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Table 1 Common wetland edible plants, their habit, market prices and dietary uses from Manipur state, northeast India.

From: Dietary use and conservation concern of edible wetland plants at indo-burma hotspot: a case study from northeast India

Botanical name (Family)

Local name

Plant habit

*Market price (Rs/kg)

Dietary use and preparation#

Voucher Number

Alocasia cuculata Schott. (Araceae)

Singju-paan

Rooted herb

Corm (15-20)

Corm cooked with fermented soybean and eaten or prepared traditional salad called as singju (a mixture with fermented fish, chilli and other plants).

0003 NEIST(M)

Alpinia galanga Willd. (Zingiberaceae)

Kanghoo

Rhizomatous herb

Rhizome (15-20)

Rhizome decoction smashed with fermented fish and chilli and eaten during both lunch and dinner.

0004 NEIST(M)

Alpinia nigra (Gaertn) Burtt

(Zingiberaceae)

Pullei

Rhizomatous

herb

Rhizome (15-20)

Rhizome boiled with potato and prepared chutney called as eronba-smashed with potato, fermented fish and chilli (also Used in religious ceremonies, symbolic of Manipuri New Year).

0005 NEIST(M)

Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb. (Amaranthaceae)

Kabo-napi

Gregarious

herb

HH

Tender shoot cooked as a traditional food item called as ootti-cooked many vegetables together with a pinch of soda -Na2CO3.

0006 NEIST(M)

Amomum aromaticum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae)

Namra

Rhizomatous herb

Rhizome (15-20)

Rhizome as a constituent in the preparation of eronba.

0010 NEIST(M)

Cardamine hirsuta Linn. (Brassicaceae)

Chantruk-maan

Delicate herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten occasionally.

0013 NEIST(M)

Centella asiatica (Linn.)

Urban (Apiaceae)

Peruk

Creeping

herb

Aerial part (8-10)

Whole plant is boiled, smashed with potato and fermented fish and eaten.

0014 NEIST(M)

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (Araceae)

Paan

Herb

Corm (10-20)

Corm and leaf cooked-eaten as ootti.

0021 NEIST(M)

Commelina bengalensis Linn. (Commelinaceae)

Wangden-khoibi

Straggling

herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten occasionally (also used as fodder).

0022 NEIST(M)

Dryopteris marginata (Wall.) Christ (Dryopteridaceae)

Lai-changkhrang

Straggling

herb

Shoot (8 - 10)

Tender shoot fried-eaten.

0110 NEIST(M)

Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk.

(Asteraceae)

Uchi-sumban

Prostrate herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten occasionally.

0029 NEIST(M)

Eleocharis dulcis Linn. (Cyperaceae)

Kokthum

Rooted herb

Root (20-25)

Root cooked with molasses & eaten as snacks.

0109 NEIST(M)

Enhydra fluctuans Lour. (Asteraceae)

Komprek-tujombi

Herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten or raw as singju.

0033NEIST(M)

Euryale ferox Salisb. (Nymphaeaceae)

Thangjing

Rooted herb

Fruit (20-25)

Fruit cooked-eaten or raw as eronba; leaf petiole is eaten as salad.

0034 NEIST(M)

Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. (Polygonaceae)

Wakha-yendem

Herb

Shoot (5-8)

Leaf and shoot cooked-eaten as vegetables (also used as fodder for goats).

0035 NEIST(M)

Gynura cusimbua (D. Don) Moore (Asteraceae)

Tera-paibi

Herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten occasionally.

0111 NEIST(M)

Hedychium coronarium Koenig. (Zingiberaceae)

Lok-lei

Tall herb

Rhizome (25-30)

Rhizome cooked and prepared eronba.

0036 NEIST(M)

Hedyotis auricularia Linn.

(Rubiaceae)

Langban-koukha

Creeping

Herb

HH

Tender shoot cooked as ootti.

0039 NEIST(M)

Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.

(Convolvulaceae)

Kolamni

Herb

Shoot (5-6)

Shoot cooked-eaten.

0044 NEIST(M)

Jussiaea repens Linn.

(Onagraceae)

Ishing-kundo

Floating herb

HH

Shoot cooked as ootti.

0112 NEIST(M)

Jussiaea suffruticosa Linn.

(Onagraceae)

Tebo

Straggling

Herb

HH

Shoot cooked as ootti.

0113 NEIST(M)

Lemanea australis Atkins.

(Rhodophyceae)

Nung-sam

Submerged

minute herb

Whole plant

(1200-1500)

Dried and roasted filaments prepared chutney (the plant produce characteristic fishy smell when roasted in fire- used as fish substitute).

0047 NEIST(M)

Marsilea minuta Linn.

(Marsileaceae)

Ishing-yensang

Slender herb

HH

Aerial plant parts cooked as ootti.

0051 NEIST(M)

Narenga porphyrocroma Bor.

(Poaceae)

Singhut-kambong

Under shrub

HH

Infected (with fungus) inflorescence is roasted in the fire, smashed with molasses and rice and eaten.

0114 NEIST(M)

Nasturtium indicum Linn.

(Brassicaceae)

Uchi-hangam

Delicate herb

HH

Cooked-eaten as vegetables.

0015NEIST(M)

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

(Nymphaeaceae)

Thambal

Rooted-hydrophyte

Fruit, leaf, flower

(12-16),

Root (15-20)

Flower, tender shoot, leaf and roots eaten raw as salad; root cooked with molasses & eaten as snacks.

