitat: soil in moist places in pine forest, Kakani . Ramaria flava (Fr.) Quel Nep.
Thokre chyau Use:
edible. It is also sold at Habitat: soil in pine forest, Kakani Ramaria formosa (Fr.) Quel. Nep. Thokre chyau Use: edible. Habitat: It is sold at Asan market
mixed with Ramaria aurea and Ramaria
flava. Russula adusta Fr. Nep.
Kan shyamo Use: edible, but poor in taste. Habitat: moist shady places in pine forest or in mixed forests, Lele , Nagarkot, Bajrayogine and Matatirtha. Russula densifolia Gill Use:edible, but poor in taste. Habitat: moist shady places in pine forests,Bajrnyogini, Lele and Suryavinayak. Scleroderma citrinum Pers Nep. Phusphure chyau, Dalle chyau, Til chyau, Shakan shyamo, Allu chyau, Pattun chyau. Use: edible. It is also sold in Asan
market, Habitat: soil in moist places of the mixed forest, Matatirtha, Sundarijal and Changu , Termitomyces eurhizus (Berk) Heim Nep.
Kalunge chyau, Puchina, Jhyarno, Chyarmo, Kalunge Use:
edible, aerial parts are eaten after roasted.
It is also sold in market Habitat: ` moist soil in pine forest as well as in mixed forests, Nagarkot , and Kakani Pteridophytes Adiantum Capillus veneris (Linn.) Adiantaceae Use: A paste made from the fronds is applied to the forehead to relieve headaches and to the chest to relieve chest pains; decoction of plant is drunk to treat whooping cough and throat and bronchial disorders; squeezed leaf juice is applied on wounds. Habitat: stone crevices and rocky slopes, Kakani Adiantum caudatum L. Adiantaceae Nep. Uneu Use: Green leaves are pounded in water and juice is applied to the affected area of skin infection; dried leaf is decocted and then drunk to treat cough and fever; leaf juice is taken to cure diabetes. Habitat: stone crevices and rocky slopes, Kakani and Talakhu of Nuwakot district. Adiantum incisum Forssk,
Adiantaceae Nep. Uneu Use: Frond is squeezed
between thumb and then juice is applied externally to cure scabies. Habitat: Forests, Matragau, Nuwakot
district. Diplazium stoliczkae Bedd. Aspidiaceae
Nep. Kalo neuro
Use : The tender shoots are commonly eaten as delicious vegetable. Habitat: Deparia boryana (Willd.) M. Kato., Woodsiaceae Use: Young parts are eaten as vegetable. Habitat: Dryopteris cochleata (D. Don.) C. Chr. Aspidiaceae. Nep. Dantheneuro
Use : The tender shoots are consumed as vegetable after boiling and
are used to sell in market; juice extracted from the fronds is used to treat muscular and rheumatic pain
Habitat: adjoining areas Dryothyrium boryanum (Willd.) Ching., Aspidiaceae
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