Free Listed Wild Edible Fruit Species of Sikkim Himalayas and Their Uses

Abstract

Wild edible fruit species are traditional sources of nuts, fruits, spices, leafy vegetables, edible oil and beverages. In Sikkim, wild edible fruit species is valuable in several other ways pertaining to social, economic and ecological services except in a few species, food value has rather a subordinate role. Thus a study was designed with the purpose of providing baseline information on use of wild fruits in local system through surveys and field visits. Field survey was conducted by collecting information during structured and semi-structured interviews with native people. Free listing technique enlisted 26 wild edible fruits represented by 17 families and 23 genera. Some fruit species are socially and commercially important and also has medicinal value such as Diploknema butyraceae, Terminalia chebula, Rubus ellipticus, Spondias axillaris, Castanopsis hystrix, Duchesnia indica and Elaegnus latifolia. Most of the fruits have multiple local uses and were same for all the areas studied. These fruits were mostly eaten fresh and raw. The current level of consumption is very low and the fruits had insignificant role in the diets of the natives. These fruits have a great potential to contribute towards food and nutritional security during food scarcity and can certainly boost the economy of poor people if value addition is encouraged.