0053 NEIST(M)

Nephalium indicum Linn.

(Asteraceae)

Phunil

Slender

hispid herb

Shoot

(5-10)

Shoot is prepared eronba.

0116 NEIST(M)

Neptunia oleracea Lour.

(Mimosaceae)

Ikaithabi

Floating

Shoot

(25-35)

Shoot cooked as eronba or eaten raw as singju.

0054 NEIST(M)

Nymphaea alba Linn.

(Nymphaeaceae)

Tharo-angouba

Rooted

Hydrophyte

Flower: 20

Fruit, petiole: 10

Flower and petiole eaten as salad or singju (also used as religious offering).

0117 NEIST(M)

N. nouchali Burma f.

(Nymphaeaceae)

Tharo-angangba

Rooted

Hydrophyte

Flower (15-20)

Fruit, petiole (10)

Flower and petiole eaten as salad or singju (also as religious offering).

0055 NEIST(M)

Nymphaea pubescens Willd.

(Nymphaeaceae)

Tharo-ashangba

Rooted

Hydrophyte

Flower (18-20)

Fruit, petiole (10)

Flower and petiole eaten as salad or singju (also as religious offering).

0118NEIST(M)

Nymphaea stellata Willd.

(Nymphaeaceae)

'Thariktha'

Rooted

Hydrophyte

Flower (20)

Fruit, petiole (10)

Flower and petiole eaten as salad or singju.

0056NEIST(M)

Nymphoides indicum (L.)

Kuntze (Gentianaceae)

Thariktha-macha

Rooted

slender

hydrophyte

Petiole (10-14)

Leaf petiole eaten as singju or as eronba.

0057 NEIST(M)

Oenanthe javanica (Blume)

DC (Apiaceae)

Komprek

Swampy

slender herb

Shoot (15-20)

Shoot & leaf is one of the best and preferred species used in the preparation of singju.

0060 NEIST(M)

Oxalis corniculata Linn.

(Oxalidaceae)

Yensil

Delicate herb

HH

Plant cooked with seeds of pea (Pisum sativum) and eaten during both lunch and dinner.

0062 NEIST(M)

Persicaria posumba (Buch-

Ham ex D. Don) H. Gross.

(Polygonaceae)

Kengoi

Delicate herb

Aerial part (15-

20)

Plant cooked with dry fishes and eaten.

0119 NEIST(M)

Pistia stratiotes Linn.

(Araceae)

Kang-jao

Floating herb

HH

Leaf cooked as ootti or as eronba (also used as fodder and feed to poultry).

0120 NEIST(M)

Plantago erosa Wall.

(Plantaginaceae)

Yempat

Herb

HH

Leaf cooked-eaten occasionally.

0068 NEIST(M)

Polygonum barbatum Linn.

(Polygonaceae)

Yelang

Silvery coloured

herb.

Shoot (15-20)

Shoot cooked-eaten or raw as singju.

0069 NEIST(M)

Polygonum chinense Linn.

(Polygonaceae)

Angom-yensil

Slender herb

HH

Shoot cooked along with peas.

0121 NEIST(M)

Polygonum molle D. Don.

(Polygonaceae)

Leibung-tharam

Tall herb

Shoot (6-7)

Leaf and shoot cooked-eaten (also used as fodder plant).

0071 NEIST(M)

Polygonum plebejum R. Br. (Polygonaceae)

Okthum

Slender herb

HH

Shoot cooked-eaten occasionally.

0122 NEIST(M)

Rumex nepalensis Spreng

(Polygonaceae)

Torong-khongchak

Herb

HH

Leaf and shoot cooked eaten (also used as poultry feed and animal fodder).

0083 NEIST(M)

Sagittaria sagittifolia Linn.

(Alismataceae)

Koukha

Slender erect

Herb

Root (22-28)

Root cooked-eaten along with molasses, and also prepared eronba and traditional pokada (fried in oil).

0086 NEIST(M)

Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.)

Palla (Cyperaceae)

Kouna

Tall spongy

Herb

(20-30 per 100

tillers)

Tender shoot eaten raw occasionally by children with slightly bitter taste (also used in handicrafts & mats used in religious ceremonies and household needs).

0087 NEIST(M)

Spilanthes acmella Hook. f.

(Asteraceae)

Chin-lengbi

Straggling

herb

Shoot (5-8)

Shoot cooked-eaten.

0090 NEIST(M)

Stellaria media (L.) Vill.

(Caryophyllaceae)

Yerum-keirum

Delicate herb

Shoot (15-20)

Shoot cooked-eaten as vegetable.

0091 NEIST(M)

Trapa natans Linn.

(Trapaceae)

Heikak

Rooted

hydrophyte

Fruit (8-13)

Fruits cooked-eaten or as raw; petiole eaten as eronba and singju.

0094 NEIST(M)

Viola pilosa Blume

(Violaceae)

Huikhong

Small herb

Shoot (12-18)

Shoot cooked with dried fish and eaten.

0095 NEIST(M)

Zizania latifolia Turcz. ex

Stapf. (Poaceae)

Ishing-kambong

Erect tall

Herb

Inflorescence

(28-35)

Infected inflorescence roasted in fire and eaten along with molasses and rice (shoot of this plant is best fodder for brow-antlered deer - Cervus eldi eldi - a critically engendered species).

0099 NEIST(M)

  1. * HH = consumed at household level only and not traded in markets
  2. # text in parenthesis in 'Dietary use and preparation' column shows other utility of the species