Doomdooma: A recent scientific study has documented the diversity of wild edible plants in Assam’s Tinsukia district, recording 96 species that are used by local communities as food and for traditional purposes.
Published in Plant Science Today in 2025, the study, titled “Diversity of wild edible plants, nutrition and phytochemical evaluation of certain plants with ethnobotanical importance from Tinsukia district, Assam, India,” was based on field research carried out between 2021 and 2023.
According to the study, around 56 per cent of the documented species are consumed as vegetables, while approximately 30 per cent are used as edible fruits. Another seven per cent are used as masticatory items, spices and condiments, highlighting the role of locally available plant resources in the food practices of communities in the district.
The researchers also assessed the nutritional and phytochemical characteristics of five selected species – Sarcochlamys pulcherrima, Zanthoxylum oxyphyllum, Smilax perfoliata, Portulaca oleracea and Phlogacanthas thyrsiformis.
Their analysis included minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and nickel.
The findings showed that several of the plants contained notable levels of essential minerals and phytochemicals. The researchers suggested that these species could contribute to mineral nutrition while also representing an important repository of traditional food knowledge.
Beyond their nutritional value, the documented plants have significance from ecological and cultural perspectives. Wild edible plants are closely linked to traditional knowledge that has been passed down through generations, making their documentation important for preserving information about their uses.
The study also highlighted the importance of conserving Tinsukia’s plant diversity. The district’s forest, wetland and riverine ecosystems support a range of wild plant species, but changes in land use and lifestyles could potentially threaten both the plants and the traditional knowledge associated with them.
The documentation of these species, therefore, provides a record of the region’s ethnobotanical heritage while underscoring the need for continued research and conservation of wild edible plant resources.