Mouchumi Gogoi, Jonardan Hazarika, Kamaleswar Kalita and Tinamoni Hazarika
Abstract
Wild edible plants have been a part of human life since time immemorial. They have played an important role in the livelihood of rural communities in many developing countries. The North eastern region of India is the homeland of more than 150 tribes. They depend on wild resources including wild edible plants to meet their food requirements as for additional food supplements and for different medicinal purposes. The present study focuses on the documentation and enumeration of wild edible fruit plants distributed throughout Dibrugarh district, Assam. A total of 57 species belonging to 30 families were, of which the fruits of 49 species, seeds of 6 species, and mature calyx of 2 species were utilized as food sources. Nowadays, the knowledge of wild edible plants and their uses is limited only to the older people of the communities. A comprehensive evaluation of their nutritional composition is essential, as incorporation of these wild fruits could significantly contribute to national food security.