VALIDATION OF UNDER UTILIZED WILD EDIBLE FRUITS FROM THE SHOLA FOREST OF NILGIRIS, WESTERN GHATS, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Abstract

The present study was initiated with an aim to highlight and document the traditional knowledge of Wild edible fruits used by the tribal and local community inhabiting in Nilgiris district. During the study the Shola forests of Nilgiris were visited frequently and information was collected through semi directive, open ended interview among the people inhabiting in the study area. The details on family, vernacular name, habit, status, mode of consumption, fruit type, mode of seed dispersal, fruit colour were tabulated. The collected fruits were identified and deposited at the herbaria of Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore. The results revealed that the total 67 plant species belonging to 28 families and 40 genera have been documented in the present study. The habit of the species showed that trees were dominating when compared with the other habit plants. Among the different fruit type’s berries (37) were dominating. Zoochory (51) were the highest mode of seed dispersal. Red and purple were the most dominating fruit colour from the collected plants. The reported wild edible fruits could be conserved and further validation need for better utilization and provisions of the documented knowledge.